Show Home Opens In Aldershot

Weston Homes has unveiled a new show home at Gun Hill Park, a development of conversion and new build homes in Aldershot.

The scheme sees the transformation of the former Grade II listed Cambridge Military Hospital into a collection of homes set in 12 acres of grounds and forming part of The Wellesley Estate.

Located in the restored hospital building which is now called The Cambridge, the large three-bedroom show apartment celebrates the area’s rich military history and royal connections, with specially-sourced vintage photographs on display. The military hospital was built in 1875-99 to resemble a grand stately home; it is now being restored to provide 74 homes including one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and a penthouse incorporating the building’s clock tower. This is alongside brand new two-, three- and four-bedroom houses. In total, Gun Hill Park will comprise 140 properties, with the first phase now released.

Designed by Chloe Rosamond of Voyage Interiors, the 1,260-sq-ft show apartment showcases the grand space on offer in the restored building, with 12-ft high ceilings and beautiful arched windows coupled with Weston Homes’ high specification throughout. The colour palette mixes emerald green, taupe, cream and pink, bringing the leafy outside in and offering a refined living space.

The show apartment’s three bedrooms all offer refined luxury and glamorous touches. The main bedroom features a king-sized four-poster bed which emphasises the height of the room, framed by the charming arched windows. In the second bedroom there is a gallery wall of artistic photos of local Alder trees, which lend their name to Aldershot, and the Heroes Shrine war memorial at local Manor Park. The third bedroom has a black and glass desk and shelving area in one corner, ideal for working from home or as a space to study.

In the kitchen, elegant shades of green and cream bring the outside in and create a calm ambience, with a detailed wallpaper pattern of botanical drawings. On the walls there are bespoke photos of the Wellington Statue, the 30-ft high bronze statue of the Duke of Wellington on his horse Copenhagen which stands in the estate grounds. Throughout the apartment there are photographic prints of the Aldershot Military Tattoo, including of Queen Victoria visiting, an annual event dating back to 1894. Crowds of up to 500,000 would gather to see the displays with money raised for military charities, an important part of the town’s history.

The hospital was built in an Italianate neo-classical style based on design principles championed by Florence Nightingale on how a military hospital should operate, under the auspices of HRH Prince Albert, the Prince Consort. The cost of the hospital was £45,758, and it opened for admission of patients on 18 July 1879, operating until eventually closing in 1996. Royal visitors included HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH Princess Anne and HRH Princess Margaret, with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visitors to the town’s Aldershot Tattoo event.

During the World Wars, Aldershot was a key base, with 20% of the British Army based in and around the town in 1914; it was the first base hospital to receive casualties directly from the Western Front and it was here that plastic surgery was first performed in the British Empire by Captain Gillies. The town remains home to an important military base, with the garrison’s current population circa 10,000 troops and their families.

The homes at Gun Hill Park offer a fully inclusive specification with superfast full fibre broadband ready the day you move in. The contemporary kitchens by Oakwood Kitchens have quartz stone worktops and upstands, a wide range of integrated appliances and a stainless steel sink with integrated removable chopping board, tap with hose-spray extension, instant boiling water tap and neat integrated soap dispenser. The bathrooms have Arctic white suites, walk-in Fascino Smart showers or bathtubs, heated towel rails, integrated vanity storage, a mirror with de-mist feature and a choice of floor and wall tile colours and finishes.

Gun Hill Park is located within The Wellesley Estate, which covers 370.7 acres (150 hectares) and provides homes, community and leisure facilities, two primary schools, a neighbourhood centre, and the Wellesley Woodlands, offering 271 acres (110 hectares) of natural green open space.

Homes at Gun Hill Park are priced from £299,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, £310,000 for a two-bedroom and £475,000 for a three-bedroom. Houses are priced from £410,000 for a three-bedroom and £675,000 for a four-bedroom. Find out more from Weston Homes.

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