Watford is one of the most active places in the Hertfordshire new homes market, with its location and abundance of transport links appealing to a diverse range of house-hunters.
From shops and eateries to schools and leisure venues, the town and borough are well into a major regeneration project to provide thousands of brand new homes as well as a host of new amenities. One part of it, around Watford Junction, will include a revamp of the increasing used station building as well as the creation of new residential and office developments, more shops and public transport facilities and open spaces.
From its growth in the Industrial Revolution, it is now the location of numerous business headquarters and hosts major conferences, and its current population of around 90,000 people is set to grow significantly in the coming years.
Just 15 miles from central London, the town comes with a host of railway and bus services that has made it a major consideration for commuters. Services on National Rail, Underground (Metropolitan line) and London Overground routes run in various routes into and around the capital and regular trains run from Watford’s five stations to places including, St Albans, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Birmingham and Preston. The town also offers proximity to major roads like the M1 and M25.
Shoppers will find some big brands at the Atria shopping centre and there are plenty more, and many independent shops, in the surrounding streets. Watford has numerous supersmarkets too and from Tuesday to Saturday there’s a more traditional high street market.
The town’s largest green space is the 250-acre Cassiobury Park, adjacent to highly-rated private West Herts Golf Club, but there are others parks and playing fields around the area too. Watford is served by well over a dozen gyms and there are clubs for people to join to enjoy numerous sports. For football spectators, Vicarage Road is the stadium for Watford FC.
For cultural venues, the main ones are The Palace Theatre, Watford Colosseum and the Pump House arts, and there will be live music found in some of the many of the area’s pubs and bars. There a many annual events to enjoy too, such as a carnival, jazz festival, open-air summer cinema and August’s Herts Pride day.
Parents will be delighted by Watford and the surrounding area, where there a many state primary and secondary schools rated ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’, including its Boys and Girls grammar schools, and there are many independent options for children of different ages too. West Herts College, currently with nearly 6,000 students, runs a range of qualifications including diplomas, apprenticeships and degrees across three campuses in Watford, Kings Langley and Hemel Hempstead.
There’s an excellent range of brand new homes for sale in and around Watford right now, and we take a look at a few of them here. Any offers, initiatives and assistance schemes mentioned are all subject to terms and conditions.
London Square Watford
London Square Watford is a collection of well-specified one- and two-bedroom apartments situated on St Albans Road, two miles from the town centre and just a few minutes’ walk to Watford North station and a range of useful shops and a variety of restaurants and takeaways. Each property has an open-plan kitchen/living/dining room, fitted wardrobes to bedroom one, a video entry system and many have a private balcony. Allocated parking is available to selected plots but everyone is able to use the fob-controlled secure cycle storage area. There’s lift access to all floors and some communal landscaping open to all residents. Prices for the current ready-to-move-into homes for sale start at £340,000. Find out more about London Square Watford. Find out more about London Square Watford.
Just a few minutes’ walk to the town centre and Watford Junction station, The Eight Gardens is an appropriate name for a new Berkeley Homes development that will comprise a wide range of studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments set around eight characterful landscaped spaces with lawns, pathways, water features and a mix of planting, complemented with art installations. Residents will benefit from a concierge, gym, business lounge and screening room, and there will be come commercial space on the site too. The first phase here, called Union Court, has been released with prices currently ranging from £320,500 to £537,000. The sales & marketing suite and show home here are open seven days a week: Monday to Saturday from 10.00am to 6.00pm; Thursday from 10.00am to 7.00pm; and Sunday and Bank Holidays from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Find out more about The Eight Gardens.
The Laundry Works from Weston Homes
Weston Homes – WhatHouse? Medium Housebuilder of the Year 2023 – has a range of one- and two-bedroom apartments remaining for sale at its popular development The Laundry Works, which is now over 70% sold. Priced from £282,000 and located off St Albans Road, residents can commute to Baker Street in 41 minutes from Watford Underground station, which is a 15-minute walk away. The premium specification includes a full range of integrated kitchen appliances, flooring throughout and smart technology in the bathrooms, all standard and included in the property price. The majority of homes have a private balcony or terrace. Residents can enjoy the shared rooftop terrace and there is secure cycle storage. The marketing suite and show homes are open seven days a week between 10.00am and 5.00pm. Find out more about current Weston Homes developments.
The Clarendon is a 25-storey apartment block in the town centre which is bringing 168 new homes – a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments and a selection of penthouses – and a host of exclusive amenities. As well as a 25th-floor roof garden with views across the capital, there are a gym, a second roof garden, a private cinema, club lounge, café, secure cycle storage and 24 concierge service. The first homes will be ready to move into in summer 2024. Prices start at £300,000. Find out more at www.regal-london.co.uk.
Just outside Watford, Countryside Partnerships has seen great success at its South Oxhey Central development, which currently offers a number of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments starting at £300,000, with £20,000 deposit contribution on selected plots. All properties here come with a private balcony or terrace, integrated appliances in the contemporary-styled kitchens, a fitted wardrobe to the main bedroom, and they are all well-designed to incorporate a home-working area. Residents get free car club membership and three months free Hyperoptic broadband. This development is located adjacent to Carpenders Park Overground station, just eight minutes into central Watford and 32 minutes from London Euston. It also includes retail and commercial space to add to the existing local shops, amenities and places to eat and drink. Find out more about South Oxhey Central from Countryside.
Watford Riverwell show home
A joint venture between Kier Property and Watford Borough Council, Watford Riverwell is a transformation of a site in the south of town near Watford General Hospital and the Vicarage Road football stadium. This will complementing private and affordable new homes with shops, jobs, and facilities including new two-form entry primary school, flexible workspaces, a community centre, and more than 4.5 acres of public open green space. The first collection of townhouses, called Avenues, is town 75% sold and prices for the remaining three-bedroom homes start at £555,000. Find out more at watfordriverwell.com.
National housebuilder Bellway is also selling homes on this development. Waterside at Riverwell is also selling fast but remaining one- and two-bedroom apartments start from £270,000. Buyers can ask about deposit contribution, furniture package and the company’s own Express Mover initiative. Find out more.
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Find out more about current developments in Watford.
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