There has been a lot of news coverage recently on the urgency of tackling climate change and the world’s demand on its environment and natural resources, and things such as green and open spaces have played a major part in people’s choice of moving home, especially in the last couple of years.
Thankfully, housebuilders are well aware of this and the benefits of energy-efficiency, recycling of materials and providing developments that tick a lot of boxes for landscape and the diversity of flora and fauna of the areas they are developing. These are just a few of those currently available in Greater London and the Home Counties.
Berkeley’s Foal Hurst Green in Paddock Wood, Kent, is designed to complement the adjacent 29-acre Foal Hurst Wood next door, retaining much of the natural landscape including mature trees and hedgerows, alongside the creation of a new five-acre nature reserve that connects to the woodland and enhances residents’ feeling of proximity to country life. A duck pond, bandstand, and play areas form the centrepiece of the site – a charming outlook and a focus for the inviting neighbourhood.
Ecology is woven into the fabric of the homes’ design, with an overall net biodiversity gain across the site of 42%. Properties are built using photovoltaic technology to reduce emissions during construction and are fitted with energy-efficient fixtures to continue this reduction long-term. Bat and bird boxes will also be installed on buildings and trees as part of an ongoing site-wide management programme that will actively manage and promote the rich ecological value of the site.
Foal Hurst Green comprises three-, four- and five-bedroom houses, as well as a limited number of one- and two-bedroom apartments and is designed to suit all types of buyers – from families to young professionals and retirees. High-speed broadband allows easy working from home, while contemporary design and excellent standard specification provides modern living within a quintessentially rural setting.
Less than a mile from home is Paddock Wood town centre, while Royal Tunbridge Wells is just 18 minutes’ drive from home. Within eight miles are four Ofsted-rated ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’ primary schools, including Paddock Wood Primary School just half-a-mile from home. In addition, there is a selection of well-regarded secondary, grammar and private schools, notably the world-famous Skinners School and Tonbridge School.
Prices at Foal Hurst Green start from £255,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, and £452,500 for a three-bedroom house, with Help to Buy available on selected properties where applicable. Find out more about Foal Hurst Green from Berkeley.
The 1840
Combining period grandeur with modern city living, The 1840 boasts a prime location with the sought after neighbourhoods of Tooting, Earlsfield, Balham and Wandsworth Common all within walking distance.
Formerly Springfield Hospital, multiple WhatHouse? Award-winner City & Country is breathing new life into the majestic Grade II listed building and sensitively restoring and redesigning the surrounding gardens, which will be known as St George’s Gardens. The hospital was built on a 97-acre site owned by Henry Perkins, a wealthy brewer who obtained the freehold from the 2nd Earl Spencer, and the extensive surrounding landscape, which also shares the building’s Grade II status. The Elizabethan-styled building was centrally located within a parkland designed with sweeping drives, avenues and large parkland trees, in line with the popular Victorian ethos that placed significant importance on the therapeutic nature of outdoor space.
The demands of 21st-century living means access to outside space remains as desirable as ever, so the masterplan for The 1840 embraces the ‘nature as therapy’ theme, recognising its importance in attaining a sense of wellbeing and contentment. Approximately 32 acres of this parkland is to be retained as a public park, whilst The 1840 has almost nine acres of secure private gardens for the use of its residents, creating a series of outdoor oases. This network of linked garden squares and courtyards ensures a green thread runs throughout the development and all the homes will have attractive areas to relax, enjoy and socialise.
Prices at The1840 start from £440,000 for a one-bedroom apartment. Find out more at www.cityandcountry.co.uk.
Poplar Riverside
Over half of St William’s Poplar Riverside development will be dedicated to green open space, including landscaped gardens, an adventure and nature playground for children, a 2.5 acre public park and a 500m riverside walkway. It is located on the banks of the River Lea in East London,
In all, the major regeneration is providing 2,800 homes including studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. There are also a plethora of exclusive private residents’ facilities, including a state-of-the-art Home Club, which features a 20-metre swimming pool, spa facilities, large business lounge, private dining rooms, cinema and games room and a 24-hour concierge service. The development will also include a new school, a commercial gym, a crèche, shops, restaurants and cafés as well as 90,000 sq ft of commercial space, a new Sainsbury’s store and riverside pub
There are a number of public transport connections within walking distance, with East India and Canning Town stations less than a 15 minutes away on foot, meaning Waterloo, Westminster and Bond Street can all be accessed within 22 minutes. For those travelling by bike, Canary Wharf is just 12-minutes away and Bank can be reached within 31 minutes.
Prices start from £393,000. Find out more about Poplar Riverside from St William.
Central Park at Beam Park
Beam Park is Countryside and L&Q’s 3,000-home regeneration of a former Ford manufacturing plant in east London. Spanning 31 hectares, the ex-industrial site had lain derelict and empty for 15 years but the new development puts biodiversity at its heart, with green open space forming 77% of the masterplan, 44% of which is publicly accessible.
A number of new parks are being created at the development, including a 3.5-hectare central linear park that runs through the development and which incorporates the River Beam, with reed beds being installed along the river bank to increase biodiversity. Central Park plays an important role in mitigating flood risk, while creating a valuable public asset out of the gas mains exclusion zone. A series of outdoor amenity spaces bring people together through leisure and play, while a green SUDs network of streetscape swales and buffer planting form another line of flood defence, as well as reintroducing ecology to the site.
As well as the new homes, the first phase of Beam Park is delivering a three-form-entry primary school and a new park which will include play areas for children and serve as an exciting community space for residents.
A new release of contemporary one- and two-bedroom apartments has recently launched, located at the heart of station square, new residents will benefit from the convenience of having shops, community facilities and the new train station on their doorstep. Prices start from £230,000. Find out more at www.beampark.com.