Whiteville Ceramics, innovative Italian-designed sanitary ware brand specialising in contemporary design led bathroom interiors launch ONDA: a new and modern sanitary ware collection with accentuating curved lines, ultra-luxe glaze and systematic design and function. “Luca has a unique design perspective that derives from his strong architectural background and this, coupled
The first residents at a new housing development taking shape in Chichester have now moved into their homes. Cathedral Park is a collection of homes being built by Bellway Wessex to regenerate the former Bartholomews site, off Bognor Road. A total of 51 homes will be built within the first
To help take the stress out of moving for those living in the capital, Shanly Homes is pleased to offer assistance with the sale of a resale home at Enfield Apartments when buyers select one of its brand-new spacious apartments at Uplands Park Place. Situated in Enfield, North London, buyers
Works at a new healthcare facility, Greenwood Health Centre in Burntwood, Staffordshire, have now been completed. The £3.4 million medical facility, which is located on Lichfield Road, has been constructed by Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson to bring first class healthcare facilities to the community and opened earlier this month.
While most of us can only aspire to live in a million-pound property, that doesn’t mean that we can’t make our homes feel like a modern mansion. Design inspiration is drawn regularly from the rich and famous, but which luxury home features are more accessible than we may think? Windows
Affordable housing provider St Arthur Homes has acquired its largest number of private units on one site to date, for Shared Ownership between Southampton and Portsmouth in a deal in excess of £25M with The Vistry Group. The purchase of 95 affordable homes at the Whiteley Meadows development in Winchester,
Blackwood House is the final home to be released in the exclusive Tibbs Court Farm development, located just outside the beautiful village of Brenchley, Kent. A substantial farmstead that combines spacious living with sleek design, this five-bedroom property is the perfect option for larger families who desire luxury and space
Tiled stoves that only warm up are a thing of the past. Today’s end customers expect an unobstructed view of the fire from several sides and thus a real “campfire feeling”, of course with the highest environmental standards at the same time. Angularly bent fire-viewing panels made of glass ceramics
Back in 2012, the English Housing Survey took an in-depth look at the energy efficiency of the country’s housing stock. It found that social housing was leading the field, with an average Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating of 65, compared to just 57 for the private rented sector. The most
Housebuilder Bellway has relocated its Eastern Counties divisional office to Building 2030 at Cambourne Business Park as it targets significant growth over the next five years. The division is one of Bellway’s newest, having been established in 2018. Its first office opened in Huntingdon early in 2019. Bellway Eastern Counties
Whiteville Ceramics, innovative Italian-designed sanitary ware brand specialising in contemporary design led bathroom interiors launch ONDA: a new and modern sanitary ware collection with accentuating curved lines, ultra-luxe glaze and systematic design and function. “Luca has a unique design perspective that derives from his strong architectural background and this, coupled with his ability to balance artistry with product innovation has led to ONDA becoming one of our most ergonomic sanitaryware collections. Inspired by the beauty of natural movement, this series of designer basins and WCs are suitable in both residential and commercial environments making ONDA a luxe turnkey design solution for the modern bathroom,” explained Graham Bucktrout, Managing Director at IBC Group. Exclusively available in the UK, the new ONDA Collection by Whiteville Ceramics, combines innovative design and functionality alongside a rich, ultra-smooth glaze for a high sheen and well-defined shape and style. A modern sanitary ware collection where impeccable quality meets thin profiled basins, comfort seats and ultra-stylish WC’s, the new ONDA collection is available now and offers basins and WCs. Intrinsic to the ONDA Washbasin Collection, end users alike can enjoy a deep oval-shaped bowl with optimised proportions and rear countertop for added surface area. Each washbasin can be styled over-counter or wall-mounted, with the choice of a semi or full pedestal to accommodate a variety of applications. For added continuity, each basin in the collection is available with ONDA brassware in two contemporary designs: 1) ONDA Basin Mixer with Spring Waste and 2) ONDA Tall Basin Mixer, both finished in Chrome. The ONDA close-coupled WC is designed with an understated P-Trap and features the exclusive SAVER® water saving technology by Whiteville Ceramics, which reduces water usage by up to 50% on tank models: from 3 to 4.5 litres in full flush and 2.5 to 3 litres in small flush. Both ONDA models of WC, feature the company’s patented rimless design for optimum performance. By removing the rim, Whiteville Ceramics ensure better hygiene standards as every part of the WC can be easily cleaned as it prevents mould growth in hidden areas so users benefit from a rimless system that is functional and water saving.
The first residents at a new housing development taking shape in Chichester have now moved into their homes. Cathedral Park is a collection of homes being built by Bellway Wessex to regenerate the former Bartholomews site, off Bognor Road. A total of 51 homes will be built within the first phase of construction, which will be followed by an additional 57 homes within the final phase. The overall Chichester development will comprise 37 affordable homes available for local people through rent or shared ownership, as well as 71 homes for private sale, with a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses and one and two-bedroom apartments available. A total of 27 homes have now been sold at the development. “Welcoming the first buyers to the development marks the starting point of a new community forming on the south-eastern edge of Chichester. The development has been proving popular with house-hunters who want to move into a vibrant cathedral city, as well as local people looking to stay in the area,” said Kim Caldwell, Sales Director at Bellway Wessex. “Cathedral Park has good access to a range of local amenities and also retains really good transport links, as it’s just a mile to the south-east of the city centre and just two miles away from Chichester railway station. It’s also near the A27 for direct access into Portsmouth and Worthing. By offering a good mix of homes, we are able to cater for buyers at various stages of the property ladder. We have also taken great care to offer high-quality homes that fit in with the surrounding neighbourhood.” A range of one to four-bedroom homes are currently available at Cathedral Park, with prices starting from £212,995 for a one-bedroom apartment.
To help take the stress out of moving for those living in the capital, Shanly Homes is pleased to offer assistance with the sale of a resale home at Enfield Apartments when buyers select one of its brand-new spacious apartments at Uplands Park Place. Situated in Enfield, North London, buyers will benefit from great connectivity options being in Zone 5, as well as the opportunity to enjoy all that the capital has to offer. Offering an exclusive variety of nine luxury two- and three-bedroom apartments, each property is uniquely shaped, and individually named. The desirable design of the spacious three-bedroom Enfield apartments takes nothing away from functionality, with the spacious open-plan layouts offering flexible living. With Enfield town centre just a short walk away, residents can make the most of the variety of local shops and restaurants on offer, and a seven-minute drive will take you to the beautiful green inner-city sanctuary of Enfield Town Park. “These apartments at Uplands Park Place are idyllic for downsizers, the homes have been beautifully designed and residents will enjoy the peaceful and attractive setting. Buyers have been very interested in our assisted move scheme which takes out all the usual stress of buying and selling a home. These beautiful new apartments offer a wonderful lifestyle, with easy connections to the capital, spacious interiors and private outdoor spaces to enjoy,” comments Martin Brown, Sales Manager at Shanly Homes. Each luxury apartment at Uplands Park Place is unique in its layout. The Chase is a large three-bedroom home that boasts a generous living/dining area that will be the beating heart of this aesthetically stunning home. The kitchen is fully equipped with an impressive collection of branded appliances including a fridge/freezer, a dishwasher and a Siemens fan assisted oven and, with an expansive open-plan setting. A beautiful garden is maintained by the management company, where residents can enjoy the benefits of a spectacular green space. Many Enfield apartments also enjoy the added benefit of a large private balcony, providing another tranquil place to unwind and watch the world go by. Private parking is available, with select apartments including electric car charging points. The primary bedroom is complete with a fitted wardrobe and its own luxurious en suite. The remaining two bedrooms are ideal for visiting guests, family or grandchildren, with the smaller of the two rooms making for an ideal space to work from home if needed. The stylish contemporary bathroom comes complete with Minoli tiling to the walls and floor. The well-equipped High Street includes a Waitrose and a Marks and Spencer and is just a four-minute drive away. The Palace Gardens Shopping Centre, which hosts dozens of Britain’s favourite high street brands such as H&M, Monsoon and River Island is a short seven-minute drive, and with a variety of restaurants and bars, as well as a Champneys Spa in the middle of town – necessary quality time is achievable in an area that caters for all. Heralded as London’s greenest borough, Enfield has an abundance of green space, and with so many opportunities to explore the outdoors, residents can enjoy the balance of being outside with the convenience of city living. Hilly Fields Park is a short five-minute drive away, with live music playing throughout the summer, whilst Grovelands Park is also only a nine-minute drive.
Works at a new healthcare facility, Greenwood Health Centre in Burntwood, Staffordshire, have now been completed. The £3.4 million medical facility, which is located on Lichfield Road, has been constructed by Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson to bring first class healthcare facilities to the community and opened earlier this month. The healthcare facility has been built on a Staffordshire County Council site that had been vacant since 2008, having previously been occupied by a residential care home. The single-storey health centre replaces the current provision on Hudson Drive approximately 300 metres away, with medical services still being provided by the area’s local GP practice, Darwin Medical Practice, from within the new facility. “Greenwood House Health Centre is going to be a high-quality healthcare centre for the people of Burntwood: providing a modern, spacious and comfortable facility, which still includes their local GP practice, as well as new accessible treatment rooms, equipment and facilities,” said Chris Flint, managing director of G F Tomlinson. “We’re very pleased to have completed this project working with the NHS and our local authority partners – our fifth project on the Staffordshire County Council Framework – delivering another important public service building in the area which will provide upgraded healthcare facilities to the local community.” Consisting of 12 consulting rooms, five treatment rooms, a healthcare and phlebotomy room, and a health education space with an adjoining pharmacy unit, the Greenwood Medical Centre will provide much-needed upgraded and accessible healthcare facilities for the area. Landscaping has also been carried out to the facility’s surroundings, with 61 onsite parking spaces created. G F Tomlinson was selected from the Staffordshire County Council Framework to provide the construction works for the site which began in November last year, this being the contractor’s fifth project secured through the framework. “For many years the County Council has held on to this site so it can be used to improve health provision in Burntwood and I am delighted to see the medical centre open. Part of the authority’s approach to improving the community’s health and wellbeing, particularly among older residents, is to have more people treated closer to home wherever possible and this first-class building allows us to do that,” added Julia Jessel, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for Health and Care. The scheme has been funded by NHS England’s Estates and Technology Transformation Fund, which aims to improve healthcare services for patients across the country with modernised facilities and technology. “I am delighted that years of collaborative working and planning between skilled and dedicated professionals from local health authorities, the county council and The Darwin Medical Practice are now coming to fruition,” commented Dr Gerbo Huisman, GP partner at Darwin Medical Practice. “Our patients, as well as the wider community, are now getting what they have asked for so long; a modern, spacious and comfortable health centre from which we, their GP practice, will be delivering high quality, responsive and patient centred primary care services.” Staffordshire County Council led this project, with project management from ENTRUST and G F Tomlinson acting as main contractor.
While most of us can only aspire to live in a million-pound property, that doesn’t mean that we can’t make our homes feel like a modern mansion. Design inspiration is drawn regularly from the rich and famous, but which luxury home features are more accessible than we may think? Windows and doors specialists, Genesis Collection have analysed property data to reveal the features that the UK’s million-pound properties have in common. The investigation, which involved deep-diving into hundreds of properties across the UK that are currently available on the market, found a total of seven unique features that were a recurring theme throughout. The good news? Lots of these home features are readily available to the wider public, which means everyone can draw inspiration and add a little luxury to their own spaces. Floor to Ceiling Glass Doors This feature was by far the most repeated design element encountered throughout the UK’s high-end properties. Whether sliding patio doors or aluminium bifold doors, the designs and colours varied by interior theme but the core design concept remained very much the same – floor to ceiling glass. As most of these properties also have large and beautifully landscaped gardens, it’s understandable why such a feature may be in high demand. However, the light inducing benefits of floor to ceiling glass are also popular, making this a highly sought-after element for any home. Freestanding Bathtub Though the style of many of the million-pound bathrooms varied, one common feature remained throughout – freestanding bathtubs. Whether the powder room was traditional in design, with Victorian-themed tiling and clean white features, or modern, with floor to ceiling marble, the inclusion of a freestanding bath is a clear indicator of a luxury home. Fireplace Another stunning piece encountered in almost all million-pound homes currently on the market was a statement fireplace. Coming in a vast array of designs, a fireplace can easily compliment any interior theme, whether that’s farmhouse décor or minimalist chic. Similarly, to the kitchen island, a fireplace creates a focal point in any room and creates a highly sought-after cosy ambience. Open Plan Space Perhaps an interesting observation, each of the properties analysed all had a very similar approach when it came layout, with big open plan living spaces a theme throughout. Large kitchens continuing into dining rooms and dining rooms continuing into living rooms were all popular designs. Often, this open space is also extended seamlessly through glass doors into an outdoor the patio, creating the illusion of an even larger space, thus achieving a luxury look.
Affordable housing provider St Arthur Homes has acquired its largest number of private units on one site to date, for Shared Ownership between Southampton and Portsmouth in a deal in excess of £25M with The Vistry Group. The purchase of 95 affordable homes at the Whiteley Meadows development in Winchester, comes as part of St Arthur Homes’ focused expansion programme, as it aims to deliver at least 2,000 new homes over five years. The first phase of 45 Shared Ownership homes at Whiteley Meadows will be launched for sale soon, including a range of two and three-bedroom houses and two-bedroom apartments, providing affordable opportunities for buyers to get onto the property ladder for as little as a 5% deposit on the share they buy. Buyers will initially be able to purchase a share of the property, with the opportunity to buy further shares up to outright ownership in the future. “We are delighted to have acquired the site at Whiteley Meadows, which is our largest Shared Ownership development to date. Working alongside Vistry, we are pleased to play our part in delivering this fantastic new community in an outstanding countryside location while helping make homes more affordable for our buyers. The increasing awareness and demand for Shared Ownership homes puts us in a strong position to continue to grow our business,” said Chief Executive Officer for St Arthur Homes. St Arthur Homes specialises in delivering premium shared ownership housing, without compromise on specification and is taking its place in the market as the aspirational RP. St Arthur works with a range of partners to acquire affordable housing across London and the South of England through S106 and grant-led schemes, with plans to expand into The Midlands. The deal with Vistry Group is the latest in a series of partnership deals with leading housebuilders as St Arthur increases its portfolio. Whiteley Meadows is a multi-phase development where the overall masterplan will deliver more than 3,000 new homes from a group of leading developers led by The Vistry Group. The plans also include new schools, a care home, community centre, green spaces and shops, along with associated infrastructure. The new neighbourhood is well situated between Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester, and surrounded by countryside, making it an attractive and sustainable place to live.
Blackwood House is the final home to be released in the exclusive Tibbs Court Farm development, located just outside the beautiful village of Brenchley, Kent. A substantial farmstead that combines spacious living with sleek design, this five-bedroom property is the perfect option for larger families who desire luxury and space with a touch of traditional elegance. Aligning with the specifications showcased in the dream home survey, Blackwood House is set amongst a small community, and enjoys the balance of being a detached property without being isolated. The property also benefits from the opportunity to have a home office, utility room, two dining areas and the feature that took the top spot – a garage. “Blackwood House is the ultimate property for homebuyers looking for their perfect new home, enjoying a variety of features for all to make the most of. Located in the heart of the stunning Kent countryside, and with a beautiful private garden, the desired ample space and additional finishing touches including a cloakroom and utility room, Blackwood House offers the opportunity to entertain both indoors and outdoors with ease. Hopeful buyers will have the opportunity to see all that Blackwood House and the wider development has to offer for the first time at our upcoming Muddy Boot event on Saturday 6th November,” commented Philip Brown, Sales and Marketing Director at Millwood Designer Homes. Upon entry to Blackwood House, residents are welcomed with a generous hallway and a wide staircase. The open plan kitchen/breakfast/family room includes a utility room and bi fold doors that lead out to the impressive rear garden. To the right, there is a drawing room with an Inglenook fireplace and wood burning stove. The quality finishes include American white oak five vertical panel internal doors with chrome fittings, with full glazed doors to the kitchen/breakfast room, drawing room and dining room. Upstairs there are five sizeable bedrooms, three of them with en suites plus a family bathroom. The main bedroom features a large en-suite bathroom with double basins, shower and bath, as well as fitted wardrobes. Above the double garage with its own external access, lies another bedroom that would make the perfect space for a home office or gym if required, as it is also offers en-suite facilities. The stunning rural village of Brenchley has everyday amenities readily available. A selection of independent cafes and shops including pubs and a butchers provide a sense of community in wonderfully aesthetic surroundings. A 17-minute drive takes you to the vibrant town of Tunbridge Wells, which offers a wide variety of bars, restaurants and coffee shops as well as a selection of popular high street brands and boutique shops. Tesco was voted highest in the most sought-after supermarket section of the dream home survey, and with this large supermarket only a nine-minute drive away, another box from the dream home checklist is ticked. Alternatively, there is a Sainsburys, Asda and Waitrose all also nearby. Set within the rural idyll of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Blackwood House has plenty to offer keen cyclists and outdoor opportunists. Brenchley Castle Hill is only a short bicycle journey away and is surrounded by generous greenspace and sumptuous scenery. Residents can reap the benefits of being outside as well as experiencing the historical highlight of the nearby Scotney Castle. Part of The National Trust, this 14th century moated castle has a woodland estate and acres of lusciously green gardens to explore. Just four miles away in Lamberhurst – this spectacular setting can be enjoyed time and time again. Blackwood House is conveniently situated for commuters, with Paddock Wood station close by offering direct services to London Cannon Street and Charing Cross in just under an hour (52 minutes). From home, the A21 dual carriage way is easily accessible providing routes to Tunbridge Wells as well as the M25 in just 41 minutes, which easily connects residents to Gatwick Airport.
Tiled stoves that only warm up are a thing of the past. Today’s end customers expect an unobstructed view of the fire from several sides and thus a real “campfire feeling”, of course with the highest environmental standards at the same time. Angularly bent fire-viewing panels made of glass ceramics are therefore correspondingly popular. In order to reduce the technically unavoidable slight bulges at the outlets of the bending edges, the special glass manufacturer SCHOTT has developed an innovative process. Irlbacher, a global specialist in glass technology and glass processing, has now added these ideally curved viewing panels to its portfolio. Angularly bent fire-viewing panels have been used for some time to create the visually enhanced impression of a fireplace. Until now, however, for physical reasons, these tended to develop a slight bulge at the outlets of the bending edge, as in the picture above left. The fireplace manufacturer has to take this bulge into account when fitting the glass ceramics exactly into a frame or even a frameless design. A special bending process for glass ceramics, developed by SCHOTT, now solves this fundamental issue. The bulge at the outlet of the bending edge is considerably reduced, as can be seen in the picture above right. The flat pane of glass ceramics is almost ideally curved and can thus be integrated into frame constructions much more easily; the frames can be much slimmer. In addition, the mechanical solidity of the curved edge can be improved by up to 80%. The result is a visually more sophisticated play of flames as well as an additional enhancement of frameless designs – for a distinctive spatial impression. The portfolio includes large bending radii between 30 and 95 mm. The soft curvature facilitates an even more natural fire experience and an all-round uninterrupted view of the flames. End customers experience a real campfire feeling in the middle of their living room. The variety of large bending radii allows fireplace manufacturers to differentiate themselves by using dense glass systems instead of two flat panes – thus creating designs that are both elegant and extravagant.
Back in 2012, the English Housing Survey took an in-depth look at the energy efficiency of the country’s housing stock. It found that social housing was leading the field, with an average Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating of 65, compared to just 57 for the private rented sector. The most recent English Housing Survey to provide a snapshot of energy efficiency is the 2019-20 report. It found that energy efficiency had improved over the preceding decade, with the proportion of dwellings in the highest EER bands (A to C), rising from 12% to 40% between 2009 and 2019. Social rented homes continued to be the best performers, with 61% in bands A to C in 2019, compared to just 38% of homes in the private rented sector. The average cost to move a property from EER bands D to G up to a band C rating was estimated to be £8,110. The cost varied across tenure, from the cheapest being housing association dwellings (with an average of £5,910) to the most expensive being owner occupied homes (£8,579). Just 2% of properties were found to be unable to reach band C at all. With an average annual energy cost saving of £298 because of upgrading a home to band C, it would take the average property over 27 years to start benefitting financially from doing so. Hence the need for government incentives to speed up the upgrading of English homes’ energy performance. Heat pumps are an interesting example of this. In 2019, just 103,000 homes in England had a heat pump – well below 1% of total housing stock. The government has now announced a £5,000-per-household grant to encourage the installation of heat pumps. However, that will cover the installation of just 30,000 heat pumps per year. How the government target of installing 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028 is to be met remains unclear. Some of those likely to be near the front of the queue for the new heat pump grants are England’s landlords, as all new tenancies will require an EPC rating of band C or higher by 2025. Proptech investment platform houzen is supporting landlords and owner-occupiers alike to reach band C or higher with its in-depth sustainability reports. The tech-driven reports provide owners with the means to see quickly and easily how their properties measure up in terms of their environmental impact, as well as how they can enhance their sustainability. They blend expert knowledge with AI and Computer Vision to consider how homes perform in respect of 27 measures that impact the climate.
Housebuilder Bellway has relocated its Eastern Counties divisional office to Building 2030 at Cambourne Business Park as it targets significant growth over the next five years. The division is one of Bellway’s newest, having been established in 2018. Its first office opened in Huntingdon early in 2019. Bellway Eastern Counties now employs 64 people and supports hundreds of contractor jobs across the East of England. Directly employed staff cover a range of disciplines, from land and planning to technical, commercial, finance and sales. The team also includes apprentices and graduate trainees. “Our move to larger premises is an immensely positive step forward for the division, which reflects the continued high demand for new homes in this part of the country. We did not expect to outgrow our previous office space so soon. The fact that we did so demonstrates how quickly we have scaled this new division,” said Phil Standen, Managing Director of Bellway Eastern Counties. “A series of new developments will launch to the public over the next year and our land buyers are busy securing more sites for future growth. Cambourne Business Park has everything we need locally, and the office is a first-class environment which will enable us to innovate and expand further.” The division is working on 13 current and future housing developments, with more to be announced soon. Work is underway on its second development in Fordham, to be followed by homes in locations including Peterborough, Stilton, Godmanchester and Bacton in Suffolk. Bellway Eastern Counties has also been announced as a joint venture partner with Latimer to build 1,200 homes in Cherry Hinton, near Cambridge. “The search for a new office was extensive and we are pleased to have found somewhere that ticked every box. In just three months, we have agreed the lease, organised the office fit-out and moved in. The team are delighted to be settling into their new surroundings,” added Phil.
