Homes designed to make residents proud at Acton Gardens
According to a recent survey by DSJ Research, around 75 per cent of Britons feel that it is important to get to know their neighbours with many of the respondents citing that being part of a local community made them feel safer. The research conducted on behalf of Weber, looked into attitudes to community spirit across the UK, proving that it has never been more important for developers such as Countryside and L&Q, to ensure new developments enhance and enrich the local area and bring together local communities.
With this in mind, the joint venture development between Countryside and L&Q, Acton Gardens, has been created with the vision of bringing a vibrant new urban quarter to the area which blends seamlessly with the existing community in Acton, West London.
Andrew Loveday, Sales Director of Countryside, comments: “For far too long this area has been cut-off from its neighbours, unable to enjoy the cache? afforded by its West London location and therefore good design and beautiful architecture has been the driver to make Acton Gardens a connected location residents can be proud of. Our latest phase at Acton Gardens, the Station Square Apartments, are a prime example of the dedication towards creating a beautiful community and we encourage homebuyers to take a look sooner rather than later.”
Sally Lewis, architect at Stitch Studio, part of the Design Team at Acton Gardens, explains: “There is a genuine desire to reconnect and reintegrate this area with its neighbours and create a neighbourhood that has a distinct character of its own and the design and layout of the Station Square Apartments has been fundamental in achieving this.
“The Station Square Apartment building is at the southern end of the 52-acre site and is a key part of the phased regeneration where it connects Acton Gardens to Chiswick, overlooking the railway and interfacing with the allotments next door. The apartment buildings have been designed with a communal courtyard and garden, which enhances and links to the allotments creating a connection to the wider community.
“Our design philosophy is about ‘bringing back the street’ and ‘creating a dynamic neighbourhood’ and a real sense of place at Acton Gardens and the Station Square Apartments fit perfectly into that. Landscape details including the retention of many beautiful mature trees, amenity space and materials have all been tailored to future residents’ needs where the apartments frame their surroundings rather than being just a building in a space.”
Located adjacent to South Acton station on the London overground, the Station Square Apartments is the third phase of Acton Gardens and offers a total of 87 new homes in a range of one, two and three bedroom apartment layouts. The new homes boast superb specification, with the high gloss finish kitchens featuring stone worktops, chrome accessories, ceramic floor tiles and also a range of integrated appliances. Bathrooms and en suites comprise crisp white sanitaryware with chrome finishes and contrasting ceramic tiling.
Eco features are incorporated to help reduce energy consumption including double glazing, green roofs, solar panels and an energy centre to supply some of the heat and power, resulting in lower utility bills. The homes will achieve a minimum Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 offering low heating, power and water consumption.
A range of new social and commercial community facilities will be concentrated on the Hub, a 55,000 sq ft facility to be located in the centre of Acton Gardens. This will also include a central plaza with a supermarket, new public open space and other community amenities, helping to bring people of all age groups together.
Green open space plays a vital role at Acton Gardens, with tree lined streets designed around a series of parks, squares and communal gardens, featuring extensive landscaping, play areas and allotments. In a nod to the traditional appeal of London’s parks and squares, the outdoor spaces are designed to create social, lively places for people to relax and enjoy, where pedestrians have priority and community interaction is encouraged. Nearby, South Acton Park also provides a great urban park with mature trees lining the footpaths and a play area for children. The plans also include a proposed new bus route and street network linking with the surrounding area, as well as a car club for residents use.
Designed and constructed in a series of phases, the next phase is due for release later this year offering 116 properties to be delivered by Winter 2016, with overall completion currently expected in 2026.
The Station Square Apartments are priced from £393,500 for a one bedroom apartment, £535,000 for a two bedroom apartment and £624,750 for a three bedroom apartment. For further information, visit actongardens.co.uk.
