Move to a readymade community at Royal Arsenal

Contrary to the belief that neighbourliness is dead in modern Britain, steps are being taken to ensure a strong sense of community spirit at a number of new developments springing up in London.

One such development is Royal Arsenal, in South East London where the combination of on site amenities, residents' only facilities and social activities is fostering a warm community feeling.

The thriving community at the Berkeley Homes development in Woolwich has over 3,000 residents so far. The growing range of amenities and facilities both within and close to the development help encourage the sense of community, providing ready-made networking opportunities for newcomers.

There are several social events and clubs for residents, including the Wednesday Night Supper Club. This residents-only club was founded by some of the residents and meets every first Wednesday of the month at a different restaurant across the areas of Greenwich, Woolwich and Canary Wharf. Residents can also join the Royal Arsenal running club and cycling club. The on site gym, located in the converted gatehouse building, is a good place to get to know neighbours as well as enjoying a workout.

Royal Arsenal is also welcoming a growing range of retail and leisure brands. The first has already arrived in the shape of the Couture Food Hall, a gourmet deli and café situated in the MyHQ building. In early 2009, a new gastro pub from Young & Co's Brewery will open in the listed Dial Arch building, which will be a great draw for residents and people from the wider area.

The Couture Food Hall is already offering a convenient place to buy gourmet foods and wines. Residents are able to pick up a newspaper and coffee on their way to work from the coffee bar, grab a sandwich from the deli counter, shop for high end groceries which include organic fruits, vegetables, free range meats, milk and eggs, and pick up a bottle of wine or beer to help unwind in the evening. The Couture Food Hall also runs an extensive tasting programme. Recent tasting sessions have been run by Patchwork Pate and Rude Health Foods, along with wine tasting evenings.

Another convenient service on the doorstep is the StreetCar scheme which has been set up at Royal Arsenal. Three 5-door Volkswagen Golfs and a van are available for use by residents at Royal Arsenal and members of the public. Once someone registers their details with StreetCar and pays a deposit, they get a swipe card that allows them to book the cars parked on site. Bicycle racks are also provided to encourage cycling and healthy living.

Royal Arsenal even has two museums which bring visitors to the area. The Firepower Museum is a historic museum which houses a large collection of military artefacts, including original cannons. Since opening in 2001, the museum has attracted over 300,000 visitors per year. The Greenwich Heritage Centre combines the former Borough Museum and the Local History Library offering vast information about the history of Greenwich.

The development includes one of the biggest concentrations of Grade I and II listed buildings converted for residential use, blended sympathetically with sleek new-build architecture. It has attracted local and international purchasers from a broad range of backgrounds, with a mixture of young professionals and families, as well as retired couples and individuals. Once the entire development is completed in 2021, there will be over 8,000 residents living at Royal Arsenal.

Paul Vallone, Managing Director of Berkeley Homes (Urban Living) Ltd, comments: "The sense of community at Royal Arsenal is in stark contrast to the widely held belief that the British no longer speak to their neighbours, let alone socialise with them. The Supper Club in particular is testimony to this - it was something created by the residents, for the residents. The success of the community here is because we are creating a mixed use scheme with a good combination of amenities to create a round-the-clock vibrancy, and that will only develop further as we continue to add new facilities to the mix here."

Berkeley Homes is creating a range of new homes at Royal Arsenal, along with substantial retail and leisure outlets and public open space. The Armouries, the phase of homes currently for sale, is a collection of 455 apartments which is now 80% sold. It includes a range of one, two and three bedroom apartments. Prices at The Armouries start from £245,000 for a one-bedroom apartment.

For more information, log on to Royal-arsenalriverside.co.uk.