Jewel in Weston’s property crown

With Knightstone Island in Weston-super-Mare now officially reopened by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, developer Redrow is looking forward to its next VIP visitors – home owners. Redevelopment of the unique island complex is heading towards completion and only a few properties remain for sale.

Home to three Grade II Listed Buildings – the Pavilion Theatre, Dr Fox’s Bath House and the historic Edwardian Swimming Baths – Knightstone Island, which is linked to the mainland by a causeway, has long been a landmark in the resort.

It had been neglected and fallen into a state of disrepair in recent years but Redrow’s development has given it a new lease of life.

The listed buildings have been transformed and two new contemporary buildings erected alongside, to create a total of 87 apartments and two commercial units set for restaurant / café use.

The Queen’s visit to Knightstone Island was one of the highlights of a tour of Weston-super-Mare organised by North Somerset District Council and while there she reopened ‘Coronation Promenade’, the perimeter walkway around the island.

Colin Lewis, Redrow’s regional chairman, welcomed the Royal visitors and helped show them around the scheme. He said later: “Her Majesty was pleased to hear that we are bringing people back onto the island, especially when I explained about the reopening of the perimeter walkway and the fact that it wasn’t just for residents; we are bringing the island back into the public realm.”

As well as unveiling the plaque to commemorate the reopening of Coronation Promenade – which was first opened in The Queen’s Coronation year of 1953 – Her Majesty also helped put the finishing touches to a tile frieze created by local ceramic artist Rosie Smith. Called ‘Sarah Swimming’, this piece of artwork in the communal courtyard depicts some of the history of Knightstone Island’s Edwardian swimming baths.

Assisting in this task was Grace Isaac (nee Wood), of Weston-super-Mare, who trained at the baths when she swam competitively for England in the Empire Games in New Zealand in 1950 and represented Great Britain at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952.

Colin added: “Her Majesty seemed genuinely pleased to meet Grace and Rosie and to help put the final tile in place for the frieze. She was very interested in the work involved.”

The Royal visit was a fitting tribute for what is surely the jewel in the crown of Weston’s property market, offering buildings full of history and character combined with a contemporary specification for modern day living.

The Grade II listed buildings have been lovingly refurbished. Original features such as ornate stone carvings, beautiful hand carved plasterwork and timber architraves and shutters have been restored, while some details previously thought to have been lost forever – such as external ‘cartouches’ around the outside of the towers, dormer windows in the Pavilion Theatre and clerestory lighting in the Edwardian Swimming Baths - have been reintroduced.

Around a dozen homes remain for sale, with prices from £240,000 for a two-bedroom ground floor apartment in one of the new, contemporary buildings, The Beacon, with sea view and parking space. A two-bedroom first floor duplex property within the Edwardian swimming baths, with sea view and parking space, is available from £270,000 and the highest price property is a three-bedroom fourth floor penthouse in The Beacon, at £410,000.

Visitors can view a beautiful two-bedroom show apartment within the Edwardian swimming baths. It makes the most of existing features within the building, such as cast iron roof trusses, high ceilings and clerestory lighting from roof level. The duplex design has its bedrooms and bathrooms at entry level with superb open plan living space above.

The interior design uses a contemporary but classic palette of black and white, including stainless steel and black lacquered furniture and a beautiful white leather sofa.

For more information, visit Redrow.co.uk.