New homes ‘take off’ in Farnborough

A new marketing suite is due to open next weekend (Jan 26) where home buyers can view plans of Redrow’s luxury new development on the former site of the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough.

Previously prospective purchasers met with Redrow’s sales consultants at The Hub, at IQ Farnborough, but now they can visit a consultant on site and view computer-generated images and plans of the finished development.

The12-acre development, Farnborough Central, will eventually feature a mix of 85 refurbished apartments, in two existing buildings of historic interest, plus 194 new-build apartments and 54 new townhouses that will be sympathetically designed with art deco and modernist influences.

Tina Chalk, area sales manager for Redrow Homes (Southern), said: “Buying a new property can be daunting, whether it’s your first home or not. Our new marketing suite helps make everything that little bit easier – buyers can see exactly what the finished development will look like, pick up individual home layouts, read literature about mortgages and other financial advice and speak with fully trained Redrow staff.

“The Farnborough Central development is being built on a site with great historical significance, and that obviously appeals to people looking for something a bit different from their new home.”

The one and two-bedroom conversion apartments have been designed with a contemporary edge. They all have fully integrated kitchens, with Electrolux and Zanussi appliances, and the bathrooms come with fitted furniture, down lighters and chrome heated towel rails.

The wider site formerly comprised the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) and continues to be the home for the world famous Farnborough Aerodrome and the biennial Farnborough International Airshow, which attracts around 300,000 visitors every two years and celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2008.

IQ Farnborough, next to the residential area, is one of the largest business development sites in the south east of England, with planning consent granted for 1.67 million square feet of business space. As well as over 200,000 sq ft of built office space it also includes a café, crèche and heritage centre. The four-star hotel, with leisure complex, is due to open in autumn 2008.

Redrow’s homes will be adjacent to the ‘heritage quarter’ and alongside two of the most interesting aeronautical legacies of the former RAE – a pair of Grade 1 listed wind tunnel buildings. The largest, a 24 ft wind tunnel, was used to test full-sized aircraft prototypes, while the transonic wind tunnel was used to test aircraft including Concorde. These buildings are being retained and restored by Segro (Slough Estates Group), who are developing commercial property nearby.

Prices at Farnborough Central currently start from £185,000 an apartment. The three and four-bedroom town houses will go on sale this weekend.

Redrow has introduced a number of measures to help homebuyers under the umbrella of ‘re:assure from Redrow’, which are all designed to give buyers confidence and to help get them moving in the current housing market. The package includes measures to help people sell their current property at the best possible price, or could include help with the monthly mortgage repayments for the first year or two.

For more information on the properties available would-be home owners can log on to Farnboroughcentral.redrow.co.uk.

For general information on Redrow Homes visit Redrow.co.uk.