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Great Homes, the company behind Highlands, the brand new development of retirement apartments in Main Road, Gidea Park, is an environmentally responsible developer of homes, which is already becoming evident as its latest project takes shape.
Highlands, which is already proving popular since its show apartment and sales suite opened just a few weeks ago, is beginning to blend in more and more with its surroundings as its construction continues. It is due for completion this summer.
Located in the heart of the Gidea Park Conservation Area, Highlands stands on what was once part of an estate belonging to local dignitary and Member of Parliament Sir Herbert Raphael. In 1909 he had the idea of creating an ‘Exhibition of Houses and Cottages’ reminiscent of a garden suburb. The result was an example of the best architectural styles the country had seen.
Today, many of those fine buildings remain, and with its authoritative good looks, subtle red brickwork, clay roof tiles, huge bay windows and architectural features echoing the Arts and Crafts period, Highlands takes its styling from that of Sir Herbert’s project.
When complete, Highlands will provide 23 one and two-bedroomed apartments plus communal lounge and dining areas, a library, high specification kitchens and state-of-the-art safety and security features. It has been designed exclusively for buyers of 60 years and over, and will stand in landscaped gardens that feature a number of the original mature trees that Great Homes has carefully preserved.
An award-winning company, the Great Homes team brought in specialists to care for the mature trees that have stood on the site for decades and protect them from the threat of any construction damage. When the complex is complete, these same trees will form an integral part of providing privacy for the new Highlands’s residents, while at the same time ensuring the building blends with the mature landscaping of the area. The scheme includes provision for residents’ car parking.
“One of the most important issues for us when designing Highlands was to ensure that not only would its eventual residents have the benefit of living in a comfortable and secure complex, but that the building blended in with its surroundings,” says David Sparks, managing director of Essex-based Great Homes Limited. “This is an important conservation area and we wanted Highlands to be an integral part of the landscape.”
Highlands will offer an independent lifestyle for its residents when they start to move in this summer. Each apartment has been designed for ease of living with a thoughtful layout. There’s an open plan arrangement for the main rooms, sizable bathrooms with elegant sanitary ware, vanity units, baths and showers, lots of storage space, a private hallway and an impressive kitchen. Affording a wood finish and quartz worktops, the kitchens have a range of integrated Bosch appliances, including a washer/dryer, fridge and freezer, oven, combination microwave and a hob with an extractor above. Spot and pelmet lighting give it a stylish feel.
The beauty of Highlands though is that residents will not only be able to enjoy their own space but be able to use the communal facilities and make new friends, and have peace of mind knowing there are safety and security features in place. For instance, there will be a residents’ lounge, conservatory and library so that everyone will have the chance to mingle if they wish, along with a guest suite and buggy store.
Residents will be able to call on the services of a duty manager who will ensure the smooth running of the complex, while the building itself will be protected by a CCTV entryphone system which allows residents and the manager to see visitors before they are admitted to the building. Residents will also have access to a 24-hour emergency support team at the press of a button. Furthermore, an integrated fire alarm system is fitted to the building, along with alarms to ground floor apartments and the complex will have a gated driveway.
Highlands is ideally located for local amenities. Its eventual residents will be able to shop at the nearby newsagent, supermarket and pharmacy, enjoy public open spaces such as at Raphael Park, or use the excellent road and rail infrastructure for travelling to nearby Romford town centre, Upminster, Brentwood or further afield. A trip into London to see a show is a distinct possibility too.
The Highlands sales suite is open 10am through to 5pm every Saturday and Sunday or for further information contact the selling agent Porter Glenny on 01708 725000. Great Homes Limited website can be visited at www.greathomesltd.co.uk. |
