THE nation needs more homes, but space is scarce, and time is short, so it’s no wonder that when it comes to building new properties developers and buyers are looking up.
When you can’t go wide when it comes to construction, you must go high, and as such the ‘airspace sector’ - creating new homes by adding new storeys directly onto existing buildings - is thriving.
One developer has been turning to that type of blue sky thinking for its plush penthouse and apartment development in Kent.
The project involved the Windsor-based company building the apartments off site at a factory in Southampton, then lifting the prefabricated homes onto Hamilton Court- an existing three-story block of flats in Chilson Road- via a huge crane. The finishing touches were then carried out on site with minimal disruption to neighbours.
Castlemere, has, until now, primarily focused on ground-up developments and property refurbishments, but with its expansion into the airspace development sector it has a range of projects in the pipeline having completed this first project in Kent.
Each apartment offers premium designer kitchens complete with Bosch appliances, quartz worktops, fully tiled bathrooms and oak flooring. Heating is provided via heat pumps to ensure no carbon burning appliances are used. In addition, each apartment has fibre broadband and assigned parking with dedicated electrical vehicle charging.
Airspace and modular methods mean apartments are built and finished a lot faster than normal. A standard new built could take anywhere from a year to 18 months for construction while the Hamilton Court development took around four months from start to finish. Secondly, the cost comes out at about 70 per cent of the standard cost of a new-build.
'We have chosen to adopt modern methods of construction (MMC) best practices for this scheme – and future ones. This is more cost effective, quicker and also we believe that building airspace apartments offsite is less complex. There is a huge demand for residential properties and we will continue to source suitable locations that we can develop to help meet this need.'
New data shows raising a family in a flat or apartment is on the rise, especially in historic towns and cities.
The Potteries lies in a prominent position on the edge of the historic Pantiles on the southern end of town.
A top floor apartment at the complex is currently on the market with Savills for a guide price of £375,000.
Mike Churchill, property agent for Savills, said: 'The apartment would make a super, low maintenance, 'lock up and leave' Tunbridge Wells base, an appealing rental investment or wonderful home on the iconic Pantiles! Coffee or cocktails just seconds away!'
land@castlemere-developments.co.uk
Savills.com
