• Mill Hill boasts attractive rural living experience with closeness of city life (Bellis Homes)
• The market in Mill Hill has inclined over past months (Glentree International)
• Bellis Homes launch their Eleven Trees collection of three homes in Mill Hill on 7th October

Mill Hill, in the London Borough of Barnet, boasts an attractive rural living experience with the closeness of city life through its strong transport links.

The proximity to central London made the area a popular choice for country retreats from the 17th Century onwards but not only this, Mill Hill enjoys a rich history with the village originally named Myllehill in 1547, meaning ‘hill with a windmill’.

450 years on and the village is continuing to attract inhabitants says local estate agent Glentree International.

 “Mill Hill is a very desirable location for families. The village is in the proximity of many high performance and international schools and the area holds magnificent open spaces with secluded gardens, which is another reason why many people are looking to move to this suburb.

 “We have seen the market in Mill Hill inclining over the past six weeks, with a high demand for new builds from families desiring spacious and secure living. We can only predict great things for this up and coming suburb”.

 Karen Morris, Associate Director, New Homes Department, Glentree International

 Meeting this demand for new build family homes, Bellis Homes, a family-run developer itself, is launching their collection of ultra-deluxe, exclusive detached homes, Eleven Trees in Mill Hill on Saturday 7th October.

 The development compromises three homes, two with five bedrooms and one with six. All houses include gyms, dressing rooms and swimming pool and spa areas. The interiors have been finished to the highest specification with Alexander James Interior Design appointed to ensure these homes are perfectly dressed.

 “Alexander James were briefed to create a luxury classic contemporary interior for this property, perfect for ‘family professionals’. We met this brief by using a classic palette of warm greys and blues together with some monochrome designs in the bedrooms. The family and kitchen area has been injected with more vibrant accents of colour on warm linens, connecting with the delightful garden and creating the perfect convivial atmosphere for a family to enjoy. The artwork in the family room acts as a centre piece in the design, influencing the choice of the surrounding fabrics which reinforce the classic contemporary feel of the property.”

Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design

“Eleven Trees has been designed with families foremost in mind; they really are forever homes and the features included in these properties certainly hold the ‘wow factor’. Here at Bellis Homes we pride ourselves on keeping up to date with the latest property trends, we have found that many families are wanting modern, high tech and luxurious finishes such as spas, swimming pools, latest technology and walk-in wardrobes which we have incorporated in each of the houses in the development.”

Henry Fordham, Director, Bellis Homes

Prices range from £4.5m to £4.75m

To attend the Eleven Trees Open Day on Saturday 7th October or for all other enquiries please contact Bellis Homes or call 01279 424 733 or visit www.bellishomes.co.uk. 

• Ancoats named ‘hippest’ place to live in the UK (Travel Supermarket)
• Talented young professionals drawn to Ancoats by its business prospects (Surrenden Invest)
• Surrenden Invest launches Pop Works complete with Wondrwall smart home tech

According to a recent Hometrack report, Manchester property prices rose by an impressive 8.9% in 2016, the second fastest rate of growth in the UK. A shortage of homes has led to price inflation striking its highest rate in 12 years, marking Manchester out as an admirable investment hotspot.

Apartment prices in the city have skyrocketed, Zoopla figures show a rise of 25.88%, over the past five years yet the average apartment cost in Manchester is still just over a third of the price of a London apartment making a purchase of this stock type extremely attractive to buy-to-let investors.

But where in Manchester are investors looking for such property gems?

Investors are paying attention to Ancoats report leading property investment agency, Surrenden Invest. Home values in this area adjacent to Manchester’s Northern Quarter have risen by 29.54% over the past five years according to Zoopla figures, generating great potential for capital gains as well as healthy yields. Major firms including Deliveroo and Uber already call Ancoats home, along with a variety of local SMEs and creative and tech start-ups creating a vibrant and thriving business community.

Once home to textile mills and manufacturing industries such as newspaper printing, Ancoats is now a hotbed of creative industries and exciting start-ups thriving thanks to the ongoing regeneration in the area.

In 2017 Ancoats was named one of the best places to visit by The San Francisco Chronicle with talented young professionals drawn to the area by its business prospects, in turn driving demand for chic rental accommodation that lives up to their increasingly exacting standards.


“We chose Ancoats as the location of our latest buy-to-let development, Pop Works, because it’s such an up and coming creative hub with a great deal of potential and appeal. The area itself is more affordable than other established parts of Manchester and is now really starting to liven up with shops, bars and businesses – there’s even a ‘Hip Hop’ themed chip shop!.”

Jonathan Stephens, MD, Surrenden Invest

Pop Works, available to invest in through Surrenden Invest, is one of Ancoats most outstanding new developments. The residence has been designed with young professionals and their families firmly in mind and features the latest in “smart home” technology, along with an on-site gym for residents’ exclusive use. With high end, branded appliances and a superb finish, these 28 contemporary apartments showcase the best in urban living.

“With Ancoats being named ‘hippest’ place to live in the UK by Travel Supermarket, it is a no brainer that we had to consider what young hipsters want. We did our research to enable us to deliver exactly that and we integrated a range of features into the apartments to ensure we were meeting these demands. One thing we really wanted to focus on was smart home tech as this is something that today’s tenants demand.”

Jonathan Stephens, MD, Surrenden Invest

Given Ancoats location, surrounded by young businesses and IT start-ups and its appeal to tech-savvy creative individuals, Pop Works has appropriately elevated the bar when it comes to smart home technology.

The residence features the Wondrwall intelligent living system. This pioneering technology permits occupants to adjust their homes to effortlessly suit their needs. Residents can control their heating, lighting and security settings, using voice control technology to make changes at any time.

In addition, the Home Connect functionality and Siemens appliances mean that tenants can manage their home appliances from anywhere. Residents can boil the kettle before getting out of bed, or deal with a load of washing while still at the office. They can even look remotely into the fridge to see if they need to grab some shopping on the way home!

This smart technology aids to future proof Pop Works for investors, creating highly sought after, technologically progressive apartments that will endure to appeal to tech-minded tenants over the coming years.

Prices range from £145,000.

For further details and property investment opportunities, visit www.surrendeninvest.com, email info@surrendeninvest.com or call 0203 3726 499.

• Housebuilding at highest level in nearly 10 years (DCLG)
• Urban living increases anxiety by 21% and mood disorders by 39% (Dr Jaan Peen)
• Developers including swimming pools & vitality experiences for enhanced wellbeing (Aqua Platinum)

When it comes to flagship developments in prestigious locations, the premium price tag means that buyers expect top of the range facilities – not just in their individual apartments but in the building as a whole. For locations like central London, buyers are investing in a lifestyle rather than just a home. That’s why significant developments, such as 190 Strand, have to ensure that their facilities are a cut above the rest.

Housebuilding in the UK has reached its highest level in nearly ten years, with 164,960 new homes started in the year to June 2017. That’s an increase of 13% over the previous year, according to Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) data. The increased competition means that developers are having to provide increasingly tempting facilities in addition to the homes themselves.

At 190 Strand, developer St Edward has achieved precisely that by engaging luxury swimming pool design and build company Aqua Platinum.

“We knew that 190 Strand needed something truly marvellous – the building’s prime location and specification demanded it. The bespoke apartments and penthouses on London’s world-famous Strand inspired us to create a stunning pool and vitality area for residents to enjoy as part of their central London lifestyle.”

Dominic Searle, Aqua Platinum

As such, the Aqua Platinum team allows for not one but two pools at 190 Strand.

The first was a fully tiled mosaic pool of 125m³, which serves those who swim to keep in shape as well as those looking to simply relax and enjoy the water. The design team also built in a 30m³ vitality pool, equipped with the latest in air and water jet features, to complete residents’ wellbeing experience. The vitality experience was completed with a traditional sauna and a luxury steam room.

Dutch researcher Dr Jaap Peen was one of a team of scientists who found that urban living raised the risk of anxiety disorders by 21% and the risk of mood disorders by 39%. The need for those living in the heart of urban environments to combat stress has never been better understood.

Swimming for 30 minutes three times per week has been found to increase general life satisfaction, lower stress levels, raise mood, improve sleep patterns, lower incidences of anxiety and depression, according to Swimming.org. Swimming can also help to rebuild muscles after injury and to improve memory, concentration and focus in people living with conditions such as dementia.

Residential planners have certainly taken this information on board when it comes to new developments such as 190 Strand. Indeed, the resulting exquisite, deck-level pool and adjacent vitality pool are not only charming residents, but have also been short-listed for the Design & Architectural Awards 2017.

“The facilities at 190 Strand really are something special. We’re delighted that this has been recognised by the short-listing committee of the Design & Architectural Awards.

“The wellbeing area of 190 Strand was no easy feat. The complexity and size of the scheme meant that we had to develop an upper level and lower level complex plant room system, so that it could accommodate the balance tank and high-tech control systems. We paired that with a best-in-class filtration and disinfection system, resulting in outstanding water clarity and purity in both pools. It’s the ultimate addition to the perfect contemporary development.”

Dominic Searle, Aqua Platinum

For more information, call 0203 362 0442 or visit www.aquaplatinumprojects.co.uk.

• Buyers can pick up Lord Sugar’s superyacht, complete with Jacuzzi, for £12.6m
• “Imagination and budget are the only constraints when it comes to on-board spas” (Aqua Platinum)
• Pools, hot tubs, swim-up bars, hammams, saunas & balcony showers can all feature on board

The glamour and excitement of the Southampton Boat Show is almost upon us. From 15-24 September, some of the world’s finest sea-faring vessels will moor in Southampton for a celebration of all things maritime.

The show inspires many attendees to pursue their boating dreams, from the smallest rib up to the most luxurious superyacht. Those looking for something exclusive might be interested to know that they can pick up Lord Sugar’s superyacht, complete with Jacuzzi and accommodation for 12 guests, for a cool £12.6 million.

Indeed, it seems that simply owning a superyacht is no longer quite enough – if it doesn’t have an on-board spa, it’s old news, according to luxury swimming pool design and build company Aqua Platinum.

“Celebrities and the super-rich are becoming more exacting when it comes to their boating requirements. Pools, hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, hammams, outdoor balcony showers and water features can all be built into superyacht structures, if they are implemented at the design stage. Those who own luxury yachts are usually after other elements of the luxury lifestyle – and that includes spa facilities. Why limit those to use on dry land?”

Dominic Searle, Aqua Platinum

Being in the water while on the water is an increasingly sought after experience. According to the Aqua Platinum team, almost anything can be made possible if you apply a little imagination and a sizeable budget.

Hot tubs and pools tend to be a maximum of 8-10 metres long on most yachts, due to size restrictions. Counter current units are used to make up for the smaller pool size, providing an outstanding fitness experience.

When it comes to hot tubs, much consideration is given to fill and heat-up times during the design phase. Most will need to be emptied prior to sailing to prevent spillage, then rapidly filled and brought up to temperature when the yacht docks. Room also needs to be allowed for plant space, while filtration systems and lighting also require consideration.

“Designing pools and hot tubs for luxury yachts certainly presents unique challenges, but that’s part of what makes the process so interesting. There are various technical elements that have to be incorporated, as well as ensuring the facilities are superbly designed and look outstanding. There are some lovely synergies between luxury spa facilities on land and those that can be created on the water.”

Dominic Searle, Aqua Platinum

For those with big budgets, almost anything is possible. The refitted Nomad luxury motor yacht boasts a Jacuzzi spa pool with swim-up bar. The Elixir features a spa pool with panoramic vistas. Legend features a Balinese spa. The superyacht Solandge is home to a chromotherapy spa, complete with sauna, hammam, massage room and beauty salon – plus a generously appointed pool, of course.

“If you’ve got the vision and the budget, the sky’s the limit. Superyacht and luxury spa designers can together achieve great things, so why not test their abilities and see just how exciting your on-board wellness facilities can be?”

Dominic Searle, Aqua Platinum

For more information, call 0203 362 0442 or visit www.aquaplatinumprojects.co.uk.

Image from Dreamstime for illustrative use only.