Real Estate, London Docklands and Surrey Quays SE16, Real Estate, Property Buying, Selling, Renting, Real Estate and Property Investment, Regeneration.

INVESTMENT INDEX SURREY QUAYS, SE16
Close to the City, popular and boat-filled.
The regeneration of 255 acres of land in the Surrey Docks started in 1985 after three years of framework planning and local consultation, which reflected a perceived need for owner occupation, new jobs and some serious shopping. And that, broadly speaking, is what happened as the Surrey Docks team of the London Docklands Development Corporation got to work on the roads, landscaping and new water links that have transformed the area of nine sprawling docks, six timber ponds and a truncated canal. Originally the docks handled whalers, but later grain and timber from North America and the Baltic took over. Archive footage of the Blitz show the fierce fires started by Hitler’s bombs in World War II. Many of the development site names reflect the trading history of the Surrey Docks and 3,500 new homes built around the massive Greenland and Norway Docks enjoy views across the water. Most homes are also close to newly built shopping malls and multiplex cinemas as well as the new Canada Water Jubilee Line station. Some of the developments are linked by a wide canal, built to replace historic docks infilled by Southwark Council and a successful "greening" of the area includes nature areas, City Farm and Stave Hill. One developer created his own lake and built houses on the water, while another left a little piece of urban Copenhagen at Greenland Passage. His heritage also includes Danish-style bathrooms featuring a drainhole in the middle of the floor… There are watersports and a marina, adding to the excellent lifestyle of Surrey Quays where house prices took the biggest hits when negative equity raised its head. The area includes Rotherhithe where Barratt Homes led the Docklands housing revival in 1993 with an ambitious Royal Half Mile of riverside homes that have matured into good investments with the opening the Jubilee Line. Surrey Quays is the biggest single new housing project in London but more importantly is one of the most successful regeneration schemes to have produced a social structure that included community facilities, parks, shopping and leisure. It took owner occupation from three percent to 45 percent and a population from 6,000 to nearly 19,000. Add 1,000s of new jobs and excellent transport to the mix and it is easy to see why Surrey Quays with its brand-new leisure and shopping malls is now a first class district for families. Here's our selection of locations to put on your short-list BRUNSWICK QUAY popular spot An extremely popular development containing one, two and three bed apartments and four bed houses. When these properties were first put on the market the demand outstripped supply and queues of prospective purchasers appeared hours before the first release of properties. The development has attracted a lot of interest due to the internal and external design and many of the apartments have superb views across the Greenland Dock. When the properties were first released one bed apartments fetched prices of £29,500. RATINGS INDEX Location. Water view 9. Ambience 8. Security 9. Parking 9. Transport 9. Quality 8. Station Jubilee/Canada Water Wf 6 mins; DLR/Surrey Quays 7 mins INVESTMENT INDEX 1988 1-bed apartment £55K 2-bed apartment £80K 3-bed house £120K 4-bed house £140K CURRENT PRICES CHERRY GARDEN PIER riverside plus Features five distinctive red brick terraces containing four different house types and apartment blocks with a mixture of one and two bedroom apartments. The cobbled walkways and tree-lined streets add to the superb atmosphere of the place. Back in the 17th and 18th centuries the pier became the landing stage for popular spa resorts and nearby Chalybeate springs a favourite haunt of Samuel Pepys. With a watersport centre and Surrey Quays shopping centre close by the appeal of this south of the river site is not to be underestimated. RATINGS INDEX Location. Water view 9. Ambience 8. Security 7. Parking 7. Transport 8. Quality 8. Station Tube 10 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX 1989 1-bed apt £72K 4-bed house £//K CURRENT PRICES COLUMBIA WHARF a wide mix on river A choice of different types of dwelling comprising of a wide mix of apartments, houses and maisonettes varying from one bed studios up to four bedroom houses. Some apartments and houses have a double height lounge with balconies connected to a double height window, the intention was to give the new building a sense of space. Located on the south Thames Rotherhithe riverbank, midway between the City and the Isle of Dogs. RATINGS INDEX Location. 8.Water view 9. Ambience 8. Security 8. Parking 8. Transport 8. Quality 8. Station ELL 9 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX
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ELEPHANT LANE big on views A typical London terrace theme runs through the imaginative and innovative design of this development. The 28 flats and 48 houses are the result of a design competition run in the mid-eighties by the now defunct LDDC. The site is built with a north/south aspect and is a cul-de-sac built in courtyard arrangements where the smaller houses are situated. Each of the flats above the first floor has a balcony with views either to the west towards Tower Bridge or over parkland. RATINGS INDEX Location. Water view 9. Ambience 8. Security 9. Parking 9. Transport 9. Quality 8. Station Tube 10 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX 1988 1-bed apt £29K 2-bed apt £33K 2/5-bed house £39K-£83K CURRENT PRICES FINLAND QUAY breathtaking water views This waterfront development with its breathtaking views over Greenland Dock was originally a trading post for the import of softwoods with berths for up to 120 merchant ships. Since closure of the working dock the area has been transformed into a new living, working and leisure environment . The development offers seven different home styles consisting of studios, one and two bedroom apartments and three bedroom duplex all with ground level parking. RATINGS INDEX Location. Water view 9. Ambience 8. Security 8. Parking 7. Transport 9. Quality 8. Station Jubilee 10 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX 1989 studio £80K, 3-bed duplex £175K CURRENT PRICES GLOBE WHARF former rice warehouse On the river at Rotherhithe, this was the biggest rice warehouse on the Thames, but had closed down for five years before it fell into the hands of a developer who seemed overwhelmed at the prospect of converting it into 139 apts and retaining many of the old features. Eventually work started with a range of different apts on offer at prices from £120K for 1-bed. The recession took its toll with the pace of construction and purchase, but it looks fine nowadays.
RATINGS INDEX Location. Water view 8. Ambience 7. Security 8. Parking 7. Transport 8. Quality 8. Station ELL 8 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX 1990 studio £80K, 1-bed £120K, 2-bed £150K, 3-bed £160K CURRENT PRICES
GREENLAND PASSAGE Danish with views Fronting the River Thames, Danish-built Greenland Passage lies at the eastern end of Greenland Dock. The 3.25-acre site, with uninterrupted views, takes its influences from such classic architectural designs as Christopher Wren’s Greenwich Hospital located about a mile from the site and the 18th century architecture found in the London Squares, circuses and terraces. The development, on the site of a 19th century whale blubber factory, comprises a total of 152 homes - one bedroom apartments and four bedroom townhouses and two underground car parks. RATINGS INDEX Location . Water view 9. Ambience 8. Security 9. Parking 9. Transport 9. Quality 8. Station Jubilee 12 mins. ELL 12 mins INVESTMENT INDEX 1989 1-bed apt £100K, townhouse £220K
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HITHE POINT early best-seller When the early Nineties recession hit housebuilders, Barratt Homes were almost alone in continuing to develop at this premier site of 204 apts in Rotherhithe. They were rewarded with a steady stream of buyers, many snapping up their choice at prices well below the published list. Quality problems were resolved and the place has got from strength to strength since, sitting on the waterside on the edge of the Surrey Basin with its Geneva-style fountain. RATINGS INDEX Location 8. Water view 7. Ambience 7. Security 8. Parking 8. Transport 8. Quality 7. Station Jubilee 10 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX 1990 1-bed £75K, 3-bed £235K CURRENT PRICES KING AND QUEEN WHARF Royal chart topper The ultimate His and Hers development from Fairclough Homes who offered huge discounts to fuel stalled sales in the early Nineties recession. The value for money and early quality build got this scheme to the top of the Docklands Digest Hot Property Chart for much of 1994-95. The launch price of £100K for a one bed had slipped to £77K by October 1994, but recovered within three years. Watch the build quality of the later phases of this 145 unit scheme on what used to be Globe Wharf RATINGS INDEX Location. Water view 9. Ambience 8. Security 9. Parking 9. Transport 9. Quality 8. Station ELL 8 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX 1989 studio £180K, I-bed £100K, 2-bed £150K, 3-bed, £170K CURRENT PRICES NEW CALEDONIAN WHARF for rapid deals The original idea for this prime riverbank site on the edge of the Greenland Dock was for a high content of live/work, but it didn’t seem to work out at the end when 104 luxury apartments were sold off in a flurry of sales activity. Built to a high architectural standard and finish, this wharf has proved a success down the years with rapid deals being effected on the best properties. The inhouse leisure facilities are excellent and always busy, a provision breakthrough for Wates Built Homes who launched NCW in 1989 with a little help from Rosehaugh Copartnership (RIP). RATINGS INDEX Location. Water view 9. Ambience 9. Security 8. Parking 8. Transport 8. Quality 9. Station Jubilee 10 mins ELL 8 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX 1989 2-bed £130K, 3-bed penthouse £375K
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RUSSIA COURT EAST impressive location This Heron Homes development dented the skyline at the corner of Russia Dock and Greenland Dock when it was completed, especially the tall seven-story, 192 apartment tower flanked by impressive raised terraces. It looked, to many observers, like the English seaside. It was completed by the start of property recession, but good sales levels came only with price rigging incentives - until Docklands Digest exposed the scam. There are also some three storey townhouses on a south facing courtyard and a resident’s private relaxing area with water views. RATINGS INDEX Location. Water view 8. Ambience 8. Security 8. Parking 8. Transport 8. Quality 7. Station Jubilee 10 mins ELL 8 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX 1988 1-bed £97K, 3-bed penthouse £350K CURRENT PRICES SWEDISH QUAYS Peninsular orientated Two quadrangles on a peninsular means water on three sided for residents at this 96 unit landmark scheme in Surrey Quays. The rooflines are said to reflect the sail ships of the whalers that headquartered in these waters and help produce the visual impact that marks this development from some built in the late Eighties. A wide choice of apts from bedsits and studios to three and four bedroomed houses ensured this development got off to a flying start in an area that only sluttered into life in the mid Nineties when acres of negative equity began to die away. RATINGS INDEX Location. Water view 8. Ambience 7. Security 8. Parking 8. Transport 8. Quality 8. Station Jubilee 10 mins ELL 8 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX 1987 bedsit £46K 1988 2-bed house £115K-£145K, 3-bed house £387K RATINGS INDEX
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WOLFE CRESCENT Breeches ties Where do they get the names from? The site had trading ties with Canada and General Wolfe beat the breeches off the French in Quebec when breeches were worn. That sparked this 79 unit development comprising a huge sweeping crescent facing onto the Dock, backed by four lozenge-shaped blocks along a new canal linking to the nearby Surrey Quays mall and Canada Water Jubilee station. The architects were world-class Campbell, Zoglovitch, Wilkinson and Gough who did their best with the water views.
RATINGS INDEX Location. Water view 8. Ambience 8. Security 7. Parking 7. Transport 9. Quality 8. Station Jubilee 8 mins, ELL 10 mins. INVESTMENT INDEX 1989 2-bed £130K, 3-bed penthouse £375K CURRENT PRICE	Wolfe Crescent
Househunters will come across other developments, but contact us before you commit! Your amendments to our ratings/price realisations are welcome by email or fax. See also Investment Index reports on Wapping/City East, Tower, Isle of Dogs, Greenwich and the Royal Docks. Info@london-docklands.co.uk Fax 44 (0)20 7537 1606.
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