New homes with cyclists in mind
05-28-2014
Bespoke homes for cyclists
In the saddle: Kingston Riverside has easy access for cyclists to Richmond and Bushy parks (Picture: Supplied)
London’s cycling revolution continues apace, with Transport for London and Mayor Boris Johnson hoping to encourage a 400 per cent increase in cycling by 2026 compared to 2001 levels – a target that will no doubt be helped by this summer’s British leg of the Tour de France.
It’s no surprise, then, that today’s buyers are increasingly demanding homes with bike storage and access to cycle routes. Forty-three per cent of the British population owns or uses a bike, says national cycling charity the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC), with around three million people cycling at least three times a week.
At Zenith House in Colindale, housing association Genesis Homes is actively encouraging residents to get on their bikes. Buyers receive £150 vouchers towards buying and maintaining a cycle. They are encouraged to ditch the car completely, as they also get two years’ free car club membership. Shared ownership flats start at £58,250.
Then there’s Berkeley’s Marine Wharf in Surrey Quays, a 20-minute cycle ride from Canary Wharf. Prices start at £470,000. Berkeley’s John Anderson says all today’s new homes are designed with cyclists in mind – and providing secure storage and access to safe cycle routes actually boosts sales. ‘Developers supporting the trend will attract environmentally conscious buyers who enjoy active pursuits,’ he adds.
Chobham Manor in Stratford has numerous cycle paths (Picture: Supplied)
The Tour de France will run through Chobham Manor, the first of five neighbourhoods to be created in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Next to the Velodrome, the development has numerous cycle paths running through it and prices start at £299,995.
A short walk from the Olympic Park, developer Hill’s Vita site in Bow has bike storage for stylish homes starting at £335,000 – no bikes propped up against balcony railings there, then.
Kingston is one of the boroughs that will receive up to £30million from Boris’s Cycle Vision scheme aiming to create a ‘mini-Holland’. The cash will be used for new cycle routes, including a Thames-side trail and a bike-friendly revamp of the Kingston Plaza. Redrow’s Kingston Riverside has homes starting
at £760,000 and keen cyclists can enjoy easy access to Richmond Park and Bushy Park