Chelsea Waterfront is a groundbreaking development, representing the first of its kind on the north bank in Chelsea and offering luxurious riverside apartments with sweeping views over The Thames, to the City and beyond.
This massive regeneration project is by Cheung Kong Property, a global developer whose impressive portfolio includes London’s Albion Riverside and Montevetro, which is over the river from Chelsea Waterfront. This project is as spectacular as their most ambitious developments, with two 37- and 25-storey glass residential towers, a series of low-rise blocks and the historic Lots Road Power Station, which is to be transformed.
Estate agents are hailing its positive impact on the local area. Jo Webster, whose agency specialises in new waterfront developments commented: ‘A new community is being created in a quiet and relatively unknown quarter of Chelsea and it will help provide a link to the fashionable western end of Kings Road, where flats are selling for more than £2,000 per square foot.’
This eight-acre site had been part of an industrial zone that was blocked off from the Thames for more than a century. It now forms a glamorous new quarter, with 10 buildings to offer 706 homes. These are set in gardens designed by landscape architects Randle Siddeley, and are connected by three new bridges over the tidal Chelsea Creek.
A sought-after lifestyle is offered, with facilities including a 24-hour concierge service and a state-of-the-art health club, with a fully equipped gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. Shops, restaurants and bars, and a glorious promenade complete this riverside community. Click to this online gallery to see some of the details.
Chelsea Waterfront is described by the developers as ‘600m of waterfront living set in exquisite gardens and squares, literally in touch with the river’. It was envisioned by Sir Terry Farrell, one of Britain’s foremost architects, with a passion for regeneration projects that reinvent and restore.
Farrells Partner, Max Farrell commented:
'Chelsea Waterfront is a landmark project for London, delivering world-class architecture on an important brownfield site and providing much-needed new housing for the capital. The two residential towers have been designed to frame the iconic power station and the mouth of the re-generated Chelsea creek.'
The contractor, Ardmore Construction, has been awarded a national site award by the Considerate Constructors Awards for four years running. We had worked with them closely before, through our involvement in the remarkable Canaletto building.
Last month, Ardmore reported that the core of the taller tower had progressed to level 15, and the smaller building was being clad with envelope materials and stonework. Two other buildings were being completed and fitted out. Work will now start on the double basement connected to the power station, with excavation, piling and works to the concrete frame.
The power station dates back to 1909, when it was built to power London’s underground transport system. As the largest power station in the world, it was iconic during the Victorian era. This well-loved, distinctive building is now being converted to offer 260 apartments and a 100m long mall of restaurants, cafes and shops, along the length of the ground floor.
The first phase of Chelsea Waterfront launched in June 2015, with the starting price of £1.7 million for an apartment. Chartwell House and Claydon House, named after country houses renowned for their stunning gardens, comprise 82 apartments ranging from one-bedroom flats to five bedroom penthouses. These sold out ahead of schedule, with the 3,000 sq ft five-bedroom apartments selling for up to £6 million, to mostly British owner-occupiers. The second phase of two to five-bedroom apartments are priced from £1.55 million.
Unusually, 39 per cent of the flats will be ‘affordable’ or for rent below usual market rates. There are 275 such homes: a mix of market-discount rentals costing from £250 a week, shared-ownership and key worker flats. For Sir Terry, 77, this epitomises London’s organic growth. ‘That mixture of heights, densities, families and single people, with shops, cultural organisations and railway stations — I like that,’ he says.
‘One of the underlying problems of Paris is they’ve shoved all the social housing out beyond the Périphérique. What I find extraordinary is that London regenerates itself in a way that is true to itself.’
According to Edmond Ho, Executive Director and General Manager of Cheung Kong Property, key reasons for the high demand are the generous size of the apartments, exceptional facilities, high-specification interiors and stunning location. Ed Lewis, of estate agents Savills, highlighted a unique selling point: ‘This is an opportunity for people to live in Chelsea without having a busy road, such as Chelsea Embankment, between their homes and the river.’
Uncompromising luxury characterises the elegant interiors, which have been created to exacting standards. Each apartment has its own balcony or outside space, a marble bathroom, bespoke bedroom cupboards and state-of-the-art kitchen with polished granite worksurfaces, solid wood cabinets and top-of-the-range appliances. Under-floor heating and comfort cooling ensure an optimal environment.
Elegant doorset solutions were required to complement the stylish interiors. Our Quadra system was selected to conceal riser doors and service cupboards, to ensure a consistently pristine finish, in line with the aims of the architects. The metal door with insulated core is installed via a unique quick-release pivot system and supplied pre-fitted with ironmongery for quick installation.
The sleek aesthetics of our Arriva concealed doorsets, which are in demand for contemporary, high-end interiors, were a perfect fit for the luxurious interiors. This design uses a high-performance folded steel frame with an integral perforated plasterbead. This allows plaster or tape-and-jointing compound to be applied up to the edge to conceal the frame and all fixings. The pristine effect with minimal details further enhances a beautifully finished interior.
Further waterfront developments are on the horizon, with Sir Terry’s scheme to develop the Royal Albert Dock as a hub for Chinese businesses, and his masterplan for Henry VIII’s former dockyard, the 40-acre Convoys Wharf in Deptford, which is also to be developed by Cheung Kong Property.
In a relatively short space of time, flat owners are getting the chance to live in premier accommodation in previously inaccessible riverside locations, through the regeneration of brownfield sites. The Chelsea Waterfront project is due to be completed in 2019. For more information, visit chelseawaterfrontlondon.com.