Office blocks
LONDON IS undergoing a change. From being a city dominated by business, it is becoming a city of people who do business. London’s property is changing alongside this cultural shift. The shabby office blocks of the 1970s are going, with more and more of them converted to residential. The trend is so marked in some areas that there is now a planning brake on this change of use. But planners can no more hold back the tide of demand than King Canute could command the tide to turn.
Recently launched, 17 Station Road in New Barnet is a collection of 36 apartments in a former office building. The one- to three-bedroom homes all have allocated parking — a characteristic benefit of living in a former office block. The development is within walking distance of New Barnet rail and High Barnet underground stations, while the North Circular (A406) and the M25 are a short drive from the scheme.
One-bedrooms are priced from £360,000, two-bedrooms from £435,000 and three-beds from £495,000. Agent is new homes specialist Preston Bennett.
The same agent is working on a scheme a few doors up, where Castle House has become TwentyOne, with 48 newly built one- and two-bedroom apartments. The latest phase was launched off-plan, with only six properties still available to purchase.
Created by Quinata, TwentyOne also comes with an allocated parking space per apartment, as well as secure entry gates, CCTV monitoring, two lifts within the block and cycle storage. All one-bedroom apartments are sold. Two-bedroom penthouses start from £499,950.
In Borehamwood, GA Residential is selling a former office block on Elstree Way. The newly refurbished seven-storey building with a granite facade now offers flats with balconies, a parking space per unit, porterage and on-site private gym and a one-mile journey to Elstree and Borehamwood Thameslink station. Local schools are excellent and include Haberdashers’ Aske’s boys and girls, Yavneh College, Aldenham, Radlett Prep, Hertfordshire Jewish Primary School, Manor Lodge and Edge Grove. Prices start at £377,500.