Avonmore Court (Phase 1) is submitted as the elite residential development in Northern Ireland as evidenced by the following factors:
Location
Avonmore Court is found within a short drive to Marks & Spencers at Bloomfield, Bangor, half way between Bangor and Donaghadee; the scheme sits in the tiny hamlet of the Cotton, giving the best of all worlds.
Context
The design of the scheme allows buyers to acquire a home in the countryside, without any of the usual drawbacks to such a purchase. The alternatives for rural buyers are often tired bungalows ill at ease in their setting, as opposed to the “Country Georgian” pleasing symmetry of Avonmore Court, a scheme at ease with its context.
Variety
Avonmore Court consists of 24 homes, the 4 detached “Mini Farmhouse” styled entrance homes, give way to 2, 3, 4, and 5 bedroom homes beyond in a rich variety of render, and handmade brick finishes. The scheme is inspired by the architecture of Hillsborough Main Street, a renowned blend of town and country with a pleasing streetscape, just as at Avonmore Court.
Planning Process – Green Space
The original land zoning was exactly 2 acres. High quality developments give over up to 20% in green space and buffer planning, diminishing the buildable area significantly: At Avonmore, a 10M deep and 100M long area was planted with native species, but crucially this was within the green belt, immediately to the rear of the site. During the 2 year planning process this area grew to provide a tremendous asset to the project, and yet at little cost to the developers. The area is maintained with steps from the homes into it, and with informal paths maintained through this little wood.
Design
The vernacular of Hillsborough Main Street provides the inspiration for the scheme. A pleasing terrace forms the backdrop for the site, centred with a stately pair of ‘Clock Towers’ in handmade brick, and finished in a pleasing and balanced way by the buttermilk and terracotta rendered cottages. The scheme is centred on a village green arrangement, with cottages with hidden parking looking on. Four detached ‘mini farmhouse’ dwellings form the gateway to the scheme, each with a walled garden for privacy given their front location.
Construction Interest
Avonmore Court is built on very poor peaty subsoil. All the dwellings were piled, but a novel solution was employed to support the drainage. The entire site was overladen with 2.5m of blinding and monitored for settlement. This ‘overburden’ provided a delightful working platform for the piling works, and squeezed the water from the peat to allow the ground to have sufficient load bearing capacity for sewerage. The “sinking” of the ground was monitored and when settlement was complete, 1.5m of blinding was removed to give formation level. This novel solution sets Avonmore apart as a discerning choice for the prestigious award.
The Extra Mile
Throughout Avonmore are details of thoughtfulness, which set it apart. The specification is exceptional at Avonmore and includes details such as sandstone cills, full sliding sash windows (with ‘skinny’ period glazing bars), steel doors (which don’t open up to jam or leak), period streetlights, period down pipes and hoppers. Further details such as the cast period door surrounds, design of the screen garden walling and discrete garaging are also exceptional, but not entirely unique. Avonmore is deserving due to a combination of the above, plus the hidden thought which one cannot readily see – the flawless paintwork, the lack of trades leaving issues behind for subsequent trades, and a happy working atmosphere. One example exemplifies this: The green area: The green is made up of drainage, stone and a 70% sand soil mix in the same manner as a golf course green – sewn out with the same hard wearing fescue and rye grasses. In this way children playing in the winter will not bring “gutters” into the house – a small-unseen thing where Avonmore again ‘goes the extra mile’.
Landscaping
Avonmore boasts a central village green, rectangular in shape, with feature Parre Terre’s in each corner. The Parre Terre’s are punctuated with Betula Pendula (silver birch) at each corner, and the effect is to ‘frame’ the central Clock Towers beyond which close the view of the visitor. Each Parre Terre is formed with buxus sempervirens (box) and planted with sedum (ice plant) giving year round interest and colour. To the rear of the scheme is a 1000m2 wooded area, maintained with informal paths through and given over to each of the relevant homeowners. Each dwelling has the benefit of a private gate and steps down to access this ‘buffer’. The “Quality Initiative” from 1996 has called for quality in housing developments, and made particular reference to landscape ‘buffers’. Avonmore may be unique in making this wood a central part of the finished scheme, rather than a sop to Planners, swiftly forgotten on site; once again making Avonmore Court quite exceptional.
The Market, and Mortgage Availability
Avonmore Court was launched in January 2009, at the nadir of the property value collapse. 18 homes out of 24 are now sold, with 7 complete. Of the 18, 12 have bought through the W J Law Smartmove Scheme, where the developer pays the 25% mortgage deposit. This level of commitment to the scheme on the part of the developer is unparalleled, and in no small part has led to its undoubted success.
Summary
Avonmore Court is an exceptional green field housing development, a category where currently only the best schemes will shine, and this is certainly the case with Avonmore Court.
Please visit www.avonmorecourt.co.uk for further details
Back to view all News Articles
You can now get Pinkerton Murray News updates direct to your Facebook, Twitter or email accounts. Keep up to date with the latest local and national property News and stories via your existing accounts.
FacebookJoin our Facebook page and share knowledge, experience and stories with other Pinkerton Murray clients.
TwitterFollow our Twitter account to get updated on new property listings and developments.
NewsletterSign up for a Pinkerton Murray Account and get a weekly Newsletter with the latest properties that have been added to our site.
Copyright © Pinkerton Murray 2010
