Berkeley Capital has completed the full suite of amenities at its Poplar development including pools, a screening room and a gym
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Seeing is believing. But so is touching and feeling.
This is why the completion of on-site amenities at developments can be such a key asset when appealing to buyers.
Rather than relying on computer generated promises, the ability to actually walk into and experience the facilities you’re investing in is an attractive prospect in a competitive market.
With that in mind, Berkeley Group’s Heron Wharf scheme on the River Lea is now at an advantage.
The development has just unveiled The Riverside Club – an extensive suite of residents’ amenities extending to some 16,000sq ft.
Spread over two levels, these include a 20m swimming pool, a separate vitality pool, a sauna, a steam room and a chamber lined with Himalayan pink salt.
There’s also an extensive gym, a screening room, a games room and a residents’ lounge.
The finish is akin to a high-end spa, a five-star hotel and a luxury cinema.
an extensive suite of amenities at Heron Wharf
“It’s quite a collection,” said Luke Treadwell, sales and marketing director for Berkeley Capital.
“Heron Wharf is a development where we’re selling a lifestyle.
“With Berkeley as a brand, you’re very much buying into what you can do on-site – rather than having to leave the area to go to the gym or swim, we have the facilities here for people to do that, but also to congregate and to work.”
The company is currently marketing one, two and three-bedroom apartments at the scheme in newly completed buildings The Millhouse and The Heron Collection.
These feature open-plan living areas, fully fitted kitchens with Bosch appliances and private balconies.
The blocks are located in a richly landscaped site on the edge of the River Lea with a concierge service to look after residents’ needs.
However, it’s the newly opened communal facilities that add a carousel of further selling points.
proudly front and centre
“We specialise in large regeneration schemes, but what we’ve done with The Riverside Club is a step up on anything else we’re offering across the group at the moment,” said Lyndon Nunn, divisional sales and marketing director at Berkeley Capital.
“The facilities aren’t in a basement – we’ve put the pools on the first floor so they get lots of natural light and the benefit of the views over the park and the river.
“The residents who are now using the club have been absolutely blown away by it and that demonstrates why it’s so important for us to put in these staple offerings this early in a scheme.
“The people who are already living here bought into Berkeley’s vision for the site early on, when all they could see were computer generated images of what it would be like.
“We think it looks even better now it’s finished.
“They can now come into the spaces, touch them and feel the quality of the finishes.
“These are absolutely world class facilities and we know that word-of mouth from those who experience them will amplify that message.
“As a brand, it’s vital for us that people see not only the fact that we deliver what we say we will, but that we exceed those expectations.
“We’ve put these facilities in, despite only having a comparatively small number of homes on site right now, but we think that’s an important part of establishing this development for the months and years to come.
“That way residents get the benefit quicker.”
depth beyond the pools at The Riverside Club
While the showstopper attraction at The Riverside Club is clearly its pools and poolside area, which come complete with plenty of relaxing loungers, there’s depth to the offering too.
The fitness facilities are decked out with TechnoGym equipment found in luxury health clubs and the screening room and games room are both slickly appointed.
“We’re always thinking about how people will come together and actually use these spaces,” said Luke.
“A big part of what Berkeley does is place making to help foster that sense of community we know our residents want.
“At Heron Wharf we wanted to ensure we weren’t just offering something buyers could find elsewhere and I think we’ve achieved that.”
The group’s next focus is on the commercial offering at Heron Wharf with the business hoping to attract core amenities to operate alongside the on-site Sainsbury’s Local.
Heron Wharf is located on the River Lea to the north-east of Aberfeldy Village in Poplar.
The scheme is about 13 minutes’ walk to East India DLR station and roughly 20 minutes from Canning Town station.
It is also linked to Canary Wharf via the D8 bus. Alternatively, it takes about 15 minutes to cycle to the estate or nine minutes to drive.
Plans have now been submitted to build a bridge over the Lea as part of the development, which should further improve connectivity in the coming years.
key details: Heron Wharf
Apartments at Heron Wharf start at £455,000 with one, two and three-bedroom properties available.
You can find out more about the development here
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