Park Life

Our appreciation for local outdoor spaces and parks has grown massively over the last 16 months. What used to be occasional meeting spots and the location for a rare picnic with friends, quickly became a lifeline during the time of restrictions, for most of us they were our only escape from string at the same four walls. As restrictions eased, they were a literal breath of fresh air against the stresses of working from home, home schooling and the over saturation of ‘news’ and updates. In May 2020 around 9 in 10 people surveyed by Natural England agreed that natural spaces are good for mental health and wellbeing.

Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to celebrate these essential spaces with National ‘Love Parks Week’ starting today (23^rd July – 1^st August). With many local authorities putting on events up and down the country its time to show our love for our parks and green spaces. In this spirit, Abode2 looks at some examples of how new developments that have prioritised parks.

Prince of Wales Drive is perfectly positioned moments from Battersea Park, where residents can enjoy one of London’s finest green spaces, providing 200 acres of open space along the River Thames.

In a leafy pocket of southwest London, spanning five acres, in total Prince of Wales Drive will deliver 955 new homes set amongst 2.5 acres of landscaping. The area offers its residents a unique lifestyle, blending the energy and vibrancy of a central London home, yet with an abundance of all-important green spaces on the doorstep, including the 200-acre Battersea Park, a two-minute walk from the development.

The development also has an impressive 8th floor roof garden with far-reaching views of the capital, this opens the opportunity for residence to enjoy a more structured and manicured green space. Prince of Wales Drive is a perfect example of how to simply and seamlessly create and utilize green spaces in a busy city.

Prices at Upper Park Residences at Prince of Wales Drive

start from £765,000 for a one-bedroom apartment.

 www.princeofwalesdrive.co.uk.

The UK has some of the most beautiful natural spaces, and these wild parks can be the perfect way to appreciate our outdoor spaces. Royal Hill Park is surrounded by the breath-taking, open landscape of the North Downs, boasting excessive access to the rolling hills.

Royal Hill Park is a perfect example of how to blend the modern and old, offering spacious four and five-bedroom homes. Located in Redhill, the development offers an extensive access to the rolling hills of the North Downs, taking advantage of the natural parks that we have on our doorsteps.

Adding to the natural surroundings, homes come with large turfed garden to give the opportunity for personal and private enjoyment of green space. Not only does it offer private green spaces alongside the naturally beautiful surrounding, throughout the site there are multiple shared parks and open spaces for residence to enjoy.

Presenting a range of opportunities to residences ensures that there is the ideal way for anyone and everyone to fall in love with outdoor spaces in their own unique way.

Prices at Royal Hill Park start from £625,000.

https://www.countrysideproperties.com/royal-hill-park

Even developments at the heart of the concrete jungles have started coming up with creative, non-traditional ways to generate green spaces. With Central Park sitting at the heart of Greenwich Peninsula, residents also enjoy The Tide – London’s first-ever elevated riverside linear park. Initially 1km in length, running from Peninsula Square to the river and alongside the riverside, The Tide will eventually stretch 5km in length around the whole Peninsula

The Tide offers the sensation of walking nine metres off the ground, along timber decked-bridges onto planted ‘steppingstones’, through native trees and giant sculptures. The first of the five kilometres had been created by Diller Scofidio + Renfro – co-designers of Manhattan’s High Line in collaboration with Neiheiser Argyros and landscape architects GROSS.MAX.

The Tide at Greenwich Peninsula is a shinning example of how, with some creative thinking, green spaces can be built anywhere.

Prices with No. 5 Upper Riverside start from £487,500

www.upperriverside.co.uk

After we have all rediscovered how important our parks and green spaces are, they have quickly become a priority with house hunters. Developers all over the world are now creating inventive ways to preserve, extenuate and even build new parks and green spaces for residence to enjoy. Research has continually shown the positive impact that utilising these spaces has for us all, so we all owe it to ourselves to take a long walk, sit and catch up with friends or just take a breath of fresh air and make sure we continue to take care and create more of these precious places.

To find out more about Love Parks Week  visit - keepbritaintidy.org/love-parks-week