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First-class Honours
From fabulous apartments to new garden squares, the Evening Standard’s
New Homes Awards showcase London’s top developers. David Spittles
previews the best of the best.
London Lifestyle Award
The Jam Factory, Bermondsey, SE1
Developer: Angel Property
Jam today and cream tomorrow: that was the promise served up by developer
Angel Property three years ago when launching homes at this impressive
red-brick warehouse complex in Bermondsey.
Buyers needed patience, a little courage and bags of vision but their
judgement is now paying off. The scheme of 180 lofts and live-work
spaces has emerged as one of the capital’s most fashionable
addresses, pulling in buyers from trendy parts of east and west London
as well as several dozen creative small businesses.
This is mainly to do with the architectural qualities of the original
factory (where the famous Hartley jam was once produced) and Angel’s
design flair.
Instead of carving up the robust warehouse buildings into boxy apartments,
Angel opted for big apartments and invited go-ahead young designers
to create fit-outs.
The factory sits on the western fringe of Bermondsey, slightly detached
from upmarket Shad Thames and the hub that has formed around Borough
Market and Zandra Rhodes’s fashion museum. But the development
is already making a big impact on the local neighbourhood.
Interior designer Peter Leonard was one of the first residents to
move into The Jam Factory and has just opened a SOBO, a café and
art gallery next door to the development. “I moved from King’s
Road, Chelsea. Friends thought I was barking mad.”
Leonard snapped up two shells together to create a stunning 1,750
sq ft penthouse loft. “What did it for me was the fantastic
view from the top of the building. You realise just how close you
are to everything.”
He opened SOBO in January. “I didn’t expect to make any
money for a couple of years but trade has been amazing. We are selling
bucket-loads of good coffee and pastries supplied by Villandry in
Marylebone. Also art. Who would have thought that would be possible
on Tower Bridge Road?” Angel will release the fourth of five
phases at the Jam Factory next month with prices starting at £250,000.
Call 020 7940 3888. |
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