At Ballantine Garden Village, Lisburn, site manager Michael Poole has once again been recognised as one of the leading House Builders in Northern Ireland. As a key member of W.J. Law, who have been building quality since 1903, Michael is excited about the NHBC showcase event, and hopes once more to achieve further industry recognition.

At Ballantine, W.J. Law have again come up with ways in which home buyers can both get on to the housing ladder, or move from another property. In conjunction with Northern Ireland Co – Ownership, it is possible to buy at Ballantine with no deposit, as long as the property chosen is under £175,000. At Ballantine, this means that buyers can purchase with no deposit from as little as £410 per month, or £100 per week. In other developments of W.J.Law this comes down as low as £80 per week.

For properties over £175,000, there is the smartmove 2 move scheme, where buyers can get a mortgage through the Halifax, who pride themselves in their high approval rate. Buyers here only need a 10% deposit, as the Smartmove 2 buy scheme provides another 10%, meaning the mortgage is only 80% instead of having to pay interest on 90%.

,p>Commenting on the above, Philip Convery of The Mortgage Shop in Lisburn said, “The award is a great credit to Michael once again; allied with the affordable prices, and the mortgage help they and we can offer, W.J. Law is once again proving to be market leaders”

Environment Minister Edwin Poots MLA, visited Ballantine Garden Village in Lisburn to recognise a novel achievement by W.J. LAW, one of the leading House builders in Northern Ireland. W.J. LAW had been notified of winning the short-listing in 3 separate awards, for 2 different sites, and by chance heard news of all 3 awards on the same day.

Michael Poole has been short listed for the NHBC Pride in the Job Award for Ballantine Garden Village in Lisburn. He won the best site manager in Northern Ireland in 2008 for this site, and went to London to represent the province. He hopes to do the same this year, and possibly go one better and win the UK wide award this time. Michael also finds time to serve as a part time member of the Fire Service in his home town of Ballynahinch – truly an ‘all action hero’.

The other site to receive word of quality recognition is in North Down: The site at Avonmore Court near Bangor, has been short listed in the (Construction Employers Federation) CEF Specify Awards. One of only 3 short-listed in the “Partnering Best Practice” category, the site is further recognised by also being short-listed within the Green Field Category.

WJ LAW were recognised last year by winning the overall Specify NI award last year for Ballantine Garden Village. Accordingly Avonmore Court and Site Manager Stephen Dillon from Dromore are under pressure to win again at this different site!

WJ Law got word of winning all 3 nominations on the same day, and will await the results in November for the overall Northern Ireland award.

With the housing Market approaching recovery, it is good of the Minister to recognise success. Minister Poots took the time to review many parts of the site which are generally unseen; again proving that the devil is in the detail, and this is what has set these two developments apart from the rest.

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. The reader is invited to view the website at www.avonmorecourt.co.uk

Best marketing Initiative Category Submission