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.

“The big thing is how much you can get for your money now” explained David Law. “We have noticed that there is an excellent demand for homes with 4 and 5 bedrooms; most of our homes also have a vaulted ceiling living room off the kitchen which buyers just love. It’s a long way from a few years ago when it seems that all one could buy were tiny apartments. We have noticed that it is the larger homes which are selling well, where there is tremendous value for money – Luxury on a budget!”

With 5 bedroom homes from £175,000, coupled with the award winning finesse which WJ Law bring to the table, house buyers are in a great position to get the move up which was previously unaffordable.

Mortgage experts have an interesting angle on this point: Phil Convery, Senior Advisor in the Mortgage Shop in Lisburn makes 3 points:

“First in days gone by, the difference in homes buyers were moving to might have been £100,000; now that PRICE TO CHANGE might be only £25,000. Secondly are the interest rates: with the Bank of England keeping interest rates at record low levels, this price to change is even more affordable. Thirdly we see from national figures that prices are starting to rise. Some of the resale stock may be still mis-priced, but the fear of falling prices when buying a new home has gone from the buyers I meet.”

WJ Law have achieved industry wide recognition for their highly attractive homes, such as the fairytale cottages, and the setting in which the homes are built. Indeed, interested parties have recently been able to get a flavour of some of the interesting goings on via the WJ Law facebook page

With 2 developments in Bangor, Lisburn, Banbridge, and Dromore, and monthly mortgage payments from £160 using “Smartmove;” the move up for less is within the reach of many.

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

The area is to be bordered by a Carpinus hedge with specimen Carpinus every 8m to give a nice sense of enclosure and scale, as this area is bounded by the main road, and is not in the first instance a place to “naturally” go to recreate. The key feature is the sunken lawn with a segmented raised stage within, all with the raised backdrop of the rear wall sweeping down from the centre. The wall being 1100mm higher than the path level at the top is accentuated in height for maximum drama, and further framed by the pergola framing the surrounding resin bound path. The orientation of the design is such that much of the traffic departing from Ballantine will have their eye drawn up towards the feature, and this aspect is accentuated by the waisted lawn approach, nipped in with raised teardrop mounds to each side. The triumphal entrance arch has been built to suit, and dramatically aids the integration of the design into the irregular shape of the project. Currently shown on the opposite side of the amphitheatre is a feature stand of trees; perhaps this may be improved by a further temple in the vein of our previous formal green. Any comments or suggestions for us here?

Artist impressions of the Amphitheatre
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The beautiful Fairytale Cottages are priced from £99,999 under the unique ‘smartmove scheme’ where the buyers have their 25% mortgage deposit paid for them by the developer. The 25% is free for 2 years after which a 4% charge applies, and it has to be paid whenever the house is sold, or within 10 years, whichever comes first.

The Fairytale Cottages are market leading, and combine all the benefits of a brand new home as far as being roomy, and very cheap to heat.

It is the appearance which is the real showstopper however, with most of the ideas inspired by iconic architects of the early 19^th century, such as John Douglas and John Nash, designer of Regent Street, Buckingham palace and our own Shanes Castle.