Swindon housing development up for national award

The David Wilson Canalside homes in Wichelstowe have been shortlisted for the National Housebuilder Awards.

The contemporary new homes overlooking the Wilts and Berks Canal on Swindon's landmark Wichelstowe development have been shortlisted for a national award for their design.

The three-storey Wichel Stray homes at Canalside, Wichelstowe, have been singled out by judges for the National Housebuilder Awards for their visual appearance, excellence in design and high level of sustainability. 

Louise Ware, sales director at David Wilson Homes' South West division, said: "We're so excited to be in the running for such a major, national award - which is a real credit to the team who designed these stylish, spacious, contemporary homes specifically for the Wichelstowe site to really make the most of the stunning canal side location, and offer highly sustainable homes for generations to come."

Amongst the first to be built and occupied on the flagship development, the homes were specifically designed for the site and built by local developer David Wilson Homes.

A spokesperson for the development said: "The homes have spacious, open interiors which maximise natural light, along with balconies and roof terraces offering views along the canal.

"With their wharf-style design influenced by traditional, waterside architecture, these homes have been officially shortlisted for the National Housebuilder Awards, which will be announced in November."

Each of the homes has either a swift box or bat box attached to it, with hopes of encouraging and protecting local wildlife and making the most of the setting and natural environment.

Whilst these particular house types at Canalside are now sold, a selection of apartments in this first phase remain for sale. Further three-storey homes of a similar design and matching quality will be on offer on the next phase of the Wichelstowe development, construction of which is due to get underway shortly. 

One of the largest local authority joint venture agreements in the country, the Wichelstowe development is being built by Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes in partnership with Swindon Borough Council and will deliver 3,000 new homes over the next 20 years, along with new schools and community facilities.

The site of over 600 acres on the southern edge of Swindon will include open spaces, nature conservation areas, playing pitches and allotments. The development also includes an industry-leading electric vehicle charging network.

The first phase of the development, Canalside, is about to be completed, featuring 208 one, two, three and four-bedroom new homes. A new supermarket, secondary school and pub are already open on site.

Work is soon to get under way on the second phase of the development, which will be made up of 478 new homes at both Wichel Fields and the Orchards areas of Wichelstowe. 

Once complete, there will be 200 acres of open space across the whole development, including 12km of new footways and cycleways, 1.5 acres of allotments and 20 acres of play areas and sports pitches.

New ecological measures will aim to include hundreds of new trees, new ponds, wildflower grassland to attract a range of pollinators along with broader wildlife habitat creation and protection, such as the creation of sheltered areas for hibernating animals.

Wichelstowe's show homes and sales and marketing suite are open by appointment.

More information can be found at www.wichelstowe.co.uk or by calling 0333 3558 495 (David Wilson Homes) or 0333 3558 490.