Oxted Gasholder - Courtyard Gardens April 2021

The second bedroom in the showhome.

Welcome to blog number 19 about my April site visit to Courtyard Gardens here in Oxted – built on the former gasholder site.

This blog forms part of a series of ongoing updates visually documenting the process from the demolition of the gasholder in January 2019, right through to the completion of 111 high-end one, two and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses by St William part of the Berkeley Group.

Due to the lockdown restrictions, I haven’t been on site since December. I was delighted to be welcomed back on April 14th to take a variety of photographs of the progress to share with you. I must say It does look incredible – I am always amazed by the number of processes, skills and crafts involved to create buildings such as these. It doesn’t seem that long ago that a solitary gasholder sat on the site for over 50 years!

The photographs below are each captioned on top – if viewing on your smartphone they may only be visible in landscape format.

Read on to find out more…

The car park under Block C.

The plant room where all the heating and water is housed very neatly for all three blocks.

The same plant room showing the boilers and pumps for water and heating to service all the flats in all three blocks.

Looking out of Block C onto Block A.

Looking out from a terrace in Block C onto Johnsdale.

Looking out onto the back of the shops on Station Road East from the plant room.

The layout for indivudual flats to be constructed.

Looking out of Block C on to Block A and the entrance to Blocks A and B under the arch.

A penthouse apartment in Block C.

Timber pattressing in position within a kitchen wall for units to be fixed to.

Whilst I was on site I was told there were 150 people working in different areas. It’s interesting to see the various stages each Block is at. Block A will be completed first, followed by Block B then Block C.

Car park beneath Block A .

Construction of an apartment space.

Apartment under construction.

Penthouse in Block B with a beautiful slate finish and fabulous view from the terrace.

Looking out from the terrace of a Penthouse in Block B to Block C.

Apartment inside Block A.

Kitchen progress in Block A .

The master bedroom in the show home in Block A.

En-suite shower room in show home.

The second bedroom in the show home.

The second bedroom in the show home.

The assistant site manager who shows me around the site on each visit is called Ness Kingham – I asked her for a current update on each of the three Blocks, below is her response:

Block A is at decoration with apartments gradually being handed over to customer service for final snagging. Block B façade is near completion, and internals are progressing with 2nd fix at lower levels. Block C mansard roof has commenced and windows are installed on half of the block. Internally, the lower levels are at first fix whilst the rest of the building is made watertight. Externally, the lower half of the podium landscaped gardens is underway.

The living room in the show home with doors to the terrace on the left.

The comfortable breakfast area in the kitchen in the show home.

The kitchen in the show home is well laid out with plenty of storage.

Tastefully furnished with attention to detail.

Desk space in the living room in the show home.

The living area in the show home looks out onto the entrance of Courtyard Gardens.

The entrance to Courtyard Gardens from the show home looking out onto Block C.

The view from the living room window in the show home looking out onto the entrance to courtyard Gardens. Block C in the center with Block B to the right.

The spacious terrace to the show home.

The spacious terrace to the show home.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing and learning about the progress of the development as much as I have.

All of the images taken are held within my personal archive for posterity.

To read the blog from December please click here and to read previous blogs these can be found towards the bottom of the main blog page under ‘Featured’ blogs – this includes all 18 previous gasholder blogs.

For further information about Courtyard Gardens please follow this link to the Berkeley Group St William website.

More information here on the Robert Leech website too.

Looking forward to going back in May to see the progress to share.

Thank you.

Stella

Oxted Gasholder - Courtyard Gardens December 2020

Block A this side of the building has completed brickwork.

Welcome to blog number 18 about my December site visit to Courtyard Gardens here in Oxted – built on the former gasholder site.

This blog forms part of a series of ongoing updates documenting the process from the demolition of the gasholder in January 2019, right through to the completion in summer 2021 of 111 high-end one, two and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses by St William part of the Berkeley Group.

These photographs were taken on Tuesday 15 December, with captions on each image - (smartphone view in landscape format to enable captions).

To give you a better understanding of the site I have included a photograph of the model below of Courtyard Gardens, it clearly shows the layout – I often refer to it before going on-site to get my bearings.

Read on to find out more…

A model of the development at Robert Leech Estate Agents, Station Road East, Oxted, just opposite the site.

Block A on the right with Block B adjoining it back centre and Block C on the left.

I noticed a big change since I last visited the site back in October, as always the scale of the development never ceases to amaze me.

My site visits are accompanied by Ness Kingham, Assitant Site Manager who shows me around and updates me about the changes since my last visit and what is due to happen next. The next paragraph, from Ness, tells you more about the state of play on the day of my visit.

Internal trades are underway on Block A with first fix mechanical and electrical on the higher levels, and second fix dry lining on the lower. Brickwork is near complete, with balustrading underway on the balconies and terraces, and scaffold striking has commenced on the eastern elevation. Brickwork has commenced on Block B and windows are being installed on the upper levels. On Block C, façade is underway on the lower floors and blockwork has gone up in the basements. Externally, a second mortar silo has been installed and the original site cabins have been removed to make way for landscaping to commence in January.

A view from between Blocks B and C with Block A on the left. The original site cabins that once stood right of the mortar silo have been removed to make way for landscaping stating January 2021.

Looking out of the pedestrian entrance to Block B across what will be landscaped gardens to Block C.

Looking towards the entrance and communal lift in Block A.

A lift in Block A.

Inside a living room in one of the apartments in Block A.

Water pipes in a corridor riser.

Doors to one of the apartments in Block A leading to a terrace.

View from a balcony in Block A onto the entrance and soon to be landscaped gardens, looking towards Station Road East.

The car park beneath Block A – the pipe and cables are complete in the ceiling.

Inside the plant room that houses the boilers and water tank which serve all the apartments – Block C

The different grades of plasterboard some are better suited to humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, whereas others provide higher fire resistance or sound insulation properties.

Inside a master bedroom in one of the apartments in Block A.

Electrical cable and pipework in the ceiling recess of a corridor in Block A.

Side of Block B showing the hoist.

A terrace to a first floor apartment in Block A behind Priory House.

Close up of the brickwork, on the left the red ones and the purple ones on the right. This still needs to be cleaned and the expansion joint sealed

A balcony in Block A.

Balcony in Block A with balustrading underway.

Whilst I was there a lorry brought in a second mortar silo to service Block C.

Looking out of a second floor balcony from Block A showing Block B in the far distance on the right and overlooking what will be the landscaped garden entrance to Block B with Block C on the left.

Same view as the previous image showing a second mortar silo has been installed in front of Block C. Landscaping will commence January 2021, in the area bottom left of the photo where the machine is seen.

A stairwell in Block A with balustrading.

Looking back at Block A from the soon-to-be landscaped gardens and entrance to Block C.

Looking towards the walkway between Block A on the right and Block B seen on the left. The curved concrete structure forms part of the landscaped gardens as shown on the photograph of the model at the start of this blog.

A floor level within Block C.

Brickwork on Block B.

Block C where the former Johnsdale car park was, the site cabins can be seen to the right of the picture, with the crane just visible.

Below pictures of the site photographed in January 2019 and again in December 2020

The site in January 2019 when the start of the dismantling of the gasholder began.

The site in December 2020 showing Block C with Block A showing to the right.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing the progress of the development as much as I have, it’s been lovely to share this with you.

All of the images taken are held within my personal archive for posterity.

To read the blog from October please click here and to read other previous blogs these can be found towards the bottom of the main blog page under ‘Featured’ blogs – this includes all 17 previous gasholder blogs.

For further information about Courtyard Gardens please follow this link to the Berkeley Group St William website.

More information here on the Robert Leech website too.

I’ll be back with more news as soon as I can depending on the current lockdown restricitions.

Thank you.

Stella