The Best of Both Worlds: Gabriel Square, St Albans

Looking to buy a new home close to London? Somewhere where you don’t have to compromise on lifestyle quality or transport links? Whether you’re a first-time buyer, young family or looking to downsize after the kids have flown the nest, St Albans’ award-winning Gabriel Square development offers the best of both worlds.

The area is widely believed to be one of the best places to buy property outside of London, particularly for commuters – from St Albans station, you can easily hop on a train to St Pancras in just 20 minutes. Yet it also offers an array of suburban benefits: green spaces, waterways and wildlife-filled parks.

The prestigious development includes 52 three and four- bed townhouses and 28 one, two and three-bed apartments, arranged around a garden square. Interior designed by leading architects Conran and Partners, all homes have a modernist feel, with natural materials and tactile surfaces used to create a soothing scheme. Properties benefit from underfloor heating, engineered oak flooring and Control4 smart technology. The Poggenpohl kitchens are kitted out with Neff appliances and Corian worktops, while bathrooms house Laufen basins and wall-hung WCs with concealed cisterns.

Outdoor facilities are equally impressive, with a communal garden featuring three specially commissioned sculptures by triple RHS Chelsea Flower Show winner David Harber. ‘Our ethos is to make sure we are connecting our buildings with the local area and its people,’ says James Moody, managing director of developers Meyer Homes. ‘Our collaboration with David Harber at Gabriel Square has achieved just that – there are a lot of cultural values that we share with a garden and the sense of home.’ This is reflected, too, in the works from Double Decker art studio, found in the development’s show homes, and inspired by the natural stone of the city’s iconic cathedral and the expansive open spaces of the surrounding landscape.

Residents at Gabriel Square also benefit from manicured lawns with play areas for children, and enclosed paved courtyards with garden tables, chairs and benches for picnics. Inspired by the layouts of grand Georgian and Victorian garden squares, the outside space is designed to be a place where people can meet and interact, encouraging a sense of community. The development’s location also offers a perfect balance of country and town life: while Gabriel Square allows quiet living surroundings, the vibrant and historic city centre of St Albans is just a ten-minute walk away, featuring a wide selection of fine dining restaurants, cafés and boutique shops alongside its famous cathedral.

All this has led the housing development to win a number of awards, including Home of the Year at The Sunday Times British Home Awards 2017 and Best Out of London Home at the Evening Standard New Homes Awards 2018. Its design features have also been praised: in 2017 Gabriel Square won gold for Best Interior Design and silver for Best House at the national WhatHouse? Awards.

Although the majority of apartments at Gabriel Square have been sold, there are still a limited number of duplexes, townhouses and apartments for sale, starting at £595,000.

If you’re interested in buying a house in the Gabriel Square development, call 01727 226 881 or contact [email protected]. gabrielsquare.com

SAVE THE DATE

Gabriel Square invites C&TH readers to explore the award-winning townhouses in the heart of St Albans.

Join us for an exclusive art and design event with insights from triple RHS Chelsea Flower Show winner, sculptor David Harber and the home design team from John Lewis & Partners, who will be giving advice on the latest interior design trends and tips and tricks on designing your home. Explore the latest show home styled by John Lewis & Partners along with a wine tasting experience from Waitrose & Partners.

Thursday 10 October 2019, 6.30–8.30pm, 72 Gabriel Square, St Albans, AL1 3AS

RSVP: [email protected]

Properties in Britain’s Best Towns / The Best Properties Overseas