Ballymore Group

Number of Developments

15

Ratings

4.09 Rating

Rating (based on 613 reviews)

Excellent

43.72%

Very Good

40.78%

Average

8.97%

Disappointing

3.59%

Very Poor

2.94%

Ballymore is a family-run property developer with a multi award-winning portfolio of some of Europe’s largest and most transformative urban development projects. Ballymore’s projects are defined by their “originality and a commitment to quality.” The company oversees every element of design, construction, and facilities management, constantly aiming to challenge industry norms. It is driven by a desire to set new standards in architecture, development, partnerships and places. 

Ballymore Group developments

You can find out more about Ballymore Group properties on HomeViews. The organisation specialises in mixed-use schemes such as Millennium Harbour – the first residential-led development in London Docklands – and Pan Peninsula, a riverfront skyscraper next to Millwall Inner Dock. Notable joint ventures include Wardian London and Embassy Gardens, both created in partnership with EcoWorld.

Pan Peninsula is a well run development with an array of facilities ranging from a fully equipped gym with 25 meter swimming pool, private cinema / screening room for residents and business lounges. There is also an in-house restaurant via the dockside called Capeesh which offers excellent Italian food. The Management of the building is very efficient and issues are very quickly resolved.” – Anil M, verified resident at Pan Peninsula

Ballymore Group reviews

We moved in 6 months ago as one of the first tenants and are really enjoying Royal Wharf. The commute to the city is really easy and takes 20 minutes on the DLR, our flat is lovely and the design and layout of the development is fantastic. There were a few early small issues but they were quickly sorted and to be expected in a newly completed building.” – Sarah, verified resident at Royal Wharf

You can read more reviews of Ballymore Group developments by clicking on the properties below. Do you live in a Ballymore Group development? Click here to leave a review.

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A great place to live!

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2021

My wife an I put our deposit on a two bed apartment off plan in Jan 2016, moved into Laker House renting in April 17 whilst waiting for our block to be completed and eventually moved in to our place in Aug 18.
From the beginning the service from the baltimore team has been great including concierge, security and the cleaning team many of whom recognise me and recall my first name with a wave as I go past.
The quality of the apartment is great , well insulated and quiet.
We love having the access to Thames Clippers so close and can’t wait for that to be opened up.
Visited the Windjammer pub before it was forced to close and really liked the atmosphere and look over the Thames.
All in all delighted – so much so encouraged my sister to move in who now owns and lives in a neighbouring block.

Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:

Local shops delayed I suspect as a result of COVID 19 but at least Sainsburys is open and the plans look great
Parking fine but would welcome greater enforcement of the rules.
No traffic noise. Bin collections perfect. Some anti-social behaviour but this is tackled by the security team.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Guidance on the heating controls – a bit too fiddly.
All the rest fine

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Fast and responsive
Small defects were addressed and queries answered

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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Manager Response

Dear Bob

Thank you for your feedback. I am glad that you enjoy living at Royal wharf and I am sure once we exit the main lockdown, that this will only be made greater by the community spirit and further commercial units coming to site.

Kind regards

Phillip Minns
Resort Director

Mini paradise in London

The facilities at London City Island make it feel like you’re living in a 5-star hotel, and I keep having to pinch myself to remind myself how lucky I am to be living in a place like this. There are two gyms with all the equipment me or my partner have ever needed, and it’s never too crowded. There is both an indoor and an outdoor heated swimming pool, available to use throughout the year. There is also a sauna, a steam room, and a little jacuzzi, which makes for great spa-like weekend experiences!
Everything is incredibly stylist and modern, which certainly adds to the living experience. It is obvious that the flat have been built with high-quality materials, and the handbook and aftercare guides that come with the flats confirm this. The common areas are no exception – the main lounge area in the reception building can be recognised for its fashionable interior design, which makes it the perfect area to have meetings or to work in the afternoon. That same lounge area also has a wide range of interesting books, a pool table, a foosball table, a table tennis table, a marble chess set, and a wooden 4-in-a-row game, and a vending machine. It should therefore come as no surprise that one can have their hours fly by in that space – it is the perfect environment to decompress, focus, or have fun with friends!
Everything is exceptionally well maintained, and it is evident that LCI has recruited a strong team of talented professionals for its premises. All the staff working here are also exceptionally friendly! The people working at reception and in the post collection area always welcome me with a smile on their faces and we sometimes have a lovely chat. They are all extremely professional, and I was very impressed with how quickly they managed to resolve one of my issues when I came to them in a panic.

Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:

There is enough of everything one might need in the area. London City Island (LCI) is surrounded by the river Lead, which makes it incredible to watch the sunset reflected in the water at dusk, or to wake up with the water beneath you. The development is also very close to the Thames, which makes it great for a stroll along the river. Otherwise, the Penninsula Ecological Park across the river Lea also provides the perfect space for a lovely short amongst greenery, not to mention that the Royal Victoria Docks are only but a short walk away. There are a variety of shops within walking distance, and a new shopping centre is currently being built within a 5min walk from LCI, which means that one does not need to go far to procure what they need. LCI itself hosts a little Sainsbury gorcery shop, which is immensely useful for emergency purchases, as well as a trendy bar, a photography studio, an art gallery, a nursery, a mini cinema, a clothes shop, and a restaurant. In theory, you would never even have to leave the island 🙂

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Some people get surprised when they come at a certain time of day and they see a big “pit” where the river should be – the river Lea rises and falls several times a day, so while at times it is completely full and beautiful, when the water gets drained, it may look somewhat unappealing because of all the emptiness and the mud beneath it. This is not a problem for me at all, if anything, I am a huge fan of the water, and I find it a huge privilege to be able to wake up and look at the sun reflecting at the water beneath me, but I think it may be worth mentioning for people who are unaware of this daily phenomenon and who migtht have certain expectations from looking at photographs of LCI or looking it up on Google Maps.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

I have asked management a variety of questions throughout my time here (over two years now) and they have always managed to give me a quick and helpful response. One time, I also came to them in a panic after I thought I had lost my keys and I had to rush for a flight! They immediately responded to the situation and sent someone to help me look for them by tracing my steps back. Overall, I think they are all extremely professional, very helful and super friendly!

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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One of the worst developments ever

The London City Island development is one of the worst developments I have ever seen. It’s marketed as modern, with many facilities, clean and new, as well as luxury. Ballymore, the developers, have skimmed on all known things – there’s constantly something breaking, from cracks appearing in windows after just over 2 years of use, mould in the swimming pool areas, broken Intercoms all the time, no hot water in several buildings on-and-off for months, broken door locks that have to be fixed several times a year. The rent is very high, even for London, when you compare it to what you’re getting and the extremely high bills for heating and so on. The development is marketed as sustainable, part of Eco World. Each flat has its own heating system, which can’t be switched off completely, if you want to save on costs or are away, as it automatically turns itself on and continues to heat the room no matter how you turn it off. All appliances in the flats are faulty and just generally crap. There’s barely any storage space of any kind and flat walls are mostly painted matte white, so that they can collect on service charge payments at end of tenancy. Appliances are all small and not energy-efficient, especially since you have to run the dishwasher about 3 tiems a day, if there’s 2 people working from home in the flat. Shower heads have barely any water pressure and also spray in all possible directions at once and slide down their poles. The swimming pool showers are in a horrific state with black mould. The indoor swimming pool is always full of hair and packed. The gym lockers don’t lock.

The concierge and some of the delivery point staff are always rude and unhelpful. The concierge keep their phone off the hook, so they can’t be reach. Security rarely answer calls about anti-social behaviour and when they do, they don’t follow it up or do anything about that. There is barely any CCTV or any proper security measures in place and things and even pets are being stolen, as well as attempted break-ins on ground floor flats. The parking garage is always disgustingly dirty, just like the staircases with phallic drawings on walls, despite landlords paying a yearly service charge.

Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:

Good aspects – 5-10 min walk from the tube and several bus stops.
Bad aspects – during tfl strikes and tube closed hours, almost impossible to get onto the island using public transport, as the main link is the passageway through the tube station, once that’s closed you’re almost fully cut-off. Only 3 supermarket options near, 2 of which are the small ‘local’ ones. No decent sit-in restaurants nearby, other than closer to Canary Wharf or Stratford. No bars or nice pubs near either. No clothing shops. Only one pharmacy. Also no banks or boots shops near here. Poor parking availability – there’s private paid parking on the London City Island, but it’s expensive, otherwise no space. A lot of anti-social behaviour from neighbours and passersby – stolen motorcycles, bikes, broken ground floor windows and doors, shouting, loud music late at night and a strong smell of weed almost everywhere.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

How poorly this development is managed. How it gets cut-off from everywhere else during tfl strikes and when the tube closes. How everything keeps breaking and there’s little to no hot water in a lot of the buildings and how incredibly high the bills are for everything.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

I have raised several complaints about things like Intercoms being broken in common areas and not being fixed for over 2 months. The complaints presumably get logged, but this is never followed up. The building management doesn’t respond to the issues. In the case, of Aftercare by Ballymore, when something in the flat is broken, they do respond very quickly, usually to tell you that it’s out of warranty and you need to sort it yourself anyway.

1
Facilities
1
Design
1
Location
1
Value
1
Management
User submitted image of  London City Island, E14
User submitted image of  London City Island, E14
User submitted image of  London City Island, E14
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London City Island: a remarkable development in a fast developing town

As mentioned before, the concerns of the immediate area around LCI including traffic noise from the different modes of transport, as well as the low flying planes landing in London City Airport has clearly been factored into by the design of the LCI homes. The soundproofing within the buildings means that with balcony doors and windows closed, residents won’t hear the hussle and bustle outside. This becomes a particularly important factor when you want to have a nice sleep. The large floor-to-ceiling windows means that when the sunlights comes into your homes, you won’t need to put the heating on, as your home remains well insulated. Especially in times where energy prices are going up, this is a welcomed addition. Depending on which building your home is facing and how high your apartment is up, you can be met with stunning views of the O2 Arena and Canary Wharf, which especially at night time is a real treat to look at. Inside the homes, you have integrated appliances and ample space which cannot be faulted. As for design, the properties here are of the highest quality.

With regards to the facilities you have on offer, it was easy to give LCI 5 stars, especially considering residents living in LCI can share the facilities on offer at Goodluck Hope. As such, you have 2 indoor gyms kitted out with excellent equipment, and both an indoor and outdoor heated swimming pool. You also have spa facilities including steam, sauna, and jacuzzis to indulge in whenever you want. There is also a Receiving House on the island which can store any items ordered online for you to collect at a time more convenient to you. For the more cultured, there is an arts gallery and a photography studio for you to peruse the designs to your hearts content. The English National Ballet also houses dance classes which can be a fun addition to your weekly activities. For the foodies, you have the Espresso Room below the English National Ballet serving excellent coffee, the Lockdown Room which has become a central meetup point for anyone on the island, also serving tasty food and excellent drinks. You have a chocolatier, and a soon-to-open cocktail bar and stir fry restaurant which will be new additions to island offerings. An onsite Sainsbury’s means you can nip out your homes to grab last minute products or top-ups to your groceries. And if that wasn’t enough, LCI regularly host food markets at Hopewell Square, with food trucks offering all kinds of cuisines to residents, ranging from wood-fired pizzas, to fresh paellas and crepes. As my friend who visited me recently said “You have literally everything you can want at your doorstep”.

Building management have been excellent. The onsite staff are incredibly friendly. From the concierge team who are always at your disposal to offer assistance, to the gym staff who offer helpful tips on your goals, you can be sure to have all your requests and requirements answered to. Whilst there have been at times issues with the hot water in the building, the property management team have been swift to deal with any and all concerns, liaising closely with the contractors to ensure these issues are resolved as soon as possible.

Whilst there is a shortage of parking spaces outside the immediate area of LCI, the onsite car park has many stories and safely secured to residents only, so you can be rest assured your vehicle(s) is well housed. The car park also accommodates electric vehicles and has charging points to ensure your vehicle is charged up for the day ahead.

Put simply, the design, facilities, and management of LCI is absolutely amazing, and one you have to see it to believe it.

Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:

There are plenty of good aspects about the local area where London City Island is located. For example, Canning Town station is right on your doorstep. It has the very reliable Jubilee Line which connects you to Central and West London very well. You also have the DLR which functions similarly and gives you excellent transport to Bank/Tower Gateway, as well as Woolwich Arsenal/Stratford. Alongside this, not only do you have the bus station which is well connected to East/Central London, you also a stones throw away from London City Airport which is arguably the most scenic airport in the city.

The immediate area surrounding LCI is developing at a very fast pace, with new amenities and restaurants opening up. You’re spoilt for choice with regards to different cuisines; from Italian and Turkish, to Chinese and Indian, all of which can be accessed either by foot, or can be brought to your doorstep by food delivery companies. For any of your weekly shops, you have a good-sized Morrisons which offers you all the necessary products for either your grocery shop or housing goods. If this isn’t enough, you also have a Co-Op, Iceland, and a Savers to give you a selection of things to choose from. There is also a complex due to be built, again within walking distance from the development which will house facilities to shops, restaurants, and a cinema to name a few. The local area also has two 24hr gyms, hair salon, and both Starbucks and Pret to give you the morning caffeine boost before you use the plentiful transport options around you.

With so much development happening in the area around LCI as well as the countless transport options, there is the inevitable traffic noise that residents will be met with. The airport also being local to the area does mean that low flying planes seeking to land will bellow out from time to time. Outside of LCI, there isn’t a great deal of parking available. The nearest NCP car park is quite far away from the island. Both of these concerns have been dealt with by the well thought out development of the LCI buildings and design.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

When you’re dealing with the British weather, you don’t really feel the pinch of the cold, as your flat is incredibly well insulated. I would also highly recommend anyone moving in to try and get a home which is higher up the apartment block, as the views you have on offer are stunning. And this is something anyone who has visited my flat has recognized.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

As a private tenant, my property is managed by an agency called JLL. They have been very good at managing any concerns that I have had. If however the issue is more centric to the home or building itself, the building management have been incredibly helpful at dealing with matters raised. The online platform for residents alongside the app has made it very easy to reach out to the building management team here at LCI.

5
Facilities
5
Design
4
Location
4
Value
5
Management
User submitted image of  London City Island, E14
User submitted image of  London City Island, E14
User submitted image of  London City Island, E14
User submitted image of  London City Island, E14
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Promising and hoping for better

The design of The Wardian is very interesting and it could be very promising. I joined at a time of full Lockdown and received no tour of the building. I had to ask another resident where the observatory was and I have no idea where the swimming pool is, or the gym or what on earth a vitality pool might be. I hear there is a cinema and I have no idea where that is. Is there also a business centre? I think there might be but I don’t know.

As a keen gardener I love my garden (a corner plot so it’s a good size). The location of an outdoor tap for watering is a godsend. Far better than filling up the watering can in the kitchen sink. I cannot understand why there is no lighting in the gardens. It seems like a large oversight.

The doors in and out of Bagshaw are difficult to use. I’m disabled and either use a crutch or wheelchair. It is extremely difficult to get out of the building and I normally have to wait for someone passing by to open the door in my behalf. It is entirely impossible in a wheelchair. The building is definitely not suitable for those with disabilities. Even minor ones.

Each hall door to the apartments closes with a violent bang. I suspect this could be attenuated by management of the spring closure system. This should be attempted for every apartment. It is a significant noise disturbance to all neighbours.

There has been a variety of concierges at the concierges desk. Some are amazing. Some decidedly not. One refused to speak with me because I was disabled and dismissed me with a flick of their hand and a wrinkled nose. This astonished me but sadly it is not unique. When the building is not disability friendly the staff subconsciously pick up on that sentiment and magnify their responses accordingly. Some formal training regarding the treatment of disabled people is essential. I look forward to hearing that it has taken place.

When the weather is windy the pipes in the apartment creak and groan like nothing I’ve heard before. I’ve told shocked guests it’s the ghost of someone who died in the construction. Obviously they know I’m joking but it is so loud and disconcerting as to be highly remarkable. I would dearly love this to be resolved. It has led to sleepless nights and this is disgraceful. As hot air heating is something I cannot use as it causes asthma attacks and is the only heating in my apartment. I’m going to have to buy mobile plug in heaters for the apartment. Could the pipes be sealed to stop the noise? I don’t know the solution.

The persistent lack of hot water has led to too many tepid if not cold showers. This is unacceptable. When will this be resolved?

Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:

The area around The Wardian is undergoing a great deal of development and redevelopment. There has been a tremendous amount of noise pollution as well as air pollution resulting from these building sites and also a budget hotel close by Hobart. Thankfully I’m in Bagshaw but on the east side where I live there has been a tremendous amount of noise and air pollution from a Berkeley development. This has resulted in loss of sleep as well as an increase in asthma attacks. I have a marble table and chairs in my garden/balcony and every day you can wipe away a thick layer of airborne dust and grit from the surface. In fact you cannot sit on the chairs without cleaning them first on a daily basis. There are some shops and restaurants around but not many and I’m disappointed that the promised restaurant in The Wardian seems to have been forgotten. This was a big draw for me. For good restaurants you still need to head to Soho, Mayfair and Marylebone areas. The shopping is negligible in the area. Given the changes following on from Covid it remains to be seen what will transpire in the environs. I feel it could become a shopping desert but I hope not. Parking is impossible in the area causing problems for delivery firms and friends alike. I am on 14th floor on the east side of Bagshaw and initially the DLR passing by was deafening. Happily it is true that with time you barely hear it at all. It shocks any new visitors.

The bin area seems inadequate for the Bagshaw building. It normally smells foul when passing by the closed door and of course worse when you enter the tiny room. The chute system frequently malfunctions and people end up leaving their bins on the floor in frustration. On one occasion I could not get into the room as bins and boxes had piled up and needed to be cleared before entering properly. As much as it malfunctions there are still many residents who do not use the system correctly and a physical note in each letter box detailing exactly what can and cannot be disposed of on site and how to bag it, is now necessary. This should be done periodically given that there is high turnover in some apartments. Access to the Observatory has been sporadic and limited. I’m hoping it becomes near permanently open. It could be an amazing space to visit frequently but I have gone up only to find it closed for no given reason.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish I had known about the hot air heating system. I would not have bought it if I had known it was not underfloor heating as had been described to me.

The gardens attached to every apartment are a delight. A great bonus in a built up environment. I feel some residents don’t take advantage of their balconies at all. There should be some evening/weekend courses for the horticulturally challenged to let them know that you can make a lovely space for yourself without much input. Also those of us who are experienced gardeners, could do with an evening/weekend course on gardening at a height which is radically different from a normal garden.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

I have had significant issues when asking for large items to be brought up to me when they have been delivered. On one occasion I was told that if I could not collect the item in person (40 litres of compost for the garden) then I could not have it. This was very distressing. Using a crutch makes trying to move the luggage cart impossible for me. Friends who visited and used it on my behalf say it’s difficult enough when you are fully capable. When I mentioned this situation to neighbours they were surprised as they said they always had the larger items brought up to them. So it appears that the issue is again my disability. This is dispiriting.

3
Facilities
4
Design
4
Location
4
Value
3
Management
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