EcoWorld

Number of Developments

3

Ratings

4.18 Rating

Rating (based on 421 reviews)

Excellent

47.98%

Very Good

39.19%

Average

8.08%

Disappointing

2.61%

Very Poor

2.14%

EcoWorld is a leading international property developer with projects that span the residential and commercial sectors. EcoWorld operates in three regions across Malaysia, the UK and Australia.

EcoWorld developments

EcoWorld developments on HomeViews include huge joint venture projects like London City Island – a 12-acre mixed-use neighbourhood cocooned by the River Thames – and Wardian London, a tropical retreat named after botanist, Nathanial Bagshaw Ward. Both of these schemes were developed by EcoWorld in partnership with the Ballymore Group. Embassy Gardens is another sought-after EcoWorld property, located in the heart of the Nine Elms regeneration close to the US Embassy.

A truly impressive spot to live, friendly staff, beautiful people. From gym classes to private cinema showings, a party room, snooker table, pool, sauna, team, outdoor jacuzzi and valet parking. There’s not much else you really need on your doorstep. I can walk along the river to Battersea park or Vauxhall. Easy easy.” – Vix Farrar, verified resident at Embassy Gardens

EcoWorld reviews

You can read reviews of EcoWorld developments by clicking on the properties below. Do you live in an EcoWorld development? Leave your review here. If there’s an EcoWorld development you can’t see on HomeViews, click here to submit a new listing.

Developments

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EcoWorld reviews

Reviews

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Showing 421 reviews

Perfectly connected oasis in the middle of a global city

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date May 2020

It feels an oasis within the hustle and bustle of the city. Perfect connections (12 minutes to Big Ben, less than 20 to Hyde Park), and yet the moment when you cross the bridge peace and quiet descend on you.
Downsides? It’s still relatively new, so some facilites are still coming up, a lot of them with a delay.
That includes a local supermarket, which originaly was supposed to come last year. But of course sooner or later this will be resolved.
Good gym and nice outdoor swimming pool. The water is heated, so you can go even in December.
Though I sometimes wish it would be larger and indoors…

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

I like proximity to transport link, and the fact that it’s a quiet place – no cars!
It does feel like oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle. And the architecture is original. Still feels like living in a hotel, in the most positive sense .
Local deli is charming with great coffee and Italian treats (tad expensive, though)
The trouble is that the development is rather new and we’re still waiting for our local supermarket to open. That’s the greatest deficit (COVID 19 has led to further delays)

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

I wish I knew that the quality of wooden floor is not the best – almost every smudge stays on it

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

Quite well, except for one case when my shower broke just before Easter and the initial idea of the management people was to fix it after 6 days. A bit of persuasion did solve the problem though.

3
Facilities
4
Design
5
Location
4
Value
4
Management
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Reality vs Expectation

The reality of living on City Island does not live up to expectations. Ballymore promoted the Island as a “destination of extraordinary culture” yet the major art gallery which brightened up Botanic Square with its wonderful exhibits, is to be replaced with yet another gym. Apart from the delightful Lighthouse Gallery and the striking clothing store, Lyle street is a lifeless thoroughfare used liberally by fast food drivers. The ENB corridor, rather than being a showcase for the Ballet is just a vacant, sterile expanse.

Picnicing in Botanic Square means constantly being on the lookout for uncontrolled dogs (who also overrun the children’s play areas), speeding cyclists and fast food delivery drivers. Although promoted as a pedestrian-friendly development, cylists, illegal e-scooter riders and even motorbokes constantly ignore the pedestrians only notice and prsent an extremely dangerous hazard for children, older and disabled residents.

Rather than being a “thriving square” Hopewell Square is a desolate concrete expanse populated with dead trees and caravan park benches used by non-residents as a drinking place. The setting is anything but “magical”.

The Clubhouse might once have been an “elegant, stylish place to meet with friends” but in reality it is just one big home office. People slob around with dirty shoes on the sofas and tables, leaving a trail of empty cans, coffee cups and food containers. Furnishings are tired and grubby, games are broken and lying in pieces on the shelves, plants are dying and soft furnishings and decorative items disappear with alarming regularity. Smaller foyers, such as in Java, are bereft of any decoration and look spartan and unwelcoming.
In an apparent slap in the face to residents affected by the current electricity price rises, Ballymore leaves all the GLH pool lighting ablaze in the sunlight, ticking onto the service charges. I would like to see revenue be directed at the basics rather than vanity projects.

The Island Grocer, such a great initiative when Il Bianco occupied the space, was swept out with no consultation with residents to give way to replacement operators who failed to engage with their customer base.

Safety mechanisms put in place (speed limits/pedestrian only zones) are constantly ignored and are not monitored. Security needs to be more of a presence: would like to see patrolling officers, not just their empty golf cart.

On a brighter note, the Lockdown Room is a great social space and the operator friendly and generous. Residents orgainse social events and events to raise money for charity and are active in attempting to beautify the immediate area. There is a residents lending library. Concierge service is mostly excellent as is the Post Room service. The riverside spaces and gardens are well tended but much needs to be done to raise the Island to the standard presented in the advertising and glossy LCI coffee table book.

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

Good aspects: Proximity to Canary Wharf shopping, River and East India Basin. Reasonable transport links via bus and East india DLR, although Canning Town Station is overloaded (both Tube and DLR). Proximity to City Airport.
Poor aspects: lack of restaurants, shops and green spaces in the immediate area / grounds of LCI, litter problems, anti-social behaviour in some areas including on City Island.

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

Some residents have scant regard for their neighbours and can be excessively noisy and disrespectful of the common areas.

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

As Managing Agents, Ballymore are slow to react to owners and residents concerns; sometimes ignoring them completely. More often than not, when residents raise an issue BAML refuse to communicate. With Ballymore being both a freeholder and manager, it is difficult to obtain any satisfaction when issues arise.

4
Facilities
3
Design
4
Location
1
Value
1
Management
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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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The Wardian could be excellent

The Wardian should be a first class building. On the face of it the residences and facilites are first class. The building is however plagued by constant issues which are not taken care of in a timely manner. Building management do give the impression that they care to make the Wardian excellent building it should be.

Issues include but are not limited to: constant heating / hot water outages, AC system failure, leaks in the gym, swimming pool closures, hot tub closures, car park closures, etc.

Some of these issues have been ongoing / unresolved for months (the hot water issues and gym leaks are two examples).

Communication around these issues from the building management is typically very poor and misleading. For example we received a message the other day that the hot water works were complete. We then received a message saying the next phase of the hot water works was starting the next day. I bring this up because we have had hot water works ongoing for months now.

The building management have typically been very poor and hard to reach. You get the sense that they don’t really care about the Wardian being a first class building. Recently the management did conduct resident surgeries – any changes from these are TBD.

The opening hours of certain facilities makes little sense. A good example is the business lounge which is only open 8am-10pm, this should be 24/7.

Additionally the outdoor patio is still not complete despite assurances that this would be ready last summer. It would be great for this to be opened in time for summer this year.

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

The local area is generally very safe. The Wardian is located right next to Canary Wharf which has great shops, restaurants/bars and transport links. When the new Elizabeth line is opened the transport links will be very good. There are however constant construction noises from Canary Wharf.

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

Overall it is pretty good. Issues however either take a long time to resolve or are ignored completely

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

To my knowledge there is not a way to raise issues directly with management.

1
Facilities
4
Design
4
Location
1
Value
1
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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