Our apartment is very spacious, has lots of natural light and a large balcony and we enjoy the outdoor space. Our balcony and kitchen / livingroom looks out onto the communal courtyard. It is great to have two spare rooms, one for guests and the other we use for a study. There were a minimum amount of handover defects when we moved in which Fairview rectified immediately. The triple glazed windows are really good and the apartment is well insulated. We have parking space in the under croft park which is great and secure.

Cons

The kitchen could have been properly finish with regard to filling the wall with kitchen unit and tiling. Also both bathrooms could have been fully tiled and there could have been a proper shower installed over the bath with a screen. The balcony timbers should have been properly treated before we moved in. The kitchen tap was far to low and the sink too shallow. We have a long hallway and it could have done with some more electrical points as well as a light in both storage cupboard. The carpets are of poor quality and could have been better considering the large apartment price tag. The sound in the courtyard echoes (sound deadening could have been applied). There could be larger recycling bins. The gaps in the balcony timber are far too big and it could have been build with an internal gully system.

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

We like the fact that we are 20 mins train journey to central London. We are very close to three train stations (Anerley, Penge West and Crystal Palace). We love Crystal Palace Park and the Crystal Palace Triangle. There are several green spaces nearby. The Anerley high street is very small and has very little amenities.

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

More about the local area.

If there is one thing you would change about your flat or property what would it be:

The basic carpets, use of one Large radiator in the living and not two small ones that occupies two walls. The position of radiator in our small bedroom and master bedroom.

The buildings have nice big bin areas and the bike store is well kitted out. The post boxes are in a secured lobby which not all new developments have.

As for the flat itself, it’s been finished to a very good standard. I’ve had minimal snagging issues compared to some of the horror stories you hear about new builds elsewhere. The bedrooms are well proportioned (especially for London) and the storage cupboards are huge. The open plan living room/kitchen is a little more compact but still very usable if you set it up right. The balcony is also a plus as it’s very spacious. The bathroom is finished to a good standard though they don’t come with a cabinet above the sink. I managed to get a perfectly good IKEA mirror cabinet installed though and it looks great.

The extractor fan above the cooker is very loud, as I think others have mentioned, but it’s hard to grudge that when all core appliances are built in and included. The fridge freezer unit is distracting with the loudness of the noises it makes but I’m fairly certain this is a snagging issue specific to my property and I’m hoping to get it fixed shortly.

Like others I would have personally preferred light switches to have been slightly closer to the doors in the bedrooms, and for the plugs around the TV area to be a little closer to the skirting, but that’s a personal preference and I won’t lose any sleep over it.

I can’t yet judge how things are on the utilities front as I’ve not long moved in. By default you start out with ThamesWater for water and obviously council tax is with RB Greenwich Council (at the time of writing my flat hasn’t been formally banded yet). It’s then by default British Gas for electricity (but can move no problem), and the broadband options aren’t as wide as they could be as they’re all full fibre to the home only properties (I started out with BT in the end). The district heating scheme (which is essentially a modern alternative to using gas) is with Watkins Energy and is a monopoly (this is normal for a lot of new builds) but from previous experience of a DHS I’ll need to wait and see how it compares in terms of cost and efficiency in the winter months. I had to ask about the DHS before making my reservation as it wasn’t (from memory) advertised in the brochures.

It’s difficult at this stage to judge whether the service charge and services provided for it will be good value for money because construction on this building isn’t finished yet, and the initial rate is only set for the first year.

The sales and customer service staff at Fairview were very helpful in the build and buying process.

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

A huge plus is being so close to the retail park. Ideal for essentials shopping and setting up your home. There’s not a lot by way of pubs and restaurants “on the doorstep” but decent enough cafes/take aways and you’re not far from Greenwich and Blackheath anyway for pubs and eateries.

Public transport links are fairly good with buses to North Greenwich and Greenwich a couple of minutes away and it’s also very near to both Westcombe Park and Charlton mainline stations.

Construction noise aside, which is mostly fine, the development is quiet with one important caveat: the railway line. If you are in the flats facing the line you will definitely notice the noise from (especially braking) trains. I’m on the second floor and it may be less intrusive for those higher up or not immediately adjacent.

I don’t have a car, but most of the spaces in the development are assigned to properties. The impact of this is hard to assess until everyone has moved in.

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

It’s very hard to judge how loud the railway line will be when the flat is a shell rather than the finished product with windows etc in place. It is definitely louder than I’d counted on but it’s the sort of thing you get used to.

What is the best feature of your home:

The spaciousness of the bedrooms. It’s so unusual in London and with newbuilds to have it as good as that.

One aspect that I think has not been done well is the intercom system to enter the building. It is sold as a video intercom system which is true for the initial door to enter the mail room. However, there is no camera to the second intercom system. Further there seems to be a security measure that prevents the inner door from unlocking while the outer door is open. Like an air lock on a spaceship. Or maybe it does. One can’t tell with only one camera but anecdotally this seems to be the case according to our visitors.

The rooms are well proportioned and square, which seems to be a luxury in new build architecture and all in all pretty sensible. Most rooms also come with a generous balcony that one can spend a sunny morning or evening on.

The development is situated on an “island” in the middle of a ring road but restrictions means that traffic is limited to the one bus route that runs past the development (Ealing Broadway to Golders Green) and residents who have parking. In the middle of the development separating Regency Heights from the offices on the other side of the “island” is a lovely piece of green space which makes for a perfect picnic spot. There is a distinct lack of accessibility to it as it is more or less only accessible via stairs. Finally, there is a park at the edge of the development with a children’s playground and a basketball court for those with families.

This particular development is a “car-free” development so parking is difficult to come by which may affect visitors who come from out of town and are not willing to take public transport.

As my family and I have moved in during one of the early phases, there is still a lot of building work going on and there have been some teething problems, mainly surrounding hot water provisions and the lack of broadband. However, Fairview Customer services have, to their credit, usually been able to resolve these issues quickly. The only drawback is the lack of responses on weekends.

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

Park Royal is ideally suited for transport connecting to central London with the Piccadilly and Central lines easily accessible from Park Royal and Hanger Lane stations. There are also decent bus routes to Ealing and Wembley. Further, access to the motorways leading West and North from London are easily reachable via the North Circular. All of this is very much necessary as there is not too much in Park Royal itself given the mostly industrial nature of the surrounding area.

Park Royal has an ASDA supermarket and there is a Sainsbury’s in nearby Alperton. There is also opposite an Oriental superstore.

Places to eat out can be found near the station and at the Park Royal Leisure Park with most of the large fast food chains represented but for anything more refined, one would probably have to venture further afield to Ealing.

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

I wish I had known that the broadband was not ready as this is quite an issue in this current climate of working remotely.

If there is one thing you would change about your flat or property what would it be:

I would have added extra cupboards in the kitchen to full make use of the space on the wall and I would have made the splash board stretch for the entire wall too.

And rain showers because who doesn’t love rain showers.

I have lived locally in Greenwich (SE10) since 2014 and know this area pretty well, so when I came across this new development happening at Victoria Way it sounded exciting. Victoria Way is a road on a steep gradient, but luckily Synergy is located at the sweet spot, not too close to the busy Woolwich Road and not too far from it. The Greenwich Shopping mall is located within walking distance (4min) to the development, so is IKEA and B&Q (12min). The development has allocated and unallocated parking available, and all allocated parking can be secured using a bollard installed by Fairview.

Viewing & Initial Negotiations

The Sales office is currently located at the development entrance, there are plans to convert that into a commercial unit once all sales and construction are complete. The Sales and Marketing staff are very friendly and welcoming. They do provide weekend viewing appointments which are great and that too at short notice. We did 1(one) viewing before making an offer but you are encouraged to do multiple viewings to help your make the right choice.

As with any property, the bottom line is price, so I had already done my homework before making an offer. In general terms, prices at Synergy are lower(per sq. ft) when compared to similar developments in this area such Peabody-The Valley and The Courtyard at Greenwich.

The Sales team are very proactive and fair in their negations which is hard to expect nowadays, this is what I liked. I went with their suggested panel of solicitors, who were, I would average.

After Sales & Completion

Once your offer is accepted your file is transferred to the Fairview Head Office who would take you to completion. There is not much Fairview input needed till the point of completion. My personal experience is that Fairview will 99% of the time hit their completion deadline which they state once the offer and initial paperwork is complete.
So if you are planning your move from a rented house, make sure you provide notice to your landlord in time.

On completion day, you would get a call from the Fairview team who would arrange for a handover of keys and walkthrough for your new home.

As with any new builds, there would be snags, so don’t expect to be put off by these. I had 40 snags and Fairview Customer Service all of them out in a couple of weeks post-completion.

I won’t drag this much longer, but below are the pros and cons for Synergy by Fairview.

Pros

Per sq/ft price is at the lower end compared to competitors
Flats are big and spacious and you get vinyl floors in heavy traffic areas and carpets in bedrooms.
A large development means, easy to make friends and more secure
KFH who are the managing agent are responsive to problems and issues
There is already a WhatApp group for residents, where you can ask questions and get answers.
The development has three planned playground areas, one of which is complete, second is 50% done.
The development has a planned nursery, which is due for completion before year-end
It is close to a shopping area and easy access to North Greenwich and Charlton Station.

Cons

There is no concierges, clubhouse, etc.
The playground or play area for toddlers is very basic, which is a bit disappointing.
The development is located next to a very busy road (Woolwich Road) so expect loads of traffic during rush hour.
The construction is still ongoing so expect some noise and dust.

Tips

If you like to view the London skyline choose the west-facing apartments
If you prefer calm and privacy and love gardening, choose the South facing apartments.
Carry out a professional snagging, soon after completion and send the report to Fairview, they should then be able to fix snags before you move in.
Ask to view other apartments, so you get a feel for the size.
IKEA currently has three weeks lead time, MADE.com has 14 weeks lead time so make sure you order your furniture in time.
Each block has its very nice cycle store

I hope this review is useful.

Disclaimer: I don’t work for Fairview nor my review is influenced by them.

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

I have lived locally in Greenwich (SE10) since 2014 and know this area pretty well, so when I came across this new development happening at Victoria Way it sounded exciting. Victoria Way is a road on a steep gradient, but luckily Synergy is located at the sweet spot, not too
close to the busy Woolwich Road and not too far from it. The Greenwich Shopping mall is located within walking distance (4min) to the development, so is IKEA and B&Q (12min).
The development has allocated and unallocated parking available, and all allocated parking can be secured using a bollard installed by Fairview

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

Buy higher floor property

What is the best feature of your home:

The open 180 degrees unobstructed view of Charlton

5

Facilities

4

Design

5

Location

5

Value

4

Management