Queens Park Place, NW6

If off-plan sales rates are a measure of a development’s desirability, success and quality, then QPP was a resounding triumph. Armed with no more than an A5 booklet containing a handful of CGI’s and a few floorplans, all apartments (excluding penthouses) sold off-plan at rates of 2-4 a week. Seeing beyond the obvious benefits of the scheme – 50m proximity to Queen’s Park tube station, two large communal gardens set within a gated community, 24/7 concierge, secure underground parking, large balconies, interior designed apartments – buyers could also seek comfort in the positive reputation boutique developer, London Newcastle, had established within the residential development arena.

Now complete, guests, owners & tenants are first greeted with an exceptional double-heighted entrance lobby. A beautiful marble concierge desk runs along one wall, and five clocks each containing a different world time are overhead – surely a nod to the cosmopolitan residents who live here. As you make your way through the first building you exit into the first of two landscaped gardens. Tranquil and calming both to be in and overlook.

The apartments themselves are modern, with open-plan kitchens all containing matt-finish cabinets and sleek Corian worktops with brushed steel splashbacks. All bathrooms come with underfloor heating and bespoke built-in vanity units. Interior Designer Tamzin Greenhill has done an excellent job.

Queen’s Park itself feels like a quaint little village. The main high street, Salusbury Road, has a great collection of cafes, restaurants, boutiques, pubs, florists and wine stores. The park itself is beautiful with something on offer for everyone – table tennis, children’s play area, tennis courts and even a par 3 golf course for a bit of afternoon fun. As a dog lover my only complaint would be that they don’t allow dogs to be taken off their leads to roam. The tube station will have passengers in Oxford Circus within 15 minutes. Queen’s Park tube is also an exchange platform, so almost every other train is empty upping your chances of a seat! While the proximity of the tube is an obvious advantage, it’s also QPP’s biggest faux pas. The development hugs the railway lines and while steps have been taken to mitigate the impact (including triple-glazed windows) it’s still not ideal. New technologies mean the foundations are constructed in such a way you don’t ever feel the railway, though, so overall impact is light.

For any investors out looking it’s worth noting QPP sits on the edge of the South Kilburn Regeneration Programme – a 15 year project currently half way through set to deliver 2,400 new homes, a new primary school, improved public spaces, a new park, new health facilities and new retail destinations. While this will continue to improve the overall desirability of Queen’s Park as an area, the real good news is that by sitting on the western edge of the construction, anyone living at QPP will not be disturbed by the ongoing works.

Situated right next to Queen’s Park Tube station on the Bakerloo and Overground lines, commuting into Central London and beyond couldn’t be easier. Travel times come in at around seven minutes to Paddington and the Heathrow Express, and 15 minutes to Oxford Circus – from 2019, Crossrail services mean that residents will be able to reach the City in nine minutes and Canary Wharf in 16, which will be hugely appealing to those looking to avoid lengthy journeys to work. Queen’s Park has historically been overlooked by the more popular nearby areas of Kilburn, Maida Vale and Hampstead, but has plenty of attributes of its own. The 30-acre Queen’s Park for one is a cherished part of the community, with its tennis courts, café, city farm and woodland walks to enjoy, and festivals like the annual Book Fair and Queen’s Park Day bring residents of the area together. There are also eclectic shops, pubs and restaurants, as well as a weekly farmers’ market, that give the area a bustling and welcoming feel. Salisbury Road and Lonsdale Road in particular are where you’ll find independent retailers and contemporary eateries such as Ostuni serving rustic Puglian cuisine. And just a stone’s throw away you’ll find Maida Vale, Little Venice and Regent’s Canal, for those weekend strolls along the waterside, as well as Portobello Road and Westbourne Grove for their world-renowned market and high-end boutiques.

Within the apartment complex, there is a lobby with a uniformed 24-hour Concierge provided by James Andrew Residential, which covers a whole range of services, including private catering, dog walking, beauty treatments, sourcing entertainment tickets and restaurant reservations, car hire, and lots more besides. There’s also secure basement parking with 57 spaces (available through separate negotiation), cycle and motorcycle storage, electric car charging points, and a Marks & Spencer Simply Food store right underneath the housing that’s very convenient for essential groceries on the way home. The interior design reflects the diverse cultural tastes of designer, Tamzin Greenhill, and especially the influence from living and remodelling homes in New York for 10 years. There’s a sense of urban cool combined with practical technology, and every aspect has been carefully considered. The kitchens feature soft-closing floor and wall cabinets, a thin white Corian worktop, stainless steel splashback and LED lighting on the underside of wall units. There are also integrated Bosch appliances such as brushed steel oven and microwave, dishwasher and fridge freezer. In the bathrooms there is contemporary sanitaryware, large format porcelain grey wall tiles, anthracite porcelain floor tiles, recessed marble shelf over bath or shower, and a bespoke vanity unit in wood veneer with steam-free mirror and internal shelves. Floor-to-ceiling windows ensure the apartments are flooded with natural light, whilst underfloor heating ups the comfort levels in the colder months, along with wool mix carpets in the bedrooms. The rest of the living areas feature engineered timber flooring in grey-brown.

Other developments in the area to consider are The Avenue, The Octave and Argo House.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in: The trains are noisier than we thought and specification could have been higher for the price

We viewed but decided not to rent there as went for somewhere closer to Kilburn High Road

Made up of three separate buildings, the main entrance foyer in Alderside (staffed by 24-hour concierge) is definitely the jewel in the crown, with impressive modern design and a cosy communal seating area. The other two smaller foyers in Cedarside and Birchside are clean and functional, yet lacking in ambience and style.

We are lucky to have a space in the underground car park, which is safe and secure (it also houses a bike shed), and comes with a spacious storage unit.

The Queens Park area is perfect for families and young professionals, with a great sense of community ” as is evident at the weekly Sunday farmers market. The park is only a few minutes walk from the development, and offers a lot for its size, with tennis courts, gym stations, playgrounds, a mini golf course and a cafe.

Another obvious bonus is Queens Park underground, with the Bakerloo line station directly opposite the development. You can be at Paddington in seven minutes and Oxford Circus in fifteen.

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

 Trains are a little noisier than we thought, but this is quickly something you get used to. There is an active Queens Park Place Facebook group that we only heard about recently.