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1 June 2001
A 200 year old brewery in Romford, Essex is at the heart of what Minister for Construction, Nick Raynsford, has described as an "outstanding urban regeneration project". A new development has been created within Romford by Copthorn Homes and a consortium of J Sainsbury Plc and Stannifer Developments Ltd, with funding from Equitable Life. They have transformed the 200 year old brewery building and its surrounding grounds into 172 new homes with landscaped courtyards.
For over 200 years, the Ind Coope Brewery has been a landmark in the heart of Romford but has been standing empty since the Brewery closed in November 1997. It is now having new life breathed into it as it becomes an exemplary new mixed use development on a prime 'brownfield site'.
Copthorn's residential development has been named 'Brewers Gate' and forms part of one of the largest urban regeneration projects in the South East. Local residents and former brewery workers have endorsed the new redevelopment as a positive move that will retain the historic brewery building and its memories, whilst providing quality new homes and employment for the people of Romford.
Copthorn Homes is selling 128 new and converted apartments and a further 44 newly built homes will be offered for rent by its sister company, Countryside in Partnership, through the London and Quadrant Housing Trust. On completion, the rest of the 17-acre site will incorporate a new Sainsbury's super store, a 16-screen multiplex cinema, a health club, a leisure centre with swimming pool and bowling alley, shops, pubs and restaurants. A brewery museum on the ground floor of the old building will also be opened, illustrating the work that used to be carried out in the brewery.
Thirty-seven of the new Copthorn Homes apartments at Brewers Gate are in the original Ind Coope brewery building, where double height ceilings and traditional large windows will be retained. In contrast to the historic external appearance of the building, the 91 new apartments, which have just been released for sale, are typical of Copthorn's highly innovative, contemporary designs. While boasting fashionable design features such as mezzanine floors, they manage to blend with the old brewery buildings, which they face around a communal courtyard.
Copthorn Homes' Managing Director, Tony Travers, commented, "This is one of the most exciting schemes within the M25 where history is coming together with ultra-modern mixed-use development. This not only relates to the architecture - we have recently met a lady who used to work in the old Brewery who will soon be working in the new Sainsbury's."
Brewers Gate is located in the town centre of Romford, within the M25. The A12 is close by, providing a direct link into central London and the M11. Romford station is on the main line to London's Liverpool Street, (journey time approx. 20 minutes).
Apartments are available for sale with one-bedroom apartments from £100,000, two-bedroom apartments starting at £128,000 and three-bedroom apartments from £175,000.
For sales enquiries telephone Copthorn Homes on: 01708 767 086 or by email at: brewersgate@copthornhomes.co.uk
Copthorn Homes is part of Countryside Properties PLC.
Website address: www.copthornhomes.co.uk
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Information correct as at 01/06/2001