Review on The Chimes in Sheffield

Its not often that you hear of a new property development within a stones throw of the Cathedral. The Chimes, in Campo Lane, is blazing the trail in establishing Sheffields Cathedral Quarter as a desirable and cosmopolitan residential enclave.

Abbey is the innovative company behind The Chimes, now under construction on a site that had been left unused for 20 years. It bodes well that this firm is already known as a niche developer of lifestyle apartments. Past Abbey triumphs include The Matrix, in Glasgow - put forward for a prestigious international MIPIM award.

Currently on schedule for completion by January 2006, The Chimes is set to be striking. Externally it will feature brick, render, cedar cladding and glass. The apartments available at The Chimes are two-bedroom and likely to appeal to professionals first and foremost, especially those employed nearby. Anyone wanting to make the most of Sheffields city living renaissance would also appreciate the location of The Chimes. Families will perhaps be brave to choose to be so central, but if they do so the courtyard would provide outside space. Springfield Primary achieves average ratings for the city, while Silverdale, the catchment area secondary, performs well.

The Chimes apartments are larger-than-average, some have spacious terraces and many have windows overlooking both the street and the inner courtyard (which is conceived as an urban retreat). From the upper floors of The Chimes there will be great views of the Cathedral Quarter and the Don Valley. The kitchens at The Chimes feature contemporary units and worktops, splashbacks and ceramic floor tiles. They come equipped with hob, oven, cooker hood, washer-dryer and fridge-freezer. Stylish fitted bathrooms are also inclusive in the price. Usefully, a generous storage area is standard at The Chimes.

Campo Lane, home to The Chimes, curves around the back of the Cathedral. Excepting the not-so-pretty neighbouring 1960s block, the area is all cobbled lanes and attractive Georgian and Victorian buildings. There is plenty of history trodden into these streets, which have long been a centre for the legal and financial professions. Today there are legal chambers dotted around close to The Chimes and Price Waterhouse Coopers has an office near the Cathedral.

There are quite a few bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity of The Chimes, including the legally minded Wig and Pen on the other side of Campo Lane, the Priory and, for healthy types, the Blue Moon café.

The ground floor of The Chimes will form commercial premises, though tenders have yet to be accepted. It is possible that these may include a deli or food shop. The front-right unit may suit a bar or restaurant, a factor to consider if purchasing above it.

Trams (nearest stop outside the Cathedral), buses and the train station are all within easy reach for those living at The Chimes, as are the shops of central Sheffield, including Marks & Spencer and supermarkets.

Parking is one potential headache for residents. Electronically gated private spaces within The Chimes development itself are available for an additional £18,000. This is very pricey, but within the normal range for Sheffield city centre apartments. Alternatively, a lease contract at a city centre car park close to The Chimes will set you back around £1,200 a year.

Crime is another concern when considering a city centre apartment such as The Chimes. Statistically it is true that the city centre is at a higher risk for street crime, typically young people having their mobile phones or valuables snatched between 3pm and 9pm. However, Sheffield remains one of the safest cities in the country in which to live and sensible precautions, such as not walking down dark streets alone, are all that need to be taken in the area of The Chimes.

Over two-thirds of the 48 apartments at The Chimes have already been sold off plan. Our sources tell us that the second and final release is now due. At this point the 15 apartments currently remaining will become available. They are all two-bedroom, with prices ranging upwards from £150,000.

In our view, The Chimes combination of cool contemporary design and historic city centre location is an absolute winner and should prove to be a good investment too, in the long term. Letting out these apartments to professionals working nearby should be a handy possibility as well. The Chimes could well be the one to plump for if youre ready to buy a prime city centre residence in the last of the great northern cities to be regenerated.

As of October 2005 this development is still been marketed heavily in the local property guide at a huge cost, this could be a sign that the market for some of the over priced properties with a lack of parking is coming to an end!