It's not exactly a secret that
London is a heaving metropolis, and an epicentre for all manner of culture and
recreation. What's much more of a mystery, however, is how it can be accessed
for the great numbers of those who aren't generally able to afford the city's
luxurious skyline living. Is there alternative living accommodation within the
boundaries of London that is of a high standard and in a genuinely
up-and-coming area, while also being attainable?
Given the capital's ever-spiralling
rents, one would imagine the answer to that question to be "no". It
seems at times that any area of London that could possibly be gentrified has
already been gentrified, and that many who aspire to reside in the capital are
effectively locked out. There is, however, a genuine alternative, and in a part
of London that is surprisingly familiar. That is, of course, a reference to the
simply stunning IYLO Croydon - or as it is now known, ISLAND.
Indeed, the 'IYLO' name doesn't
conjure up the most palatable images for some. It was this project, after all,
which following its announcement and the beginning of construction in 2007, was
to suffer a series of misfortunes that threatened its entire future. Problems
began in 2009 with the slide into administration of the project's funding
source, HBOS, and while building work did recommence between late 2010 and June
2011, the construction company then entered administration itself.
It seemed that the structure that
had looked so remarkable in the initial plans - towering some 20 storeys and
sporting an eye-catching elliptical form, comprising two equal halves 'sliding'
past one another - would never become as formidable 'in the flesh'. With
graffiti long daubed on the hoardings surrounding the site, any form of
redemption seemed unlikely - and yet, that was precisely what happened when the
then IYLO Croydon was passed into the ownership of Regency Homes Ltd.
By 2013, construction had again
restarted, but even better news came in late 2014, when it was confirmed that
by late November 2014, building work would at last be complete. Already, the
structure's apartments and penthouses are filling up fast with those wanting to
make the most of a limited-time-only chance to clamber not just onto the London
property ladder, but a potentially very lucrative rung of that ladder.
The truth is that with Croydon set
for a series of ambitious regeneration projects throughout the coming years, it
is a firmly up-and-coming area, making investment in the penthouses and
apartments of the former IYLO Croydon a true must-not-miss opportunity.
Editor’s
Note: ISLAND (http://www.islandcroydon.com/)
are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing
specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk
or call: +44
(0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.