Bellway Kent has given students at North Kent College a project, to design its new showhome in Ebbsfleet Garden City.
The students have been briefed to plan the interior of the four-bedroom Bowyer showhome at Alkerden Heights, off Castle Hill Road, which is due to open to the public in late spring next year.
The project has a £45,000 budget and the students will work alongside professional interior designers to finalise the scheme, as well as visiting the development to see work in progress, to bring to life the concept of creating new homes and preparing the students for the world of work.
Yasmin Graham, Sales Manager for Bellway Kent, was part of a team which attended the college’s Dartford campus on Wednesday 19 October to brief the students on the project.
Bellway Kent’s Technical Manager, Tom Jones, also asked the students to design a layout for the new sales office which is due to open when the development launches in November.
Yasmin said: “We are very excited about this link-up with the students at North Kent College. It was great to be able to be part of the team that went into the college to brief the students and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.
“The students were very receptive and were incredibly engaged with the proposed project. The Bowyer is a beautiful double-fronted detached family home and it will be really interesting to see what these young designers come up with. There is a lot of space inside so there is the room for the students to get creative and imaginative.
“As a socially responsible developer we are not only focused on delivering much-needed new homes but are also committed to creating local jobs as well as developing the skills and talents of the future workforce.
“This collaboration with North Kent College is yet another example of how we actively engage with and support the local community where we are building.”
Alkerden Heights will deliver 182 new homes on an 11-acre parcel of land within Alkerden Village, part of the former Eastern Quarry site. The development will feature 136 homes for private purchase and the remaining 46 provided as affordable homes available for local people through rent or shared ownership.
The first homes will be released for sale on 19 November, when the development launches to the public from an off site event at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in Dartford.
Tom said: “With a space as relatively small as a sales office, you might not think that there is much thought that needs to be taken over its look and layout. But there are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration, which include the provision of natural light and the effective use of available space, without losing sight of the fact that it must create a pleasing and welcoming environment for both the sales team working there and the customers who visit.
“It will be very illuminating and informative to see what the students will bring, with a fresh approach and novel perspective. We feel that we may be able to learn a good deal from them and look forward to their input.”
Ebbsfleet Garden City is a regeneration project that is set to provide 15,000 new homes and create more than 30,000 jobs on a huge area around Ebbsfleet International railway station.
The Eastern Quarry portion of Ebbsfleet Garden City comprises Alkerden and the neighbouring villages of Ashmere and Castle Hill and will deliver around 6,000 of the total number of homes once complete.
For more information about Alkerden Heights call the sales team on 01987 640049 or visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/kent/alkerden-heights.
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