For those of you who have ever had romantic notions of living
in a Welsh castle, cast your eye on lands between Swansea and the Mumbles.
Elev8@clyne boasts 14 futuristic new-build properties constructed around the
Grade II listed 18th century Clyne Castle, which itself has been converted
into 17 luxury apartments.
The £20 million development has recently opened its doors and is something
of a first. Property developer Lee Goldstone, born of Swansea parents, points
out: “When commissioning the designs of the houses, I was keen to avoid
simply creating a ‘pastiche’. Rather I wanted to develop a series
of homes that would complement and enhance the historic castle as opposed to
mimicking it.”
Designed by award-winning Holder Mathias Architects, the development incorporates
five house types that are diverse in character and size. The white houses arc
around the castle mirroring the castle’s cubic ramparts, the majority
of the houses are built from what looks like a series of boxes. They are all
detached and set over two and three floors. The houses are a mix of four and
five bedrooms, all with ensuites, and some with roof top gardens and dressing
areas.
Inside, things are kept to a minimum. The temptation to try too hard to impress
has been overcome and instead, the show-home offers natural light and plenty
of space to relax both mind and soul. As for windows, well they don’t
come much bigger than this. In fact, you don’t have much in the way of
wall in some rooms. Again, this mirrors the theme set in the castle itself
where you’ll find the windows grand enough to frame your ‘estate’ outside.
It’s just as well that your window-cleaning bill is included in the maintenance
fees.
According to the developers, the grass on the roofs of house ‘type a’ and ‘type
e’ are there for the benefit of houses that look down upon them. The
real reason one suspects is for those who live in them to enjoy the spectacular
views that stretch out across Swansea and the Mumbles: truly a sight to behold.
The roof top gardens and terraces are kitted out with store rooms so that chairs,
tables, sun loungers, barbeques and patio heaters can be neatly packed away.
Surely master of all you survey.
The jewel in the crown is the £1.25 million property that sits at the
very top of the crested hill. Totally unique to the development, the ‘Round
House’ as it’s come to be known, comes with its own lift to the
five bedrooms that are spaced out over three floors.
As for the castle itself, well it’s a Grade II listed building so the
developers have been restricted with what they could do. However, with imagination
and no lack of clever thinking, the castle now houses 17 luxury apartments,
each with its own character. The décor, as in keeping with the houses,
is minimalist, relying instead on the building’s inherent grandeur and
space to impress. The key in this development is the high specification granite
worktops in the kitchen, ceramic tiling in the bathroom and high-end Cat 5
audio cabling in all rooms (excluding bathrooms and ensuites).
Viewers may be at a loss to locate a private garden. But that’s where
Clyne is different. There are no private gardens to speak of. But if it’s
greenery you want, there is plenty. These are the private gardens of the Clyne
Estate of course. They are there to be enjoyed. It’s a unique way of
living.
Security is a strong selling feature. No moat or drawbridge to speak of, but
the site is gated. For its tranquil setting, it’s also hard to believe
that the city centre is only a matter of minutes away and the beach even closer.
Talk on the grapevine is that Queen of Weathergirls, Sian Lloyd has been eyeing
up Clyne on her weathermap. It’s easy to see why the successful and the
lucky may want to reside here. The place is steeped in history, both Queen
Victoria and Edward VII stayed at Clyne on many occasions, and Churchill and
the future King Edward VIII even visited the place. Not only that, but elev8@Clyne
offers the seclusion and privacy of a private estate but not at the expense
of local amenities.
Elev8@Swansea is distinctive and there’s no doubt it’s a bold move
for the west Wales city. Swansea is now daring the big and beautiful to come
to its realm.
To arrange a viewing, contact the sales office at elev8 @ Clyne on 01792 40
54 70 or email info@elev8clyne.co.uk
A man’s home is his castle. For the fortunate few that might come true, says Patric Morgan