Apr 13 2005
Fibre cement slates from Eternit Building Materials have crowned a Belmont Homes' development in a town long favoured by Royalty.
More than 70 high-specification properties on the 246-unit Regency Walk near Cheltenham town centre are roofed with Eternit's premium Rivendale slates that feature a textured surface and dressed edge to best mimic natural slate. Regency Walk is being built on six acres of disused school playing field and former abattoir.
Some minor decontamination was required to prepare the land for development and now it comprises a prestige blend of apartments, town houses and mews-style houses. A sympathetic blend of two to six storeys using a complementary mix of construction methods - traditional concrete and contemporary steel-frame - some of the terraces have integral garages.
Designed for couples and families, prices for the one to three-bedroomed properties with addresses such as Ambassador Crescent, Consort Parade, Viceroy Corner and Countess Mews, range between £140,000 and £250,000.
The use of slates was a planning requirement as this roofing material is dominant in the area and Eternit's fibre cement ones were specified because they achieved the right look for the vernacular and were lightweight.
Martin Edgley, managing director of Martlet development consultants who have specified Eternit products for many years, said the light weight of the fibre cement slates had been a consideration for some of the taller properties. "We wanted something that was quite compact in terms of its overall size as the curved roofs required dozens and dozens of cuts to get the angles just right. The smooth finish and colour blended in with the surrounding area and gave a softer skyline appearance compared to a heavily profiled tile."
"In terms of overall balance they put a cap on the whole thing. They just finish it off really well. Not only do they keep the houses dry, they give aesthetic balance - a traditional appearance using modern materials."