Herne Bay: Branching out

Chapel Lane, 79 Kelmarna Av, Herne Bay. 

A couple of trees slowed down a new development until a buyer stepped in to help.. 

When Nicky Sedgley bought her villa off the plans 18 months ago, she didn't count on helping to move a couple of trees before she took possession. 

But she was happy to help out when the developers ran into a bureaucratic paperjam. 

Two zelkova trees, each about 5m high and thought to be more than 30 years old, stood in the way of the 12 villas being built by Hemisphere Group, and of a building platform for a section behind them. Hemisphere's Bastiaan Struyck says the process of moving the two trees several metres took a year, mostly due to paperwork getting stuck at various stages of consent. 

"When we found out Nicky was a planner we had a chat to her and she came in and helped us sort it all out." 

One tree now frames the entranceway to the development, the other helps provide a green, established outlook for the villas at one end. Being deciduous, they will also add colour in autumn, and allow light in during winter. 

Nicky's partner, Dean Franklin, was already living in another Hemisphere Group development in Parnell when he heard the company was building in Kelmarna Avenue. 

"The quality of the apartment I'd bought in Parnell was better than I'd expected, so we thought it would be a good idea to buy a villa in this development," says Dean. 

Bastiaan knows the proof is in the pudding of new developments, which is why he waited until he had a show home complete, and the rest nearly finished, before swinging into a full marketing campaign. Still, six were snapped up by business contacts, friends and people like Dean and Nicky who had bought his work before. There are six remaining, each varying slightly in layout, but all possessing the sense of space displayed in the showhome. 

The proportions are more those of a house than an apartment, which is why Bastiaan calls them villas. Downstairs are two living areas - one a cosy winter/night time snug that can transform into a home theatre complete with gas fire, the other open to the kitchen and dining area, which in turn flow out to a private garden and lap pool. 

Upstairs is a study area and three bedrooms. Like the casual living area and garden below it, the master faces northwest to catch the sun and views. You can see rows of villa rooftops marching up the hill to Jervois Road, and in the foreground, Hukanui Reserve, which usually contains several cows. 

"You can walk down to Coxs Bay through there," says Nicky. "There are boardwalks through the mangroves to Coxs Bay Reserve - it's lovely." 

The top half of the tall windows in the master bedroom slide right back, turning the room into a kind of balcony. Another design feature by architect Darren Jessop is a wall of thick wooden slats in the master en suite, providing ventilation and a view to the outside, while preventing anyone from seeing in. 

There are bells and whistles behind the walls, too. Lights and music can be pre-set to turn on before the owners get home, and laptops can access the internet wirelessly. 

Bastiaan even thought about his buyers' comfort outside. Wide awnings can be unwound to shield sun or rain, and the grass has 200mm of sand under it to ensure water drains away quickly. 

"Little extras like that cost a lot more, and aren't necessarily visible, but they make a difference," says Bastiaan. 

Dean and Nicky agree. They've been in their villa for only two weeks, but already love it and the area. 

"My office is just around the corner," says Dean, "And we're so close to town. We're looking forward to being able to walk to the shops and cafes on Jervois Road and Richmond Road." 

And each time they come and go, they'll pass the trees Nicky helped save. 

Vital Statistics: 

BEDROOMS: 3 

BATHROOMS: 3 

GARAGE: 2 

SIZE: 210sq m to 225 sq m. 

PRICE INDICATION: From $1.3 million. 

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 1-1.30pm, Tues 7-7.30pm. 

CONTACT: Suzanne Browne and Amy Olsen, Bayleys, ph 021 830 096 (Suzanne) or 021 878 435 (Amy).

 FEATURES: Six villas in 12-villa development midway between Jervois Road and Richmond Road shops and cafes. Each faces northwest with its own lap pool. Two living areas, gas fire, room for a study, fully automated