Living in Templemere
Contemporary living in Weybridge, Surrey
Living in Templemere
1. Introduction
2. The Houses
3. The Templemere Gardens
4. The Woods and the Lake
5. The Templemere Community
6. Span Developments and Templemere
Living in Templemere
1. Introduction
Welcome to Templemere, a secluded private development of 65 town houses set in 12 acres of landscaped gardens in Oatlands Village, mid-way between Walton on Thames and Weybridge in Surrey.
Living in Templemere is a unique experience that has been enjoyed by many past and present residents since the estate was built by Span Developments in 1965. Over 40 years later Templemere continues to offer residents a contemporary lifestyle that cannot be matched by many of today’s modern developments.
We would like to share some of the attractions of living in Templemere with you. In this pack you will find key information about the Templemere experience. We hope you enjoy the experience and agree with us that Templemere is a highly sought after place to live.
Templemere Residents Society
June 2010
For more information about life in Templemere, please contact us on: [email protected]
Or visit our website at www.templemere.co.uk
Living in Templemere
2. The Houses
Templemere was built in 1965 by Span Developments as part of the Span vision for sustainable community living.
There are 65 architect-designed houses in Templemere arranged in terraces around extensive communal grounds.
Here are some of the things that make the Templemere houses so attractive.
Unique Design The houses in Templemere were designed specifically to fit in with the unique features of the 12-acre site and in particular some of the existing trees. The intention in designing the houses was to maximise the views of the communal space and to make this the central feature of the development. The houses are grouped in clusters or terraces with each house benefiting from views of the communal grounds.
Templemere has a mix of three and four-bedroom houses which offer a unique design, making them ideal for an open-plan modern lifestyle.
Contemporary Style A key feature of all Templemere houses (an essential part of modern house design) is the use of large windows to draw light into the interior. Each house has floor to ceiling windows front and back, creating the effect of two glazed walls. These glass walls enhance the internal sense of space and light. This feature ensures that the houses retain the feeling of being part of an open landscape rather than the sense of being shut-in that is common in terrace houses elsewhere. Some of the houses also benefit from original design features such as teak mosaic parquet flooring throughout the ground floor.
Contemporary Living Templemere has a number of other advantages that are key to relaxed contemporary living. Each house has its own garage and there is ample off road parking throughout the site. The development also benefits from a communal aerial system with shared access to satellite television.
The development is ideally located for access to the A3, M25 and Heathrow airport. Both Weybridge and Walton-on-Thames provide access to essential amenities such as well regarded schools, shops and leisure facilities.
Living in Templemere
2. The Houses
The Three Bedroom Houses
Affordable and contemporary, the three-bedroom houses are arranged in fragmented terraces, and provide spacious living accommodation with the ground floor comprising a large open plan living and dining room leading out to the back garden and a separate kitchen. In many of the three bed houses, the dividing wall between the dining room and the kitchen has been removed to enhance the existing open plan concept. On the first floor there are two double bedrooms and one single bedroom plus a family bathroom.
Living in Templemere
2. The Houses
The Four Bedroom Houses
The four-bedroom houses, known as pavilion houses, are a unique Span design that was developed to complement the Templemere site. Highly sought after, these houses rarely come onto the market and when they do, are likely to be snapped up by existing Templemere residents, trading up from a three-bedroom house.
Living in Templemere
3. The Templemere Gardens
Space and tranquility are two of the key features of the Templemere experience, with the extensive landscaped communal grounds providing the central focus of the development. While the houses offer residents the opportunity to enjoy modern open-plan living, it is their location within and around the gardens that strengthens the sense of being part of a community.
There are approximately six acres of communal grounds at Templemere, from the individual landscaped gardens at the front of each house to the planted beds that border the central drive and footpaths. There is also an extensive central lawn which provides an attractive open space for community events and a safe play area for younger residents.
Many of the trees at Templemere pre-date the development and provide the character and colour of the site. Oak, Cedar, Birch, Robinia and Yew are just some of the trees that define the communal areas and create a landscape that can seem far removed from the daily stresses of suburban living. Bird-song rather than traffic noise adds to the overall sense of tranquility.
The flowerbeds and borders as well as the front gardens have been planted with a range of shrubs such as Box hedges, Cornus and Hebe, which add colour to the green spaces.
Living in Templemere
4. The Woods and Lake
Templemere also benefits from a wooded area leading down to part of the Broadwater Lake, a man-made tributary of the River Thames. The woods are accessible to all Templemere residents and provide a unique environment for activities such as family picnics, barbeques and communal bonfires.
Both the lake and the woods provide a safe haven for local wildlife with regular visits from ducks, swans and woodpeckers.
The woods and the lake bring together many of the Templemere residents who give their time to ensure that these special areas are cared for so that they can be enjoyed by all. Many residents meet once a month to assist with the ongoing maintenance and clearance of the woods and the lake, and also to catch up over the barbeque and a beer.
Living in Templemere
5. The Templemere Community
Moving to Templemere offers residents the chance to appreciate what it means to live in a real community. The layout of the development and the use of open communal spaces have created an environment where residents can get to know their neighbours and make friends.
Key to this sense of community are the Templemere Residents Society which is responsible for the maintenance of the communal spaces and the appearance of the development, and the Management Committee, a group of volunteers who manage the development and organize events which strengthen the sense of community. These events include:
• The annual summer party;
• Festive activities such as Christmas Carols, Easter Egg hunts and Guy Fawkes night;
• Barbeques and bonfires in the woods.
The Management Committee is supported by smaller working groups, whose commitment to making Templemere a special place to live is appreciated by all. It is no wonder that families who move here stay for many years.
Living in Templemere 6. Span Developments and Templemere
Span Developments Limited was a British property development company formed in the late 1950s by Eric Lyons and Geoffrey Townsend. They teamed up, as developer and architect, with landscape designer Ivor Cunningham and set out to build contemporary higher density housing that offered residents architect-designed but financially attainable housing. During its most successful period in the 1960s, Span built over 2,000 homes in London, Kent and Surrey.
Each Span development is unique with the defining feature being the existing landscape of the site and the desire to preserve as many of the original features as possible. At Templemere the inspiration for the design was a row of majestic cedars running across the middle of the open ground.
Following completion of the development in 1965, Templemere was awarded a prestigious Civic Trust Award for its contribution to the quality and appearance of the local environment and for the benefits provided to the community.