Embassy exodus returns acres of central London to its residents
As the embassies exit Mayfair and Marylebone, their former bases will free up stunning family homes. While the move of many embassies to Nine Elms at Vauxhall is creating a new residential quarter including thousands of new apartments.
Fast new commuter routes are changing London's property map
Regeneration throughout London continues to change the property map, with the orbital train network and recent Tube line extensions creating faster commuter routes with good-value homes, including Deptford, Bromley and Woolwich.
Brighton spotlight
The East Sussex city of Brighton and Hove offers its residents the best of both worlds: a relaxed life at one end of the line within an hour's commute of London, and a good mix of Regency terrace houses, seafront apartments and family homes.
Canterbury spotlight
The compact city of Canterbury sits 60 miles south-east of London in Kent. In recent years its property market has been boosted by a high-speed rail service into St Pancras, which cuts the journey time to the capital to less than an hour.
Chelsea Flower Show preview 2013
This year the RHS Chelsea Flower Show promises to be suitably fabulous as it celebrates its centenary year with stunning gardens, including the Forget-me-Not Garden by B&Q and Prince Harry's charity.
Find a rated tradesman
Want to add value to your property, make your house a home, or sell your place fast? With 1,000s of tradesmen nationwide, rated and recommended by previous customers, this is the smart way to find a reputable tradesman.
Buy of the week: Stoke Newington, N16
This modern home of almost 1,000sq ft is close to Stoke Newington's high street. A 27ft reception room and two large bedrooms give the flat a spacious feel.
Out of town: Tetbury, Gloucestershire
The beauty spot of Leighterton, with its poppy fields, ivy-covered churches and popular local gastro pub, is home to this four-bedroom house with stone-walled gardens.
Life-changer: Dolwyddelan, Conwy
Have a station all to yourself by buying the Old Station Master's house at Roman Bridge, where trains will stop at your door on request. You also get three bedrooms and 10 acres of grounds.
Oxford spotlight
The small city of Oxford is famous for its university and honeyed stone architecture, but its huge range of property - from affordable new homes to luxurious Victorian houses - and one hour commute to London, are big attractions to home buyers.-
Buy of the week: Stoke Newington, N16
This modern home of almost 1,000sq ft is close to Stoke Newington's high street. A 27ft reception room and two large bedrooms give the flat a spacious feel. -
Out of town: Tetbury, Gloucestershire
The beauty spot of Leighterton, with its poppy fields, ivy-covered churches and popular local gastro pub, is home to this four-bedroom house with stone-walled gardens. -
Life-changer: Dolwyddelan, Conwy
Have a station all to yourself by buying the Old Station Master's house at Roman Bridge, where trains will stop at your door on request. You also get three bedrooms and 10 acres of grounds.
Property search
Homes gossip: Angelina Jolie; Pierce Brosnan; Cowdray Park; Matthew Hayward
By Amira Hashish
© Rex Features
Amazing what you see from the terrace
Bulstrode Park in Buckinghamshire is transforming into a Hollywood film set. Maleficent, Disney’s big-budget remake of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale, is being shot there and leading lady Angelina Jolie is performing her scenes in its sprawling grounds.
The film is due for release in March 2014. Among the spectacular scenes, expect to spot 60 knights on horseback and at least 100 foot soldiers.
© Rex Features
Pure gold for a Bond owner
It may be an A-list holiday home but Pierce Brosnan’s four-bedroom California mansion, originally intended as a family retreat for the British actor, his wife Keely Shaye Smith and their children, will set you back an astonishing £160,000 a month to rent. The former Bond is turning landlord because he’s spending most of the summer working away on four new films.
With 120ft of beachfront, his Thai and Balinese-influenced pad comes with a cinema, bar, music room, library, wine cellar, Japanese-style soaking tub and a gym. Neighbours include Steven Spielberg, Sylvester Stallone and Robert Redford. Star quality indeed.
Pukka for the chukka set
Cowdray Park will host the prestigious Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup Tournament on Sunday. The crème de la crème of British polo will compete on Viscount Cowdray’s 16,000-acre West Sussex estate, which has been associated with the sport for 100 years. And the star-studded guest list, which last year included Kevin Spacey, Lily Allen and Jodie Kidd, will add extra sparkle.
Polo fans should take a look at Grade II-listed Orchard House, right, for sale on the edge of the estate. It features elegant French doors to a beautiful terrace, a swimming pool, plus four bedrooms and a separate annexe, and is on the market with Jackson-Stops & Staff for £1.5 million (01730 812357; jackson-stops.co.uk).
Find property near Cowdray Park
Nogg man feels cooped up
Furniture designer and engineer Matthew Hayward sprang to our attention in 2010 when his enterprising Nogg invention hatched. The contemporary chicken coop, which looks more like a sophisticated sculpture, attracted high-profile clients including leading fashion designer Jasper Conran who commissioned Hayward to make a Nogg for his garden.
When he is not making homes for chickens, Hayward has his own property plans. He is keen to emigrate to New Zealand to live in an isolated but open-air environment where he can work on new inventions, so he is selling his refurbished Harpenden house for £350,000 (01582 764343; struttandparker.com).
Find property in Harpenden
* Got some gossip? Tweet @amiranews | For more homes gossip by Amira Hashish, visit homeshotspot.com
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