LANDMARK NEW 21-STOREY DEVELOPMENT UNVEILED IN WOKING

THIS WEEK, Barratt Homes 'topped out' at New Central, a new and exciting development positioned right at the heart of Woking. The 21-storey tower, which forms the centre point for the landmark development of stylish new apartments, was officially completed on Monday by Ray Morgan, Chief Executive of Woking Borough Council and Bob Lawson, Chairman of Barratt Developments plc.

The town-centre development plays an important role in the next stages of the regeneration of Woking and is the second scheme to be delivered by the housebuilder in the last five years. When released for sale in July, New Central will provide a mix of studio, one and two-bedroom apartments and penthouses alongside a unique range of live/work properties.

John Fitzgerald Managing Director for Barratt Southern Counties comments: "What a glorious day to be at the top of a 21-storey tower taking in the superb views over Woking. It's a great occasion to be Topping Out at New Central. It is a development that I am very proud to be part of and I commend the team at Barratt Southern Counties for all their hard work here in Woking. The construction team has done a superb job and I'm sure that the apartments here will prove to be a popular choice for many."

Ray Morgan, Chief Executive of Woking Borough Council comments: ""The development by Barratt Southern Counties of New Central in Woking town centre is an important landmark in further developing Woking as a 21st Century vibrant and exciting town centre. The mixture of quality apartments, offices, shops and restaurants in New Central will provide young and mature families with a sustainable home close to local amenities with access to excellent rail services. It was an honour for me and local Councillors to take part in the "topping out" ceremony. The Council has been pleased to work with Barratt on the New Central development and hope it will be one of many more that Barratt is willing to undertake in the Borough."

Along with the team from Barratt Southern Counties, Mr Lawson and Mr Morgan celebrated with a tradition of pouring a pint of beer onto an evergreen tree carefully positioned at the top of the tower as well as leaving a permanent mark, with an imprint of their hands in a cement block. Everyone who attended the event signed a plaque which will be displayed at the development when it opens for sale in July.

Designed in partnership by award-winning architects John Thompson & Partners and Acanthus LW Architects, New Central will offer its own distinct identity. Its design will fuse a range of classic and contemporary materials including stone, coloured terracotta tiles, red brick, blue brick, glass, steel, and white render with extensive glazing to create a unique and striking collection of modern homes. Residents at the development will also have access to a state of the art gym and fitness centre within the building.

Lynnette St-Quintin, Sales Director for Barratt Southern Counties comments: "We are delighted with the design of the apartments at New Central and we are very excited about releasing the properties for sale in July. I am sure that they will be a popular choice with purchasers looking to enjoy all the conveniences that Woking town centre has to offer as well as the modern lifestyle on offer."

The development's 21 storey tower provides a new landmark to the Woking skyline and will offer residents unprecedented views over the town, across the Surrey countryside and towards London.

Situated at the heart of Woking, just 23 miles south of London, residents at New Central are extremely well connected. Woking station is just 200 metres from the development and provides fast services to London Waterloo every eight minutes at peak times during the week and every 15 minutes at the weekends. The journey takes just 25 minutes, making New Central ideal for those that work in the city. Alternatively, the M25 and M3 motorways are just a few miles from the development. Guildford is 6.1 miles from the development, Gatwick airport 35 miles and Heathrow is just 15 miles away.

Prices for a studio apartment at New Central are expected to start from £135,000. For more information about the sales launch of the well located apartments at New Central in July, please call 01483 306480 or visit www.barratthomes.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1) For further information about Barratt Southern Counties please call Rachel Colgan on 07795 126562 or rachel.colgan@barratthomes.co.uk 2) Barratt Group sold 11,377 homes in the last financial year, making it the biggest housebuilder by volume in Britain. 3) Barratt Group was awarded a maximum five star rating for the second consecutive year in the 2011 Home Builders Federation Customer Satisfaction Survey. 4) Barratt Group was named Housebuilder of the Year at the Daily Telegraph British Homes Awards 2010. 5) In 2010 site managers working for Barratt Group won the highest number of NHBC Pride in the Job Quality Awards for a record sixth consecutive year. 6) Barratt Group is the only housebuilder to guarantee the fixtures and fittings in place at the time of purchase of its new homes for five years. 7) Barratt Group is also one of Britain's foremost sustainable housebuilders. It has now started on site at the Hanham Hall development near Bristol which will be the first Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 community in the UK when it is completed. 8) Images of a selection of developments are available to the media at http://www.barrattdevelopments.co.uk/barratt/en/media/mediakit/lib

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