Home-buyers are increasingly seeking spacious open-plan kitchens and flexible home-working space says developer Avanton, as buyers look towards the ‘new normal’ once restrictions around COVID-19 ease.

Developer Avanton reveal that since the lockdown began, they are seeing enquiries into their flagship Coda scheme interested in the high-quality designer kitchens and flexibility of space available, with a virtual tour of the show apartment available for prospective buyers and the first residents set to move in at the end of this year.

Research commissioned by Tesco reveals that during lockdown more than a fifth of people are cooking their meals entirely from scratch, enjoying family meals together, and using ‘lockdown larders’ to use up ingredients and reduce food waste. Once lockdown is over, 89% of people surveyed want to continue making meals from scratch, with cooking becoming a more sociable and enjoyable part of people’s days.

At Avanton’s development Coda in Battersea, each home has a large open-plan designer kitchen with Poggenpohl units, integrated Siemens appliances and Corian worktops, as part of a flexible kitchen, dining and living room. Each home has a private balcony or terrace with the majority of apartments opening onto this outdoor space directly from the kitchen, extending the space for people to eat, socialise and relax in.

David Ronson, Sales and Marketing Director at Avanton says: “Due to the lockdown situation and social distancing rules, we are finding that buyers are prioritizing well-designed kitchen space and home-working areas in their future homes. As people are spending more time in their homes, it is influencing their idea of the dream home layout and we expect this to have an effect on the new-build property market once restrictions ease. At our Coda development, we are proud of the thought behind our open-plan designer kitchens, and the flow of each apartment layout lending itself to flexible home-working if needed.”

In addition to a renewed appreciation for the kitchen, buyers are also seeking homes that are adaptable for home-working if needed, as the ‘telecommuting’ trend looks likely to continue after lockdown restrictions are eased.

At Coda, each apartment’s layout lends itself to the inclusion of a home-office or home-working space if a homeowner wanted to create a calm work environment. Later this year, two new show apartments will launch at Coda, with Avanton planning to reveal a stylish home office set-up in one of them to showcase the lifestyle on offer to prospective buyers.

Also boosting the home-working environment, Coda is designed to bring in as much natural light as possible to each home, with natural light recommended to help concentration. In addition, Battersea has above-average broadband with Hyperoptic speeds, allowing smoother home-working conditions without the worry about losing connection.

In light of the Government’s advice on marketing homes during the lockdown, Avanton have launched a virtual tour option at Coda, in partnership with First Viewings. Prospective buyers are able to view a virtual tour of the show apartment on any device, smartphone or laptop, and converse with a Savills or JLL sales agent by phone or video call. Once the Coda show apartment and marketing suite re-open, potential buyers will be invited down to view the development.

Prices at Coda for a one-bedroom apartment start from £575,000, for a two-bedroom apartment from £750,000, and for a three-bedroom apartment from £1,375,000. Help to Buy is Available. For further information please contact the Coda joint sole agents Savills or JLL at on Tel: 0207 924 6077 or visit www.codalondon.com