When Crest Nicholson began planning its Chertsey regeneration site, it looked to create a neighbourhood with its own unique character, which harmonises perfectly with its surroundings. This led to CUPA PIZARRAS being specified to provide its high quality CUPA 18 tiles for the recently launched Upper Longcross site, which forms part of the government-backed Longcross Garden Village.

The Upper Longcross site consists of more than 20 homes, comprising a mix of two, three, four and five bedroom properties and one and two bedroom apartments. It is the first residential phase of a visionary plan, which will see Crest Nicholson establish a thriving new Garden Village with opportunities to live, work and socialise within one uniquely integrated community – and will eventually offer around 1,500 new homes.

The CUPA 18 tile originates from the Quarry La Campa near Lugo, Spain, which has been in operation since 1972. The tile features slight variations in thickness and flatness, with a smooth matte surface to result in a high quality, natural finish. As this product was to be used on many buildings throughout the Garden Village, it was important to Crest Nicholson that it could demonstrate to Runnymede Borough Council that the development would blend seamlessly into its surroundings. The CUPA 18 tiles achieve this, with experienced installers able to adapt the product to the roof and guarantee a homogenous result.

Kevin Mather of Bracknell Roofing said, “If a client asks for natural slate I recommend CUPA PIZARRAS because I know it will meet their demands. Some competitors cannot offer the same guarantee of supply, but working with my regular contacts at Cupa Pizarras meant we could finish the roofing on the first block of properties to schedule.

CUPA PIZARRAS is able to guarantee supply and delivery based on its stringent labelling approach and traceability of its tiles. During the production process, each pallet is given a bar coded label so each tile can be traced from origin to final destination. Other information such as test results and the number of tiles in each pallet can also be identified with this method, meaning orders can be fulfilled efficiently and the specifier and roofing contractor can feel confident in the product they are offering to customers.

Working with architects Scott Brownrigg and the council’s local planners, Paul Burnett, Senior Site Manager at Crest Nicholson specified the use of CUPA PIZARRAS.

Paul commented, “We were careful to choose materials that seamlessly work with the leafy surroundings of Longcross. Although the buildings are new to the landscape, we wanted them to work with the environment rather than detract from it. Natural slate doesn’t just look the part, its longevity made it the right solution for a regeneration project.”