Eldridge Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1

Apartment 51 is a striking and unique apartment positioned atop The Cooperage, a contemporary apartment block that replaced the former building in the Eldridge & Pope brewery, where the wooden barrels were made. It was designed by Piers Gough CBE RA of the architects CZWG Ltd, best known for its work in the post-modern style. The block is built of attractive sand lime brick and has five accommodation floors featuring wide, projecting balconies of gently curved glass. Apartment 51 is positioned on top of the building as the sole penthouse apartment forming the building's sixth floor. It has an unparalleled feeling of space and privacy with 180° views out over the rooftops of the town to unspoilt, surrounding countryside. Overall, the apartment provides over 2,100 ft² of beautifully designed accommodation and an expansive 1,110 ft² terrace. The apartment itself is circular in shape with the one large living room incorporating the kitchen occupying a full, west-facing semi-circle. This arrangement allows the full impact of the view to be seen without dazzle for much of the day. The apartment exudes a wonderful feeling of light and space throughout through a combination of tall ceilings and rooms featuring either near full height or floor to ceiling double glazed windows, pale, engineered oak flooring and internal doors veneered with light oak. The living room measures 46 feet at its widest point with the kitchen area in one corner and ample space for separate seating and dining areas. Its curved outer wall has no less than six glazed doors opening onto the terrace. This allows the room to be open to the outside in fine weather as well as providing easy access from the kitchen to the terrace when dining or entertaining in the open air. The kitchen area is fitted with white melamine units including a large island, quartz work surfaces and has a very full range of built-in electric appliances. These include side by side, full height Leibherr fridge and freezer along with an induction hob, warming drawer, coffee machine and wine cabinet by Gaggenau.

The other half of the circle contains a centrally positioned hallway and the bedrooms. The principal and guest bedroom suites are both accessed directly off the hall, whereas the third bedroom is reached via a side hall that also connects with staircase, shower room and laundry room. The principal bedroom has a fantastic, curved, south-facing view, an ensuite wet room fitted with a bath and separate shower and a walk-in wardrobe incorporating a large airing cupboard and built-in wardrobes. The guest bedroom has an equally enthralling view, built-in wardrobes and ensuite wet room with a bath and shower. The third bedroom currently serves as a home office and is fitted with bookshelves and a built-in cupboard.

The apartment has a decked terrace shaped like a comma, with its bulbous top serving as a combined seating and dining area and the “tail” curving round to a point forming a long seating area. At ground level the apartment block's main entrance opens into the building's communal hall via a secure entry and exit door. From the hall a staircase and two lifts provide access to the various floors within the building. The lift access to Apartment 51 is only via the right hand lift, using a personalised entry code and opening directly into the apartment's hallway. Beneath The Cooperage is a secure, communal parking garage, with vehicular access via a ramp. It can also be accessed on foot from within the building, either by the staircase or one of the two lifts. Apartment 51 therefore has direct access from the apartment to the garage. Within the garage are two adjacent, dedicated parking spaces with adjacent power sockets. Beside each space is a store room fitted with shelving to optimise the available storage space. One has also been transformed into a small workshop.

The Cooperage is part of the redevelopment of the former Eldridge & Pope brewery located in the centre of Dorchester. The site has been transformed into Brewery Square, a mixed-use development that includes shops, restaurants, a cinema, and a mix of prestigious, high quality homes. The development is located between the town's open air market and Dorchester South railway station, close to the centre of the town. Consequently, a wide variety of retail and leisure venues are immediately to hand within the development, with further shops and businesses just a short, level walk away on Cornhill, the town's main, pedestrianised shopping street. The choice of shops includes a large Waitrose supermarket just 600 yards away (or a five minute drive) in the town centre plus a Tesco superstore a mile away on Weymouth Avenue on the outskirts of the town. The apartment is also close to a selection of good transport links. Dorchester has two train stations. Dorchester South, the closest, is on the South West main line stretching between London Waterloo and Weymouth. The other, Dorchester West, is on the Heart of Wessex line running between Bristol/Castle Cary and Weymouth. In addition, The A35 and A37, both of which are main arterial roads, are accessible just outside the town. The area also offers a wide choice of popular schools for children of all ages. This includes the well-regarded Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester for state secondary education plus Sunninghill Preparatory School, Milton Abbey, Bryanston, Leweston, the Sherborne schools and Hanford from the independent sector, all of which are within a 17 mile radius.