Broadstairs plumber and heating engineer’s novel way of getting to work at Ramsgate’s Royal Sands development

The morning commute for Alex Mead

Broadstairs resident Alex Mead has found a novel way of getting to work in Ramsgate – travelling by paddleboard!

The 21-year-old is a plumbing and heating engineer working on the Royal Sands seafront development at Ramsgate, headed up by Blueberry Homes.

Just before the pandemic, Alex had been living in the Bondi beach area in Sydney, Australia, and decided to come home and swap one beach life for another.

He said lockdown and restrictions has made him appreciate what we have on our doorstep.

He said: “It’s great to be working on such an exciting regeneration of Ramsgate’s beachfront with the £50 million Royal Sands luxury development project, as I live in Broadstairs and understand what a wonderful coastline we have between these two Thanet seaside towns.

“You start to appreciate what you have right on your doorstep. I could quite easily get a car to the site but decided a month or so ago to commute by paddleboard from Broadstairs to Ramsgate beach, which is just a few yards away from the development.

“I get to take in the beautiful coastline and even have a dip before I start my day. The views are stunning and the commute keeps me fit. There’s no better place to work at the moment as it just makes you want to be out there on your paddleboard or swimming about.

“Hopefully, it’s a trend, and it’s certainly good for mind, body and soul.”

Alex works with a team of 150 tradesmen working on the seafront development.

Royal Sands development

Blueberry Homes is creating 106 luxury 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments, each with underground parking, a 60-bed hotel and gym and leisure and retail units. There are also plans for an upmarket spa franchise at the site.

The first phase of the build, at the Ramsgate Tunnels end of the site, consists of the 26 apartments with the planned hotel at the Wetherspoon end of the plot being in the last phase.

Retail units, taking up some 16,000 square foot, will be built alongside each phase with larger units at the hotel end of the site.

Royal Sands development

Blueberry Homes started work on the long-awaited Royal Sands in June 2020 and has an estimated three-year completion time.

Blueberry Homes has sold every apartment off-plan in the first phase and is now releasing phase two.

Royal Sands E-Brochure

A spokesman for the development said: “This is a great place to work, and it’s good to see that not only our future tenants are going to see and enjoy the benefits every day, but our staff appreciate the stunning backdrop as well.”

To see more about the views from Royal Sands Ramsgate, check out their website: www.royalsandsramsgate.com.

2 Comments

  1. Lovely view of the beach from the clifftop. Not. Always thought it a shame the view would be taken. I’m sure an inventive architect could have made something wonderful there and access to the new edge could have been facilitated somehow. Too late now though. Forever!

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