Fusion Commercial creates good first impressions

Leading property developer specialising in the restoration of period buildings has specified Fusion Commercial stair balustrading from Richard Burbidge to create the 'wow factor'.

A leading property developer specialising in the restoration of period buildings has specified Fusion Commercial stair balustrading from Richard Burbidge to create the 'wow factor' in the communal entrance hall of a stunning new mill-to-residential conversion in Norwich.

PJ Livesey has converted a former 19th century, Grade II listed flour mill on the banks of the River Wensum into a contemporary development of loft style apartments, one of which has already broken sales records in the city after being sold for GBP1million.

In addition to the listed property, the Read Mill development of 180 apartments includes four new-build blocks of one, two and three bedroom accommodation.

Fusion Commercial balustrading has been installed in the shared, double height main entrance stairwell of the mill from the lower ground to the first floor, as part of a high-specification interiors scheme, designed to distinguish the apartments from the numerous developments springing up in the city.

Fusion Commercial combines round Oak rails and newels with metal balusters and connectors in a modern Brushed Nickel finish for a unique, highly contemporary look.

The system is compliant with UK Building Regulations and has been tested for public stairs requiring loadings of 0.74kN/M, making it ideal for shared stairwells in apartments, offices and hotels.

Peter Hewston, Buyer for PJ Livesey, comments: "First impressions count, particularly in a competitive market like Norwich.

We wanted to ensure that the entrance hall and lower floors of the mill set the tone in terms of design and aesthetics for the rest of the development, as these are the first internal areas to be seen by prospective buyers, as well as future residents and their visitors.

"Fusion Commercial was a very impressive product that complemented the modern apartment interiors and provided us with a contemporary alternative to the systems we would have traditionally used in communal stairwells." Peter adds: "A further benefit of Fusion Commercial was its ease of installation.

The system proved quick and simple to fit, and Richard Burbidge actually sent members of their technical team down to the development to provide on-site installation training to our installers." Says Claire Dowdall, Specification Product Group Manager for Richard Burbidge: "Fusion Commercial has been available for just over six months now and we are delighted to see the system being installed in such an interesting and high-value development.

Read Mill is a perfect example of how Fusion Commercial can add value by providing a cost-effective, easy-to-fit and contemporary alternative to bespoke or traditionally-styled balustrading systems for communal areas".

All timber components in the Fusion Commercial range are supplied pre-cut and pre-varnished, eliminating the need for time-consuming finishing, and the Brushed Nickel balusters are also pre-cut and ready to use.

In most cases, there is no need to modify the components other than cutting the rails and newels to length.

The system can be used for a variety of staircase configurations in commercial projects, including straight, split, cut and closed string staircases.

It is suitable for stair pitches of between 33 and 42 degrees, and handrail heights of 900mm for staircases and 1100mm for landings.

A host of technical support services are available to Fusion Commercial customers, including a technical advice helpline, an online planning service available at www.fusion-commercial.com, and a Fastrack CAD CD.

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