GUIDE PRICE: £800,000--£850,000.

INTERNAL VIEWINGS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.


Light streams through this sociable four bedroom house with a glorious, south facing garden for a luxury al fresco lifestyle, off street parking and a secret, second garden to inspire ideas (next door have a home office on theirs..stnc). In an exclusive area 10 minutes from the city centre with good schools both primary and senior within a 3-5 minute radius, it is opposite the sports facilities and gym of Withdean Stadium with open views to a nature reserve – and it is ideal for rapid or regular access to Gatwick or London as a leafy pathway takes you to Preston Park Station in about 10 minutes on foot. Built in 1910 and extended and improved in 2016, this inviting family home with a local store, café and pharmacy within a 6 minute walk, has light and spacious rooms to enjoy.

Design-led, an open plan living/dining room and high end kitchen have engineered oak underfoot for an easy in/out flow, and twin sets of glazed French doors open to a tranquil south facing garden with a wraparound sun deck and a big, level lawn for play – all rare features. There is a chic, ground floor cloakroom for guests and a streamlined utility room is close to the front door so beach towels can go straight into the machine. On the first floor, two double bedrooms are beautiful doubles, the dreamy principal with restful views, and the bathroom has a luxury finish. Private at the top, a generous single bedroom is a charming nursery, quiet home office or comfortable dressing room – and with a serene double room next door looking over a sea of green and a chic shower room by it, this level could be used as a magnificent bedroom suite.

Between Gatton, Hove and Preston Parks, each with playgrounds, and with swift access to the sea, water sports and countryside of the National Park there is something for everyone of any age to experience. Well-connected with bus routes to give older children independence it is close to (but out of hearing of) both London Road which takes you into the heart of the city and its beaches or to the A23/A27 and Amex Stadium, as well as to Dyke Road Avenue which will take you to Devil’s Dyke or Brighton Station all in minutes.

Style: Semi-detached house 1910, extended and improved 2016
Type: 4 bedrooms: 3 double, 1 generous single/home office, 2 bathrooms + cloakroom, open plan lounge/dining room/kitchen, utility
Location: Withdean
Area: 1377 sq. ft.
Outside: South garden at the back and private, fenced garden at the front.
Parking: Off street parking for 1 car, free on street
Council Tax Band: F

Why you’ll like it:
Introduction:
Soaring above Withdean Stadium with glorious views which sweep over tennis courts for uninterrupted light and the sound of summer to protected Woodland, this hidden gem is a sun-lit delight. With a discreet entrance from the quiet side road, this streamlined house is the larger of the two architect designed semi-detached homes refurbished and extended in 2016, and it impresses from the smart, off street parking at the front to the south facing landscaped grounds at the back.

Ingeniously private from its prosperous neighbours, as you turn into the parking area the spacious, secret garden is to your right. Larger than some whole gardens this close to the city centre, this gated oasis is an exciting blank canvas, child and pet secure which is laid to lawn. Next door has a timber cabin used as a summerhouse/home office, but all kinds of ideas spark in this sunny enclave, from swimming pool to soundproof music studio/consulting room – but naturally all subject to the necessary consents.

Inside, this dream home has a subtle balance of style, practicality and comfort which begins in a bright hallway where a utility/boot room close to the front door has plenty of space for coats and bags, plumbing for a washer dryer and space for an extra fridge freezer (this is a house which welcomes company!). High quality engineered oak flooring continues past a tropical baroque cloakroom for a fuss free flow into a fabulous, sun-drenched family room which opens to the dynamic landscaping of the rare, south facing garden.

If it’s glamour that you’re after, this L shaped space spans most of the ground floor and is all about celebrating friends and family with plenty of floorspace in which to work rest or play and fantastic views to Withdean Nature Reserve, so guests can relax in unusual seclusion. Perfect for parties but also for every day, French doors in the living zone and at the heart of a majestic bay by the dining area lead out to the sun deck and garden, which are not overlooked, and the streamlined kitchen is discreetly out of sight of the dining table as well as tucked safely away from the in/out movement. High end, it is user friendly with stone working surfaces, sophisticated storage and an AEG touch induction hob, hood, microwave combi and Competence ovens, as well as an integrated fridge freezer and dishwasher.

Outside a lit dining deck is level with the house and has uninterrupted sunshine. Wrapping around the house to the south and east with a seating to the side sheltered by fencing to ensure total privacy, it is ideal for al fresco entertaining, and it steps gently down to a large lawn, level for play, where a mature cherry tree delivers abundant pink blossom and shade during spring and summer, and flames with colour in the autumn.

Returning inside up a sculptural staircase, the first of the double bedrooms is light and airy, of dual aspect with stylish decoration, and an expansive, central shower room has a contemporary dual head shower system and designer finish. At the back, the tranquil principal bedroom is on the prime southeast corner with windows in both walls to frame the magnificent, verdant vista which you can enjoy even from the bed.

Peaceful at the top, a large bedroom to the south embraces the uniquely open vista at the back. A simple but stylish refuge, it is next door to a luxury shower room, whilst a generous single bedroom at the front of the house could be a comfortable home office – or become part of a sumptuous principal or guest suite.

Agent’s Thoughts:
“With a subtle design led interior and fabulous gardens, one of which offers interesting possibilities, this stunning home is in an exclusive location. Within a 5 minute radius of schools, parks, shops and a station to London, this luxury property is also unusually private.”

Owner’s secret:
“Beautifully light, airy and sociable in the summer, during winter our happy home transforms into a warm, private haven. The easy flow of the ground floor to the garden is perfect for entertaining and personal time for us as a couple when everyone else has gone- and we love lying in bed on Sunday mornings where all you can see is the green of the trees and open sky above. If you have children, it is in a good school catchment area, and it’s easy to meet local families either at the school gate or in the local parks. If you are a couple, the Sports complex is very friendly with a gym and tennis courts and the woods have a lovely community of dog walkers and joggers. The area is safe and quiet with considerate neighbours who have become friends, and it is also close to bus routes, so older children or visitors have a degree of independence. Convenient for nights out either locally, in Brighton, Hove or the West End, as Preston Park Station has direct trains to all of them, we shall miss our sunny home and garden, (and easy parking!) but hope that you will love it as much as we have.”

Where it is:
Shops: Local on Eldred Avenue 2 minutes by car, about 6 on foot, Local Sainsbury’s 4 mins drive
Station: Preston Park 4 mins by car, 10-12 along footpath, Brighton or Hove Stations about 15
Seafront or Park: Withdean, Gatton and Preston Park all under 5 minutes, Seafront 15

Closest schools:
Primary: Westdene, St Bernadette’s RC, Windlesham, Bilingual, Lancing Prep
Secondary: Varndean or Dorothy Stringer
Sixth Form: BHASVIC, Varndean, MET, BIM
Private: Brighton College, Brighton & Hove High, Lancing, Roedean

Nicknamed Brighton’s Hollywood Hills, Withdean is an exclusive area of the city between the sea and the South Downs National Park. Although the thriving city centre’s just minutes away, this prestigious area is quiet with plenty of amenities nearby, local schools are good and there’s access to some of the best private schools in the country too, including Brighton College. Withdean Sports Stadium has a range of leisure facilities including a gym, tennis courts and athletic track, and by it, Withdean Woods Nature Reserve has its own community of joggers and dog walkers. Hove & Preston Parks are all a short drive each with playgrounds and cafés full of local parents, and Gatton Park, which is a 10 minute walk, (3 mins by car) is a well-kept neighbourhood secret! For those who need swift access to Gatwick or London, Brighton, Preston Park and Hove Stations are all easy to reach by foot, bus or cab and access to the A23/ A27 is quick.