Five unique commutable properties to London for sale

Simon Stone

Cancel the commute with these homes reachable from the capital for sale, from a modernist gem to an eco home on a river, farmhouses and live/work opportunities…

As you more companies are saying its ‘back to the office’ for 3-4 days a week, this is a golden opportunity to start a new life away from the city, whilst still enjoying a comfortable commute.

These five properties are on the market right now, all in commutable distance to London and provide a different lifestyle opportunities…

A Modernist Approach

The Third Sun House, one of the best-preserved modernist homes in the UK, is part of a revolutionary quartet of Grade II listed Sun Houses designed by celebrated modernist architect Amyas Connell in 1934.

Amyas Connell, the architect responsible for the infamous ‘High & Over’, was commissioned to design a smaller scale, but by no means less noteworthy, set of houses on the High & Over estate.

Revolutionary for their time, the Sun Houses followed the architectural principles of international modernism inspired by Le Corbusier.

The Third Sun House is the only surviving example that has not been altered or extended and remains largely untouched from its original form.

For Sale: Highover Park, Amersham: £1,250,000 – click here for the image gallery, floor plans and description

Hollywood Hills Style Contemporary Home

A 5300 Sq ft Modern Minimal Hill Side Home, this is a contemporary 4/5 bedroom home of the utmost comfort, designed to please the senses. Perfectly positioned in the most desirable residential area of the City on the hilly green slopes above Brighton with far reaching vistas to the sea in one direction and across the town to the rolling South Downs in the other direction.

The house has been designed by RIBA award winning architects John Purdey Architects to give its owner an easy flowing and stylish living environment, elevated by the incredibly high technical spec that the current owner has put in place.

The house follows the form and aesthetic of the famed and highly regarded Case Study Homes which were built around Los Angeles in the 1950s and 60s. The bold outline of the house is created from a series of stacked forms which offer refined living, sleeping and entertaining areas.

Eco-Home on the River

This is one of the most pioneering ‘whole house’ retrofits in the country, from a former boat repair workshop to one of the highest residential EPC ratings in the country. Idyllic, peaceful and modest, are three words that encapsulate No.23.

Formerly a 1960’s boat repair workshop, it has been transformed into a comprehensively sustainable property, unseen in Lincolnshire and a rarity in the UK.

Designed by an eminent sustainability specialist, No.23 has achieved one of the highest EPC ratings in the UK, setting unprecedented eco-benchmarks that have been achieved through a two-stage, 10 year retrofit.

An award winning home, shortlisted for this year’s British Construction Industry Awards (outcome awaited) and to be the subject of a peer reviewed paper at the International Sustainable Energy Conference in Graz, Austria.

As part of the retrofit, there is installed, on-going sensors monitoring Indoor Air Quality and building performance. Any incoming buyer would be a part of history in the making and ultimately become a future barometer for retrofitting older properties throughout the UK & Europe.

For Sale: Reservoir Road, Spalding – £550,000 – click here for the image gallery, floor plans and description

Historic Farmhouse and Cottage

A beautiful historic farmhouse with a self-contained cottage in a rural location with easy access to London, local schools and transport.

Set in its own rural paradise of around 9 acres and situated within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty sits this beautifully restored farmhouse dating from the 14th century with later 18th century additions to the façade. Spacious and high-ceilinged rooms with impressive original features belie the contemporary lifestyle which this wonderful home exudes. Easy access to stations, shopping, schools and local amenities all contribute to making this a home for the needs of today’s families with the aesthetic of a centuries old building.

Brasses Farm is an example of a Wealden farmhouse with the attractive assets of a house of that type still in place: inglenook fireplaces, wide solid wood floorboards, structural beams and timers.

From a gravel circular drive, steps lead to a solid wood front door which leads to a generous hallway with guest bathroom to one side and access to the cellar. The ground floor is filled with light and is made up of a series of impressive reception rooms. A wonderful Dining Room with huge inglenook fireplace to one end. This leads into an elegant and very pretty Sitting Room also with a feature fireplace. Both of these rooms have views across the garden. A landing gives to the country Kitchen to one side with a range style oven, impressive runs of cupboards and storage and a stable style door opening to the garden. To the other side of the landing is a family room or snug.

For Sale: Ewhurst Green, Robertsbridge, East Sussex – £1,599,000 – click here for the image gallery, floor plans and description

Grade 2 Listed Georgian Mill

This converted Georgian flour mill, a Grade II listed building and local landmark, sits alongside its historic mill pond, in a quiet Kent hamlet surrounded by open fields. Over time, Tonge Mill has been imaginatively remodelled to create a three-storey home, with a large attached workshop, an artist’s studio and a separate, highly rentable cottage.

Tonge Mill really is quite remarkable. Initial impressions suggest it’s anything other than a family home but exploring beyond the exquisite industrial Georgian architecture yields an abundance of options to live, work and play with private workspaces, living accommodation, artists’ studios and a self-contained rental investment.

The factory fervour doesn’t stop at the front door, and you’ll discover industrial characteristics, warehouse detailing and sympathetic restoration work across the entire 6,200 sq. ft.
The building is split into four distinct sections, each with its own private entrance, offering an extraordinary level of flexibility and uses.

For Sale: Church Road, Tonge – £1,350,000 – click here for the image gallery, floor plans and description

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About the Author

Simon Stone

Simon Stone has been an estate agent for nearly 30 years. He began his career in South East London, then spent 18 years at the heart of the emerging Shoreditch market, selling countless lofts and warehouse apartments and building a substantial client base. He co-founded the successful estate agency Davey Stone, with branches in Shoreditch, Brick Lane and Broadway Market, which was acquired in March 2016. His continued passion for distinctive property and interiors now rests firmly with Unique Property Company. Outside of work, you’ll find him trawling travel websites and blogs, or exploring The South Bank with his wife and three children — a journey that always ends at Borough Market.