Butchers Cottage, Southdowns Park, Haywards Heath, RH16 4NH

REF MG1259. Guide Price £325,000 – £350,000

There’s something rather lovely about a home that feels different from the moment you arrive.

Butcher’s Cottage is a detached two bedroom mews house tucked away within Southdowns Park, and it’s a property that really does have a character of its own. Built in 2007, it also has the benefit of modern construction, double glazing and improved insulation; a useful point when you’re surrounded by homes converted from the original Grade II listed buildings within the development.

But for me, it’s the space that really makes this house.

The ground floor is centred around a 31ft triple-aspect sitting room. It’s a brilliant room; large enough to create different areas without it ever feeling lost. Our clients have used part of it as a dedicated home working space, while still having plenty of room for a sofa and a separate reading corner. With windows on three sides, there’s also a lovely amount of natural light.

From here, the space flows through into the kitchen/dining room. It’s very easy to imagine this as the heart of the house, with plenty of worktop and storage space, an integrated oven and hob, fridge freezer and dishwasher, together with space for a washing machine.

The vaulted ceiling and skylights are a nice touch too, bringing extra light into the room and giving the kitchen and dining area a real feeling of height. There’s also a downstairs cloakroom and useful understairs storage.

Upstairs, both bedrooms are proper doubles and both have built-in wardrobes. They also benefit from shutters which can be opened to bring even more light into the rooms. The main bedroom has the added benefit of a vaulted ceiling and a south westerly aspect. The bathroom has both a bath and a separate shower, so you don’t have to choose between the two.

Outside, there’s an allocated parking space immediately next to the house, while being detached gives you a little more privacy and an open feel than many of the neighbouring properties. The communal gardens around Southdowns Park are beautifully maintained, and there’s plenty of visitor parking too.

Life at Southdowns Park

One of the big attractions of Butcher’s Cottage is that you’re not simply buying a house, you’re buying into Southdowns Park.

Set within the former St Francis Hospital, this impressive Victorian building and its surrounding grounds were redeveloped in the late 1990s to create a mix of apartments, town houses and mews houses, all set within beautifully maintained communal gardens. And there’s plenty to enjoy.

The grounds have a lovely park like feel, with lawns, seating areas and far reaching views towards the South Downs. There’s even a bookable barbecue area, making it a great place to sit outside with friends on a summer evening or simply take your coffee out and enjoy the surroundings.

For residents, there’s also an excellent range of facilities. A gym is available exclusively to residents, while the St Francis Social Club provides a bar, restaurant and sports facilities. There are tennis courts and a bowling green, while the indoor swimming pool is independently run and available to residents on a pay as you go basis.

There’s a concierge service and excellent security too, adding an extra level of convenience and peace of mind.

The practical side is well covered as well. The annual service charge includes water rates, building insurance, upkeep of the communal gardens, gym membership and contributions to the sinking fund. There’s allocated parking close to the house, together with visitor parking. And while Southdowns Park feels wonderfully tucked away, Haywards Heath is still within easy reach. The town centre is just over a mile away, with a good selection of shops, supermarkets, independent cafés, restaurants and pubs.

Haywards Heath station is around two miles away, providing regular mainline services to London, with journey times to London Bridge and Victoria of around 47 minutes, as well as direct services towards Brighton and Gatwick Airport. So although Butcher’s Cottage itself feels private and peaceful, you’re never far from the things that make everyday life convenient. It’s the combination that makes Southdowns Park particularly appealing — a characterful setting, an impressive range of facilities and plenty of open space, all within easy reach of Haywards Heath and its mainline station.The Specifics -

Tenure: Leasehold
Lease: 96 years remainingGround Rent: £150 p.a. 
Managing Agents: Pembroke 
Service Charge: £200 PM. Includes upkeep of communal grounds, concierge services, CCTV security & use of gymnasium, contribution to sinking fund, both water rates, external building maintenance, lighting to communal areas.
Council Tax Band: E