This cleverly designed Span house lies on the award-winning Westfield Estate in Ashtead, which is one of the best-preserved of all of the Span estates. The three-bedroom house was designed by the architect Eric Lyons and built by the renowned modernist development company Span in the late 1960s. It is a Type K2C house, which has a separate study that can also be used as a fourth bedroom. Original features have been carefully retained, with sensitive updates added. The house has a private, south-facing rear garden, as well as the use of five and a half acres of beautifully maintained gardens and a tennis court on the estate.

The Architect 

Span is perhaps the most celebrated of all 20th-century residential developers, and many of its buildings throughout the south of England are now listed. Founded by architect-turned-developer Geoff Townsend and Eric Lyons (thoroughly schooled in the modern movement, having worked for Bauhaus designer Walter Gropius from 1936-37), their designs sought to bring the tenets of modernism – light, openness, a sense of order – to suburban areas on a domestic scale. The company built 30 housing estates between 1948 and 1984. For more information on Span, see the History section below.

The Tour 

This house sits in a peaceful corner of the Westfield Estate, set back from the beautiful communal green. It has far-reaching views out the front fenestration over the undulating green, through handsome red-leaf maple trees. A path winds to the private front door, which opens to a generous hallway where sliding cabinetry conceals a washer-dryer and ample storage. There is double glazing throughout, other than the rear ground floor windows.

The ground floor is set on a circular plan; the main living spaces are linked by either their original teak doors, or sliding pocket doors cleverly repurposed from the original wood. The living room is characterised by a fully glazed rear wall, which frames beautiful views of the garden and creates a seamless sense of flow between indoors and out, in typically Span style. Original Malaysian teak flooring with a beautiful patina extends underfoot; a white-painted brick wall adds to the textured palette. A sense of light, bright living reigns.

Accessed through a large sliding door is the kitchen and dining room. The dining area is positioned in front of a wall of glazing with original handles, which ensures the space is beautifully bright and adds to the feeling of connection to the outdoors. One of the brick walls has been painted a vibrant shade of red, coincidentally the same shade that was used when the house was first built, adding a dash of colour to the plan. A large glazed door opens directly to the garden.

Behind, an original open teak divider with built-in cabinetry divides the dining space from the kitchen. This has been sensitively updated for contemporary use, while remaining in harmony with the home’s mid-century origins. U-shaped worktops in clay Corian extend around the room, echoing the distinctive antelope shade windows, with white cabinetry above and below creating storage; built-in appliances include an oven, hob and fridge-freezer. A double-glazed window over the sink looks out to the expansive communal lawns in front.

Stairs ascend to the first floor, where three bedrooms and a family bathroom can be found; there is also loft storage on this level. The main bedroom is a generous space, with a pervasive sense of volume care of the high, vaulted ceiling. Windows on both aspects allow plenty of light in; clerestory glazing at the rear looks towards the private garden, while larger windows frame views of a red maple tree and the communal lawns. The other two bedrooms are both good-sized spaces, one of which has a ’60s built-in storage unit.

The bathroom makes use of a striking red, white and black colour palette. Original black tiles on the rear wall and white tiles around the bath are complemented by a red rubber floor.

There is also a separate garage, as well as space for off-street parking on the estate.

Outdoor Space

The south-west-facing garden is a wonderfully secluded retreat. There is a paved section at the front, with a large lawned area behind surrounded by planted borders, grapevines and mature trees including olive trees and a beautiful flowering magnolia tree. A summer house at the rear provides storage space.

Lyons paid great attention to the surrounding landscape, designing and building houses around existing splendid mature trees and creating communal areas that encourage residents to mix. Westfield sits on five and a half acres of beautifully maintained communal grounds, which are home to a tennis court for residents’ use.

The Area

Westfield is a quiet enclave located in a quiet position away from any main roads in the popular Surrey village of Ashtead. Ashtead High Street has a bustling high street with a large M&S Foodhall, several restaurants and a number of independent retailers. There is a large green area in the village known as Ashtead Common, and further afield are the Epsom Downs, Box Hill, the North Downs and the Surrey Hills AONB for other outdoor activities.

The area has a good reputation for schools and the village provides a good range of shops and restaurants. For a wider selection, there are the nearby towns of Epsom, Leatherhead and Kingston-Upon-Thames. The nearest beach is an hour’s drive away.

Ashtead is located inside the M25 and has very good access to London and to the Surrey countryside by road and by rail. Trains run from Ashtead station directly to London Waterloo, London Victoria and London Bridge, making it an excellent location for commuting. There is also easy access to Heathrow and Gatwick airports via the M25.

Service Charge: approx. £1,920 per annum
Council Tax Band: E

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.