Is this house unsuitable for children?

[Leftwingharpie]

DH and I are looking to buy our first home. We have no DC yet, but have plans to start a family soon. We've seen a house that we like in a nice area nearby. DH is smitten (large double garage to build cars in and huge lounge to entertain his friends in). I like it but I'm a bit concerned about it's suitability as a family home, reinforced by the agent telling us that the reason for sale is that the owner's wife (sic) won't live there. So I would appreciate advice (hopefully reassurance) from parents of young children.

The house is the first on a private road, just off a B road. There is a steep driveway and then steps up to the front door, so not easy for buggies; older kids would need to cross the road to go out to play anywhere except the garden. Just a thin strip of grass round the back and a small patio area and a bit more grass to one side, not accessible from the front but through the dining room (which I think could be a playroom). Not much room to run around and play - but at what age do children start to benefit from a bigger outdoor space?

The kitchen and dining room are off a hallway, which encompasses stairs up and down - the lounge, stairs and downstairs and upstairs landing are all open plan, so effectively the bedrooms open directly into a space which includes the lounge. Won't our children be constantly out of bed?

The downstairs is huge but the bedrooms are quite small with small windows, which don't let in a lot of light because they face the hillside behind the house. I guess that's perfect for small children, but will the house seem small as they get older if they can't play with their friends in their rooms? What age do parents DC start to want more of their own private living space?

Finally the bathroom is very small, with a tiled floor. There is a bath, but no room to swing a cat. Is it easy to bathe a toddler in a small space, or will I rue the day we bought it every bathtime?

I do like the house but I don't want to buy it and then have DC and find it's completely impractical. So any thoughts would be gladly received.

We have recently moved from a house with a massive bathroom (it was ridiculously large, the previous owners had re-designated a double bedroom as a bathroom and there was acres of unused space) to a house with barely room to swing a premature kitten (it contains a bath, with about 45cm between the bath side and the wall, loo & sink crammed into a corner.

I was finding it difficult but manageable to bathe DS toddler - a little cramped, but bearable. What I hadn't thought about before we moved was potty training. It is really difficult to get along side him in such a cramped space. If I had the choice again I would look for a bit more bathroom space.