Page 5 | Views on this house

PhilandKirst · 2025-12-28T16:06:58+00:00

[[https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/164944097 https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/164944097]] DD is keen on this house. She’s asked me for my views- I wondered if anyone knew the area or had any thoughts. House doesn’t have much character at present but I think it could be given a lot more.

Glittergargoyle · 31/12/2025 10:46

The downstairs layout needs switching around. The reception should be the kitchen/diner and kitchen as the living room.

Re parking, a block of 16 2 bed flats has just been built in the centre of my village with no parking. I think it was assumed it would be full of young professional commuters but instead it is mostly families.

A housing development of nearly 500 properties has passed planning. With a total of 350ish parking spaces/drives. We live in an area with an excellent train service and a supermarket in the village centre. But it is an affluent area where a car per person is de rigeur and the type of place that if a mnetter mentions moving here will be told they'll need a car (i'm in the minority with one car family and i don't drive at all - a car isn't necessary).

BrownTroutBluesAgain · 31/12/2025 10:55

GreywackeJ · 31/12/2025 10:37

Seems perfectly nice and could be lovely with an injection of style.

I’d be interested in the fire strategy as the ground floor stairs discharge into the sitting room. This would normally require some form of mitigation via fire engineering.

The sitting room is fine. You can’t discharge into a kitchen although Tbf that kitchen door is dangerously close to the stairs

LoveSandbanks · 31/12/2025 11:20

The living room will be impossible to
keep warm in the winter. It opens directly to
outside and any heat in there will go straight upstairs. There’s also no way of keeping any noise in there.

it might suit your daughter but she needs to also think about resale.

Somersetmum100 · 31/12/2025 11:23

I think that if it does what you need it to do eg suits you family, numbers and ages then it will work.

It's a copy and paste home but so many are nowadays.

fashionqueen0123 · 31/12/2025 14:30

BrownTroutBluesAgain · 31/12/2025 10:15

They will check walking distances and whether there are actual pavements
Whilst I agree most people drive to shop that won’t discount the ability to walk.
If a local area needs housing and has public transport some councils put in residents parking only etc to stop those in new developments parking

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There is barely any residents parking where I am. Firstly because a lot of developers have built roads so badly that some estates still don’t have the roads adopted by the council 10 years down the line because they’re not up to their standards.

There are a few roads like that but they’re near train stations and usually they just put double yellows down except for a couple of exceptions. One a developer actually put lines down after residents complaining they couldn’t get past parked cars (because the road was made so tiny) but then it meant whenever they have guests over there is no where to park!

The developers will also write (lies or stretched truths) about public transport and train routes and buses etc but anyone who actually lives here knows that people who live here use their cars for nearly everything because it’s just not practical. My area has one of the most highest levels of car ownership in the country.

I wish they would just build the houses with appropriate parking. Giving someone space to put a bike next to their house , does absolutely nothing for someone with 3 kids who is taking them to a party/the shop/the town centre.

fashionqueen0123 · 31/12/2025 14:32

Glittergargoyle · 31/12/2025 10:46

The downstairs layout needs switching around. The reception should be the kitchen/diner and kitchen as the living room.

Re parking, a block of 16 2 bed flats has just been built in the centre of my village with no parking. I think it was assumed it would be full of young professional commuters but instead it is mostly families.

A housing development of nearly 500 properties has passed planning. With a total of 350ish parking spaces/drives. We live in an area with an excellent train service and a supermarket in the village centre. But it is an affluent area where a car per person is de rigeur and the type of place that if a mnetter mentions moving here will be told they'll need a car (i'm in the minority with one car family and i don't drive at all - a car isn't necessary).

How did they get away with zero parking for the flats?! Maybe they did what they did in my local town- gave them spaces in the new town car park - which now means less spaces for workers.
So 500 houses is likely to be what 500-1000 cars?! And parking for 350!

Theresabatinmykitchen · 31/12/2025 15:04

I wish they would just build the houses with appropriate parking. Giving someone space to put a bike next to their house , does absolutely nothing for someone with 3 kids who is taking them to a party/the shop/the town centre.

That is exactly what they did during the 60/70/80’s even from the 1930’s the car was a consideration with houses being built with driveways and garages. Now it is like we are going back to Victorian times, deep density of housing with small gardens or yards, limited parking, narrow streets, except in Victorian times people didn’t own cars, and shops, markets and work were more local, plus the population in that era was around 25 million rising to around 41 million at the end due to the Industrial Revolution. Now we are at almost 70 million and growing fast, how stressful is it going to be living on these proposed new estates.

Glittergargoyle · 31/12/2025 15:55

fashionqueen0123 · 31/12/2025 14:32

How did they get away with zero parking for the flats?! Maybe they did what they did in my local town- gave them spaces in the new town car park - which now means less spaces for workers.
So 500 houses is likely to be what 500-1000 cars?! And parking for 350!

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I know it is ridculous. There are now delays with the final planning (our MP has said ultimately it will go ahead but probably reduced number of properties) but the number of cars is a major issues as 350 cars is unrealstic and a real bug bear of the objections.

People are seriously lazy here, driving to collect one piece of dry cleaning/parcel/couple of items at the supermarket rather than walking, the very concept of any of the properties bejng carless is hysterical. A neighbour seemed flabergasted that DP walks to the supermarket which is 8 mins away when he has a car (they know I have no choice but to walk - i have a medical condition so cannot drive which is why we moved here as I have practically everything i need within a 10 min walk).

You may be correct re the flats, it was built on a car park so there is a possibility there are spaces but given that residents are parking in front of the flats (which is supposed to be the entrance of the car park & causes an obstruction for local residents) it must be only 1 space per flat. However, the flats were never advertised as having parking when they went up for sale.

Sunandfrost · 31/12/2025 16:10

Would absolutely NEVER buy house from someone who moves radiator like that. It's not AI

fashionqueen0123 · 31/12/2025 16:28

Theresabatinmykitchen · 31/12/2025 15:04

I wish they would just build the houses with appropriate parking. Giving someone space to put a bike next to their house , does absolutely nothing for someone with 3 kids who is taking them to a party/the shop/the town centre.

That is exactly what they did during the 60/70/80’s even from the 1930’s the car was a consideration with houses being built with driveways and garages. Now it is like we are going back to Victorian times, deep density of housing with small gardens or yards, limited parking, narrow streets, except in Victorian times people didn’t own cars, and shops, markets and work were more local, plus the population in that era was around 25 million rising to around 41 million at the end due to the Industrial Revolution. Now we are at almost 70 million and growing fast, how stressful is it going to be living on these proposed new estates.

Yup completely backwards. My 80s house has a decent driveway and garage with front garden and wide road with loads of parking. My family member who lives in a 2000s estate has parking all over the pavements and barely any garages and the front gardens are literally about 2 foot. Yet there are more cars now..

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 31/12/2025 16:31

Thoughts on the house in the OP - very top heavy and I would want the stairs separate from the main living area (noise and heating, as well as aesthetics).

BrownTroutBluesAgain · 31/12/2025 17:13

Theresabatinmykitchen · 31/12/2025 15:04

I wish they would just build the houses with appropriate parking. Giving someone space to put a bike next to their house , does absolutely nothing for someone with 3 kids who is taking them to a party/the shop/the town centre.

That is exactly what they did during the 60/70/80’s even from the 1930’s the car was a consideration with houses being built with driveways and garages. Now it is like we are going back to Victorian times, deep density of housing with small gardens or yards, limited parking, narrow streets, except in Victorian times people didn’t own cars, and shops, markets and work were more local, plus the population in that era was around 25 million rising to around 41 million at the end due to the Industrial Revolution. Now we are at almost 70 million and growing fast, how stressful is it going to be living on these proposed new estates.

Multi storeys have been built in a town nearby us to accommodate flats and some houses
Perhaps thats the way to go to reduce the stress on land but provide parking

HK16 · 31/12/2025 17:20

The back garden is horribly overlooked. I’d reject it for that reason alone.

LibertyLily · 31/12/2025 18:05

AMurderofMurderingCrows · 30/12/2025 19:06

A toilet in the utility room?? (Pic attached)

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What about it? There are lots of lootility rooms about 😉 Maybe the location of the toilet isn't the best, but better than not having one at all downstairs, imo.

KickAssAngel · 31/12/2025 18:15

Does she know the area? It's very close to the station which has excellent rail services. That is prime commuter area with great trains and buses in several directions. There's also great schools in the area and Tonbridge has a lot of local facilities, including huge amounts of parks around the town. If the house would suit their life then it's worth considering.

KeepPumping · 05/01/2026 20:54

BotterMon · 28/12/2025 16:50

It's a really nice area with excellent links and close to shops. Those houses have a good rep vs. other new builds on the other side of Tonbridge being built on a flood plain.
It's a good price for the area too. Rare to find a house under 700+k

I'm not a fan of new builds preferring houses over 100 years old but it's a blank canvas and no chain so could make it really nice. Garden also good size for a new build.

This one has already reduced asking price by around 55k, they are being advised badly on price setting, it needs more price cuts to sell.