Move over Kirsty, it’s Anne-Marie delivering that island dream

Living on an island is the dream of many.

The trouble with the Desert Island sort of dream is that Kirsty Young never turns up with your eight records and you have to spend time cutting branches to make a shelter, provided there are some trees.

n-lane_0326

So maybe a better answer is to talk to Anne-Marie Green at Fine and Country estate agents in Emsworth. Like Kirsty, she’s a Scot. Unlike Kirsty, she’ll find you a place where you can have all your CDs to hand or, more likely these days, somewhere to charge up the MP3 player or iPhone holding your complete collection.

If you fancy some of the back to nature bit, just down the road from the hideaway she has in mind there’s a farm where you can watch the cows being milked and then buy some ice cream. If you need the authentic grit in your teeth to go with it, you’ll have private access to the beach.

And the good news is that you don’t have to plan a shipwreck to enjoy all this. Just head for Hayling Island, where Anne-Marie will open the front door of a property in Spinnaker Grange and let you see how much better a modern home can be than a hot cave or tree shelter with no opening windows to let the air in.

n-lane_0022

There is ample space both in inside and out for modern family living. The large living room has double doors connecting through to the dining room for formal entertaining, whilst the family kitchen / breakfast room is well equipped and designed for more everyday use. There is also a study, shower room and utility room, with access into the garage, on the ground floor. Upstairs provides four generous sized bedrooms, with an en-suite shower room to the master, and a family bathroom.

Spinnaker Grange is a small development of executive houses on the edge of Northney Marina at the north of Hayling Island, giving all the benefits of living in this peaceful, rural spot, but close enough to the mainland to avoid the summer traffic to the beaches further south.

n-lane_0062

“Surrounded by fields of cows and farmland on one side and the sea on the other, this really does feel quite rural and yet ‘civilisation’ lies within a few miles,” says Anne-Marie.  “From the master bedroom, you can enjoy views towards the water which makes it a bit special.”

It’s a perfect home for families of all ages, with the watersports at the marina, nearby Northney Farm and its milking cows, and the beaches further down the island. But, without waiting for a passing ship to see your smoke signals, you can also be in Portsmouth in 25 minutes, and it’s only five minutes to the motorway. Chichester is about 20 minutes away, with its theatre, quirky shops, and restaurants, and for local shopping Emsworth is close and there’s a train to London from Havant.

Guide price is £699,500 (EPC Band D). For more information, contact Fine and Country Emsworth on 01243 487969 or email emsworth@fineandcountry.com

 <