18 East Lodge Road, Ashford, TN23 3DG

East Lodge Road sits close to the edge of Godinton Park, an area that has earned a reputation for being somewhere families come to settle - and, importantly, somewhere they often choose to stay.

Developed in the former grounds of Godinton House, you can still see reminders of the area's history in features such as the Tollgate Cottages, which once marked the entrance to the main house.

The development itself dates from the 1980s, and it reflects an approach to planning that feels increasingly rare.

Rather than simply asking how many houses could fit onto the land, thought was given to how people would actually live here, and their daily needs.

There are shops, a hairdresser, Co-op, corner shop, Chinese takeaway and dentist, all within the development, alongside a well-regarded primary school complete with its own lollipop lady, who does a fine job of helping children safely across the road each morning.

It may technically be a housing development, but spend a little time here and Godinton Park begins to feel much more like a village.

Green spaces are woven throughout the area, softening the streets and providing places for nature to flourish.

Squirrels are regular visitors during the day, foxes appear in the evening, and beyond the development the countryside stretches away in almost every direction.

There are walks for runners, dog walkers and anyone who simply appreciates the difference that a little time outdoors can make. It is opposite one of these green spaces that you'll find number 18.

This is a good-sized family home is in need of updating as well as a new kitchen and bathroom- but it represents a fantastic opportunity.

For buyers with vision, this is chance to create something that works entirely around their own tastes and the way they want to live - in a location that ticks all the boxes for a long term home.

The ground floor begins with an entrance porch leading into a generous lounge diner.

There is plenty of room for everyone to gather around the table for family meals and celebrations, while the lounge area is large enough to accommodate a full-sized three-piece suite without compromising the sense of space.

The kitchen itself is ready for its next chapter, but it is naturally light and benefits from a double-glazed door leading directly into the garden.

Replace it with the kitchen you've always wanted and this space could become something truly special. Then there's the garage.

It currently provides useful storage and benefits from both power and lighting, but there is no internal access from the house.

If required - and subject to the necessary permissions - the space could potentially be incorporated into the accommodation creating a playroom, home office, or even a ground-floor bedroom.

Upstairs, the split landing separates the bedrooms and bathroom neatly, with bedroom two and the family bathroom to one side and bedrooms one and three to the other.

There is flexibility here too, with three bedrooms providing the space a growing family needs without the house becoming unnecessarily large.

Outside, the rear garden is perfect for those who want somewhere beautiful and secluded to enjoy rather than another weekend job.

It's large enough for a patio, planting and somewhere to sit in the sunshine, but manageable enough that you won't spend every Saturday cutting grass. To the front, there is parking for one vehicle.

The homes that become part of our lives for the longest are rarely the ones we buy simply as a stepping stone. They're the ones we can see ourselves staying. Five years becomes ten. Children grow up.

Kitchens get replaced. Bathrooms are modernised. Walls are repainted. Gardens evolve. And the house becomes yours. That feels particularly appropriate here.

Godinton is an area where people have been doing exactly that since the 1980s. They arrived, settled in and stayed because the combination of community, countryside and convenience simply worked.

From here, you can walk to the shops in around four minutes when you've run out of milk, reach Ashford town centre and the railway station within minutes, and still have countryside and open space waiting beyond your front door.

Number 18 needs someone with a little imagination and a willingness to put some work in.

In return, it offers the chance to take a home with good proportions, a lovely position and great bones, and give it a new chapter of its own.

Disclaimer Identification checks If an offer is accepted on a property represented by Simpson & Hall, all purchasers are required to complete id verification checks.

This is a legal obligation under Anti-Money Laundering Regulations. We use a specialist third-party company named Lifetime Legal to carry out these checks.

The fee is £48 (inc VAT) per purchase (not per person) this is payable once the offer is agreed and before the sales memorandum is issued. Please note that this charge is non-refundable.

The cost of Lifetime Legal's service is £48. We as a company receive no money from these checks.