Technology had already made it possible to carry on a high-powered city job without spending all week in the City – but the pandemic has turned possibility into normality, and sparked an exodus of professionals leaving London behind in search of literally greener pastures.

A new report by professional services network PWC¹ confirms that over a third (34%) of those aged 45 to 65 who live in London are looking to move away from the city, and 30% of those who previously wanted to move to a city centre are now looking to buy in the suburbs, towns or villages instead. However, they are not looking for total isolation – the fact that in the long term most expect to still spend two or three days a week commuting to the office means that what are proving most desirable are areas that have good, reliable transport links.

A perfect example is the little Surrey village of Send, where Martin Grant Homes has a luxurious four-bedroom detached home ready and waiting for city exiles. Nearby Woking station, just 12 minutes by car or a gentle 20-minute bike ride away, offers services to London Waterloo in less than half an hour, while West Clandon station, only 10 minutes away by bike, also has regular services into the city.

Although it’s just 23 miles from Charing Cross, Send is a different world – just up the road from RHS Wisley and close to the beautiful walks and cycle rides of the Surrey Hills and the natural beauty of the South Downs National Park. The superb new home from Martin Grant, called Buttermere House, is on Woodhill, a road at the edge of the village. The home, one of just two luxurious new properties on the site, boasts views from the front rooms stretching for miles across the open countryside.

Joe Leonard from estate agency Seymours in Ripley, which is marketing the home, says: “It’s in a desirable location in an attractive, semi-rural area overlooking fields, yet only a 10-minute drive from the M25 and within easy reach of Gatwick and Heathrow airports. A couple of minutes away is the lovely village of Ripley which has the biggest village green in south England where they hold farmers’ markets and events and there are five pubs and a Michelin-starred restaurant. Just across the road from the house is a public footpath heading across the fields with some amazing walks, so it’s perfect for people who enjoy walking or taking the dogs out.”

2/… While the attractions of the countryside are all around, the village of Send itself, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book, has all the important amenities at hand – two pubs, a takeaway, post office, convenience store, primary school, medical centre, hairdresser, two churches and a few shops. There’s a local football team and cricket club, as well as sailing on nearby Papercourt Lake and fishing on the River Wey. For larger shops, and a wide range of restaurants and leisure opportunities, Guildford and Woking are both within easy reach.

Buttermere House offers 161m² of family accommodation over two levels, plus a sunny garden and off-street parking. On the ground floor there’s a vast 59m² kitchen/dining/family room with a wonderful bi-fold door leading out on to the terrace and garden, making it perfect for entertaining. “It’s a really versatile space with room for a large dining table as well as a sofa and a TV,” adds Joe Leonard.

The kitchen has fitted units, Smeg appliances and a white quartz worktop, and there’s a separate utility room for laundry equipment and storage that has its own rear entrance, making it ideal for returning from country walks with mucky pups or muddy boots. A separate lounge, with its own set of bi-folds, gives plenty of space for family members to enjoy different activities, and, of course, there’s a downstairs WC. On the first floor there’s a spacious family bathroom, the master bedroom with an en suite containing both bath and shower, and three further bedrooms.

Dean Markall, Sales and Marketing Director at Martin Grant Homes, comments: “The village of Send is ideal for professionals who want to move out of London into the peace and quiet of the countryside while remaining closes enough to the city to allow comfortable commuting when necessary. Buttermere House offers very spacious accommodation for the whole family, and represents excellent value in an area of the village where the average property price is more than £1.3 million².”