Sunningdale Park, Ascot: a restored English country manor
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Hello everyone. What would it be like to live in a restored English country manor? Between Ascot and Windsor: Sunningdale Park!
For prices, taxes and the whole buying process, see our guide: UK Property Guide
Apartment types, current price range and location: see the project page
Between Sunningdale and Ascot, a historic manor and the magnificent landscape surrounding it. The Berkeley Group has redesigned this estate: alongside the homes within the restored historic manor, brand new houses and apartments to twenty first century standards have been added. Royal Windsor is eight miles away, Heathrow ten. Yes, you read that correctly: Ascot Racecourse and Wentworth Golf Club are your neighbours.
Prices
- 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses: £445,000and up
- Apartment sizes: 56 m² to 153 m²; the apartments in the historic mansion are 138 to 153 m²
- Two and three bathrooms are standard in the mansion apartments
- Home options in the restored historic manor and in the new blocks
- Address: Sunninghill and Ascot, Berkshire SL5 0AR
Note the floor area: the 138 to 153 m² apartments in the historic mansion are almost twice the size of what the same money buys in London. Combined with Berkeley Group’s build quality and delivery record, that is a rare combination in this segment. the advantages of buying a new build home a special scheme for anyone who wants to combine it with living in a historic setting.
Why Sunningdale Park?
England’s most prestigious "arc": Sunningdale, Ascot, Virginia Water and Wentworth. This area is the most established and most affluent residential corridor west of London. The property market here has a dynamic independent of London and supply is extremely constrained; a new scheme of this scale almost never comes forward.
- Royal Windsor, eight miles; Windsor Castle and the Great Park
- Heathrow Airport, ten miles to the west, about 20 to 25 minutes by car
- Sunningdale tren istasyonu: a direct service to London Waterloo
- Ascot Racecourse, Wentworth Golf Club and Sunningdale Golf Club a few minutes away
- The M3 and the M25 a fast link to the motorways
You are buying history: the scheme is not an estate built on a bare plot. It is founded on a restored manor and its landscape. Over the years schemes of this kind stop being "new housing" and acquire an identity of their own, and that makes a serious difference on resale. It is something new buildings cannot compete with.
Daily life: in London’s garden
In the morning by train to Waterloo or by car into the city on the M3. An afternoon walk in the landscaped gardens of the manor. At the weekend golf at Wentworth, racing at Ascot, cycling in Windsor Great Park. For international flights Heathrow is twenty minutes away, the greatest practical advantage of this area for anyone who travels often.
Sunningdale Park rental yield
Rental demand in this area comes from a very particular group: senior executives of the international companies around Heathrow, families sending their children to the private schools in the area, and professionals going into London a few days a week. Generous two and three bedroom apartments £3,000 to £4,000 a month a month. That puts the gross rental yield in the 3-3.5% band.
In this segment the investment argument is not rental yield but wealth preservation and scarcity. Tenants generally rent on a company budget and stay a long time. If a high yield is your priority, high yield buy to let areas is worth a look.
The shared areas and the details that set Sunningdale Park apart
- The restored historic manor: at the heart of the scheme; it works as both an architectural and a social centre.
- A magnificent landscape: the historic gardens of the manor were preserved and relaid; mature trees and generous lawns.
- Generous apartment layouts: 138 to 153 m² in the historic mansion; in London those floor areas sit in the penthouse segment.
- A mix of new and historic homes: homes in the restored manor alongside modern new houses; options for different tastes.
- Excellent local amenities: the boutique shops, restaurants and golf clubs of Sunningdale and Ascot.
- Parking and garden access: things counted as a luxury in London are standard here.
Energy efficiency and comfort
The new build homes are fitted with modern insulation and efficient heating systems to the Berkeley standard; typically in the EPC B band. The historic country houses you will often meet as an alternative in this area are generally in the EPC E-F band and their heating costs are very high. The annual difference can run to tens of thousands.
Who is buying?
Families sending their children to the international and private schools in the area are the main audience for this scheme: schools such as Eton, Wellington College, TASIS and ACS are concentrated in this corridor. Alongside them, business people who travel often because of the proximity to Heathrow, buyers close to golf culture, and people moving from London for retirement or a second home. For international families from the Middle East and Asia this area is a strong alternative to the crowds of London.
Frequently asked questions
Is a daily commute to London possible? Yes, there is a direct train from Sunningdale to Waterloo. That said, the buyer profile of this area generally consists of people who do not go into the office every day; the few days a week model is more common.
What is the tenure? The apartments are leasehold, the houses generally freehold. In the homes within the restored manor the lease conditions can vary, and we check them home by home.
Can I buy as a foreign national? Yes, there is no restriction on foreign nationals buying property in the United Kingdom. remote property purchase guide page.
Can I use a mortgage? Foreign buyers can normally borrow up to 65-75% of the value. UK mortgages for foreign nationals is worth reading.
Is there a disadvantage to living in a historic building? In restored listed buildings the consents for refurbishment and alteration are limited. For anyone who wants modern comfort the new blocks may suit better; we explain the difference between the two home by home.
Total cost: what you actually pay when you buy at Sunningdale Park
Many overseas buyers look only at the apartment price and meet a surprise at completion. Let us work out the real cost on a £1,175,000 apartment. Stamp duty (SDLT) in the United Kingdom is banded: 0% up to £125,000, then 2%, 5%, 10% and 12%. On top of that, non-residents pay a 2% surcharge, and if you already own another home, a further 5% additional dwelling rate applies.
| Item | If it will be your only home | If it will be an additional home |
|---|---|---|
| Property price | £1,175,000 | £1,175,000 |
| Stamp duty (SDLT) | £84,750 | £143,500 |
| Legal fees | £1,500 to £3,000 | £1,500 to £3,000 |
| Searches and Land Registry fees | about £800 | about £800 |
| Approximate total | £1,262,050 | £1,322,300 |
If you use a mortgage, valuation and lender fees are added, and if you let the property, management commission and income tax as well. The figures above are indicative and based on an apartment at £1,175,000; we prepare the net calculation for your own scenario.
The Sunningdale Park buying process, step by step
If you are buying from another country, the process runs like this:
- 1. Choosing the apartment and reserving it. We go through the floor plans, the aspect and the view. The apartment you choose is usually held with a reservation fee of £5,000 to £10,000.
- 2. Appointing a solicitor. An independent English property solicitor (conveyancer) is appointed. That solicitor acts for you, not for the developer.
- 3. Identity and source of funds checks. You will be asked for a passport, proof of address and documents showing the source of your funds. This step is compulsory in the United Kingdom, and having the papers ready shortens the process.
- 4. Exchange of contracts and deposit. Contracts are usually exchanged within 21 days of the reservation, with a 10% deposit. The signature can be given digitally from abroad.
- 5. Stage payments. In off plan projects these follow the payment schedule; for completed apartments the step is skipped.
- 6. Completion. The remaining balance and the stamp duty are paid and the title is registered in your name. For completed apartments this stage can take four to eight weeks.
You can run the whole process from your own country; you do not have to travel to the United Kingdom.
Risks and what to watch for
We have set out the strengths; in fairness there are points to watch as well. For Sunningdale Park, these are the ones worth pausing on:
- Low rental yield: the gross 3-3.5% band; in this segment the investment argument is preservation of wealth, not rental yield.
- The buyer pool is narrow: in the upper segment country market resale can take longer than in London.
- A car is necessary: a car is essential for the golf clubs, the schools and the shops.
- Constraints in a historic building: in homes within listed structures the consents for refurbishment and alteration are limited; anyone who wants modern comfort should look at the new blocks.
None of this makes the project a bad one, but there is a wide gap between buying with your eyes open and finding out afterwards. We give every client this list up front.
How does Sunningdale Park compare with the alternatives?
Before you decide, it is worth looking at the other projects in the same budget band:
- Hartland Village: in the same corridor, for anyone looking for a house with a garden on a more affordable budget.
- 100 Kensington: for anyone who prefers a prestigious postcode within London.
- Trillium Paddington: for anyone who wants to combine the Heathrow link with a Zone 1 location.
We can work out together which project fits your goal, judged on budget, intended use and exit plan. For an overview, our guide to UK property investment for international buyers is worth reading too.
Answers to the most common questions on this topic: Which UK Cities Have the Highest Rental Yields?
