By Sharon Flower

Building work in Tott Lane, Hurstpierpoint

Almost thirty years ago, I used to take my children for piano lessons with a certain well-known teacher in Hassocks Road. As a busy mother of four, I used that time to walk the dog and my favourite route was to go down Tott Lane and through the fields to Danny. How amazing I thought then, to wake up every morning and see that wonderful view.

In 2016 we were fortunate enough to secure the site in Tott Lane - we could hardly believe our luck! Unfortunately, our luck ran out after that - just about anything that could go wrong, did so. Last summer, circumstances forced us to put the site up for sale - we were utterly devastated and heartbroken. However, thanks to the determination of our architect and the resourcefulness and integrity of Nick Jurd of Phoenix Builders, we were able to put the project back on track, but as a result it will have taken us six years to achieve it!

Since building work started, there’s been so much interest from people passing by that we thought it would be a good idea to dispel any concerns that we might be building a small block of flats, a four-storey house or worse! The house will have three bedrooms downstairs and the main ‘living space’ will be upstairs to make the most of those incredible views. As there’s no room on the site for a garage, we’ll have a small underground store for garden furniture, the mower and things normally found in a garden shed.

We hope to be living in the house (which we have named ‘Fieldside’ after my parents’ house) by June 2022, in time for our only daughter’s wedding on July 2nd. We’re very much looking forward to living in Hurstpierpoint after such a long ‘journey’ (all the way from Ansty!) but we know it will be worth the wait.