by Dave Burke

dave.burke@essnmedia.co.uk

People in Kenley may soon be living next door to millionaire country squires, as one of the area's most high-profile homes is set to go on the market.

After years of planning, work is nearly finished on the restoration of Kenley House, which dates back to the early 1800s.

The house in Kenley Lane and accompanying lodge are expected to sell for a staggering £4.25million in May this year.

And three new mansions built on the estate are set to go on the market next month, each expected to fetch upwards of £1.6 million.

Developers Millgate Homes boast the estate will give a "select few" the opportunity to live the life of a country gentleman in "one of England's most enviable locations".

And this week senior land manager Dave Chandler told the Advertiser that despite the current economic gloom, potential buyers are already eyeing the property up.

He said: "There has been some interest already from fairly affluent individuals, not necessarily from Britain.

"It's very difficult to determine what sort of individual would buy it though."

Whoever does sign on the dotted line can expect to live the life of a 19th century gent, with features inside the house set to be restored to its heyday.

Everything down to the colour scheme is being designed to fit in with the building's affluent history, and ornate carvings in the house's ceilings are being retained.

Mr Chandler said: "We're taking it back to its former glory."

And he said that people living nearby were delighted with the plans.

The developer stated: "I think given the history of the site, where other applications have been lodged for up to 25 units, for someone to suggest that they want to build three and convert the house back to its original form is too good to believe."

That view was echoed this week by Sheila Morris, who chairs the Kenley and District Residents' Association.

She told the Advertiser: "It was of great concern to people when the original planning application went in.

"The fear was that they'd be knocking Kenley House down and there'd be a big estate going up.

"But the restoration is what people wanted."

Asked if the current doom and gloom in the housing market was affecting plans to sell the mansions, Millgate's sales director Jonathan Cranley told the Advertiser: "We have not officially put the house on the market yet because this is a major refurb project and will take some time to complete.

"Despite what may be happening in other sectors of the market this type of large country home is still in demand and we are keen to see Kenley House restored to its original state as a fine country residence."