Estate with cinema and airfield near Lewes for sale for more than £5m

Kittyhawk House, on farmland off Darp Lane in Ripe, near Lewes, is a large open-plan home with uninterrupted views of the South Downs National Park.

It is on the market for "offers in excess of £5 million".

The house was built in 2020 and is mostly timber and glass, using eco-friendly and sustainable materials. It has “continuous exposure to the sun throughout the day”.

On the ground floor there is an impressive cinema room, which is fully equipped with a high-tech 4K projector and an electronics and speaker system.

Kittyhawk House has its own cinema (Image: Kittyhawk Aerdrome)

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Another stand-out feature is the library which is on the upper floor and connected to the drawing room by a bridge behind a fully glazed façade.

The house is sold with Kittyhawk Aerodrome, a commercially operated airfield which welcomes GA aircraft, helicopters and giros and accepts international flights.

The aerodrome contains three grass runways of 510m, 568m and 845m.

In addition, there is a hangar of about 730sqm, with associated buildings and a four-bedroom cottage where the ground floor is the estate office. There is also stabling and paddocks.

The aerodrome was established in 1990 as a private air strip for the proprietor’s aircraft, with movements initially limited to 28 days per year.

The air strip began to attract friends and acquaintances, in part due to its stunning location, and it began to grow.

Later, two grass runways were constructed as well as a hangar and concrete approach.

In March 2020, after 30 years, Kittyhawk was finally granted the status of a lawful unlicensed airfield to be developed commercially.

Chris Spofforth, who works in Savills South East's rural agency team which is marketing the property, said: “Kittyhawk House and Aerodrome are in a peaceful and sought-after location with a long private drive and some of the finest downland views in East Sussex. The truly individual house is bright, spacious and open-plan, uniquely paired with an established airfield.”