Weekend Herald

COME FLY WITH ME

Here’s your chance to own a gracious manor home, modelled on one in the Cotswolds, as well as a fully operationa­l private airfield.

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1232A State Highway One

This manor-like 527sqm family home, modelled on one in the Cotswolds, is striking in its own right but what really sets this property apart is the inclusion of its own fully operationa­l airfield, Springhill Airfield.

Keen flyer and retired British Airways captain Tim and his wife Carol happened upon this property through their friendship with late Kiwi businessma­n and flying enthusiast Richard Izard, who owned the farmland this home was built on.

Tim says: “We owned identical types of aeroplane; he’d stay with us in the UK and we got to know this property when we stayed with him in New Zealand. I used to fly him around New Zealand and every time we landed back at Springhill he’d ask ‘have you picked the place where you’re going to build your house?’.”

Eventually the couple did, purchasing some land and building a gracious Hinuera stone manor which was completed in 2010; a modern version of the Cotswolds stone house they’d owned in the UK.

Part of its land abutted Springhill Airfield, which Richard Izard establishe­d in the early 1990s and subsequent­ly sold. Tim enjoys flying recreation­ally, often accompanie­d by former cabin crew Carol, and around 2021 they extended their property to more than 25 hectares by buying the neighbouri­ng Springhill Airfield.

Tim says: “We can just head down the farm road to our own airfield to go flying, which has an 870-metre long all-weather sealed runway, a grass runway, two hangars and a clubhouse.”

The airfield is fully consented for unlimited private use, along with commercial flights (up to five per day averaged over each calendar month), aircraft assembly, storage and maintenanc­e activities.

The close proximity to Warkworth, Wellsford, the golden sands of popular east coast beaches and world famous golf courses has enabled the couple to either take their boat out for a fish on either coast, or go for a round of golf.

Their two-storey home is set down a private driveway, ensuring their privacy is well preserved. Its’ tree-lined driveway, planted with liquid amber and London plane trees, introduces the spacious northfacin­g home.

The couple love its restful rural views and the ease of having no immediate neighbours. Their three children and five grandchild­ren visit often, appreciati­ng the large heated swimming pool and expansive land to explore.

Tim says: “The Hinuera stone combined with the masonry constructi­on retains both the heat in winter and the cool in summer.”

The ground floor has an elegant covered entrance into a substantia­l foyer and includes an internal-access quadruple garage. The home has an openplan kitchen-family room , whilst the formal lounge and dining room seamlessly extend onto terraces, creating the perfect ambiance for al fresco dining and entertaini­ng with their friends and family.

Upstairs there are five ensuited bedrooms and include the sizeable master bedroom, with its own private deck opening to the view beyond, and a one-bedroom studio

“We can just head down the farm road to our own airfield to go flying, which has an 870-metre long allweather sealed runway, a grass runway, two hangars and a clubhouse.”

apartment provides Tim and Carol with additional accommodat­ion should extra guests and family come to stay.

There’s a resource consent in place to develop a five-lot subdivisio­n from the property’s 25.27 hectares of land.

The couple plan to stay in the area but have decided it’s time to downsize given their ages.

Bayleys country property specialist John Barnett says: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunit­y to own a gracious manor home with a fully operationa­l private airfield. This is certainly something very special, something you would be hard pressed to find or even replicate anywhere else in New Zealand.”

Sale: Tender, March 1 Contact: John Barnett, Bayleys,

021 790 393

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