The three villages of Longcross, Lyne, and Ottershaw sit in the greenbelt of Surrey, nestled in the corner of the M3 and M25. Despite being part of the urban fringe that wraps around London, these three villages are exquisitely green. Flora and Fauna aplenty, this isn’t all that there is to experience in this hilly neighbourhood. Foxhills elite country club offers a luxurious weekend golf and pampering trip, whilst the local pubs will give you an authentic village experience, or at least an entertaining conversation with a local. The small populations that live here are mostly well-to-do business family types, with a billionaire here and there, who make good use of nearby Fairoaks airport; however, with two key roads nearby, and Longcross and Chertsey stations at hand, you don’t have to be limited to a private jet!

As part of the larger area of Runnymede, the three villages make up a portion of the historical tapestry of the Magna Carta and British democracy. Of course, Runnymede being the location that the Magna Carta was sealed by King John back in 1215, has always held a special significance for the country; however, Longcross, Lyne and Ottershaw also all have their own deep unique histories too. Lyne was one of the earliest religious communities in Britain, whilst Longcross became essential to the defence of the country in the Second World War, as it was home to a tank factory and test track. Nowadays the villages are a little sleepier and are home to royals of a different kind. We’re talking about the Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, and Prime Minister of the UAE, Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, who owns the luxury property of Longcross Estate.

Longcross is home to Longcross Film Studios, a key studio for some of Hollywood, or rather Surrey’s, biggest blockbusters, including the 007 movie Skyfall.

As with most rural spots, the area suffers from a lack of substantive nearby facilities, and housing itself is very dispersed, meaning that it might be a little harder to make friends with your neighbour. Additionally, Longcross train station is somewhat inaccessible and unreliable compared to Virginia Water or Chertsey stations. Lastly, as should be assumed if you live next to Middle Eastern rulers, it certainly isn’t cheap!

Despite sitting firmly within protected greenbelt land, there are some significant development plans in this part of Surrey, the first of which revolves around transport infrastructure. There are plans for a renovated roundabout in Ottershaw to the tune of £6.8 million, which aims to alleviate traffic around the airfield, and is also part of a greater plan to refortify the A320 road corridor. The second is even more significant – the creation of a new 1,600-home garden village in Longcross, along with a new primary school, doctor’s surgery, community centre, and care home. This will be Surrey’s newest village, joining fourteen similar garden village developments across the country. This is expected to be joined by a smaller 200 home development in Ottershaw which has recently acquired planning permission on Bousley Rise.