Not many homes can claim a 60-acre park as a backdrop, but that is exactly what The Lodge – which overlooks Peel Park, Bradford – boasts.

“All that park and gardens... and someone else cuts the grass,” says The Lodge owner Geoff Wilson.

It was ten years ago that Geoff, who was looking for a Victorian house, came across this Grade II-listed former policeman’s lodge.

“It was in quite a distressed condition and had been empty for years. It was just what I was looking for, even though it needed a major refurbishment,” he says.

“I love architecture and enjoy bringing things back to their former glory. It was certainly a challenge.”

Set in the south-east corner of Peel Park, the house was built in stone around 1853, and was designed by the same architects who were responsible for industrial buildings in Saltaire.

Peel Park itself dates back to the early 1850s, when – after a meeting at St George’s Hall – public-spirited residents acquired an estate on the boundaries of Bradford and Bolton. This was made into a public park as a testimonial to Sir Robert Peel, founder of the nation’s police force, and became the first publicly-owned park in Bradford.

You have a choice of entrances to The Lodge – either by walking through the park gates or, by car, parking in a courtyard paved with York stone behind gates off Cliffe Road.

To ensure that the house was sympathetically refurbished, Geoff commissioned a local architect who worked in liaison with Bradford’s Listed Buildings Inspectorate.

Small but perfectly formed aptly describes The Lodge. The exterior is impressive, with ornate stone arches over casement windows, while inside the traditional Victorian features are there, but presented to modern standards.

At the moment there are two reception rooms, a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom with en-suite shower room. Planning permission for an additional bedroom and bathroom has been granted, with initial enabling and service supplies started, plus there is scope to extend into the roof space, subject to planning permission.

“Fortunately, I was introduced to a selection of local tradesmen who had a history of working with listed properties,” Geoff says.

“Everything was stripped back to the stonework and we started again, with new sliding sash windows, new external doors and frames. All moulded architraves and skirtings have been replaced, as well as all internal doors, as original. And of course we also put in central heating.

“All in all, if you include replacing the old stone in the courtyard, which had been stolen, hunting out fireplaces in reclamation yards and having the basement retanked, it took about a year.”

Internally, The Lodge is a gem. In the basement is a kitchen with free-standing larder and storage cupboards on a new natural slate floor. “I went for a free-standing kitchen because I thought it was more in keeping and would look better than fitted units,” says Geoff.

On the ground floor is a superb cast-iron fireplace with fitted gas fire in the lounge, and a sitting room which overlooks the garden also has a cast-iron fireplace. There’s a half-tiled bathroom with vinyl floor, complete with bath with shower attachment, washbasin and WC.

Upstairs is the bedroom, with built-in wardrobe, cupboard and cast-iron fireplace, plus an en-suite shower room with corner shower, toilet and washbasin.

Geoff is very proud of his achievements. “I love the ambiance of the whole house – it has such a lovely feel. The front and back doors, for instance, are seven feet tall. We think they are that large because a policeman wouldn’t have gone out of the house without his helmet on.”

The front courtyard and side access path have been laid with random York stone paving, with flower borders, and the house is surrounded by two-metre high York stone walling with lockable gates and part-York stone walling and railings to the side, with matching access gate. The rear garden has a conifer hedge and fencing and is mainly lawned with flower borders.

“You build a bond with a house and have affection for it, so I’m going to miss it all – and The Ital restaurant,” Geoff laughs. “But it’s time to move on and for someone else to enjoy the house.

“What has been really nice is the number of people who have walked past the house – day in, day out – and have said how nice it is to see it brought back to life. That gives me a sense of satisfaction. I look at it sometimes and think, ‘wow, that’s not half bad’.”

The Lodge, Cliffe Road, Undercliffe. Price: £127,500. Agent: William H Brown, Bradford (01274) 309795