Palace Street East, Berwick Upon Tweed, TD15

Current planning consent for conversion to nine apartments, one new build bungalow and a garage block.

Consent to widen access and demolish pre-fabricated buildings in rear yard.

Attractive sandstone fa?ade and numerous original features.

Gross internal area: 836m2 (8,997ft2) approx.

Total site area: 0.79 acres (0.32 hectares) approx.

Large rear yard: 0.47 acres (0.19 hectares) approx.

All mains services connected.

FOR SALE AS A WHOLE BY PRIVATE TREATY


Historical Note
The original three storeyed property is a former Georgian Mansion House dating from 1754 and extended around 1810 by the addition of a three storeyed rear wing. The entire property was sold to the Grammar School Trustees (as Trustees for the Grammar School Foundation, a Registered Charity) in 1865. The Trustees immediately constructed the double height single storeyed hall to the north (1866) at which point the entire building was converted into a grammar school (opened 1867). A further two storeyed wing (north) was added in 1898. Additionally, there are two early 20th century pre-fabricated, low level wooden structures, formerly classrooms, in the rear yard.

Following the closure of the grammar school in 1939 the complex was occupied by the Registrar's Services and, primarily, as an Adult Learning and Community Centre. It has been vacant since 2015.

It was acquired by the Berwick Youth Project in 2020.

Situation
No 5 Palace Street East is located in the south-east quadrant of the "old" walled town close to the junction of Palace Street East with Ravensdowne, Ness Street and Silver Street. The building complex occupies a level site and is set back approximately 15 metres from the street. The extensive yard area to the rear backs on to the town's 16th century Elizabethan Walls.

The property is within easy walking distance of the town centre. The principal use in the immediate area is residential and the houses are generally of good quality and well sought after. The Governor's Gardens residential development, a short distance to the south and, ultimately, the old Blackburn & Price premises directly to the west, are both indicative of further improvements to the immediate area.

Berwick upon Tweed (population circa 14,000) is positioned approximately equi-distant between Newcastle to the south and Edinburgh to the north and is regarded as the principal market town serving north Northumberland and the east Borders. Modern Berwick is an attractive coastal town which offers a full range of retail, leisure and banking services, first class private and state educational facilities and excellent transport links. Both the Pier Field, home of the town's cricket and tennis clubs, and Magdalene Fields, the town's golf course, are no more than a short walk. The town is served both by the A1(T) and by the main London-Edinburgh East Coast railway line.

More generally, north Northumberland and the Borders has a rich and colourful history with numerous properties of historic note in the immediate vicinity. The area offers wonderful scenery, excellent leisure and sporting opportunities and a first class quality of life.

General Description
No 5 Palace Street East is a substantial, detached, part single, part two, part three storeyed, west facing property constructed out of an attractive sandstone with a lovely ashlar fa?ade to the front elevations all under mainly Welsh slate covered roofs.

The property includes some well proportioned principal rooms at all three levels with high, frequently corniced, ceilings some of which are ornate. There is a handsome wide main staircase and a number of ornate, arched windows, mainly to the single storeyed Victorian hall, but also elsewhere, together with other items of interest such as original timber panelling, several fireplaces, window shutters and seats.

The building was vandalised several years ago and now requires complete refurbishment.

The Accommodation

The existing accommodation is on three levels and comprises:

Basement: 36.8m2 (396ft2)
Ground Floor: 426.7m2 (4,591ft2)
First Floor: 214.6m2 (2,309ft2)
Second Floor: 158.1m2 (1,701ft2)

Total GIA: 836.2m2 (8,997ft2)

All measurements are approximate.

The planning consent allows for demolition of the outbuildings to the rear including the two sizeable single storeyed, early 20th century, former classrooms.

External Areas
To the front there is a medium sized garden laid mainly to rough lawn. A drive to the north links Palace Street East to a large rectangular shaped walled yard to the rear (0.47 acres approx.) which is part concreted out as a car park and part lawned.

Planning
Planning Consent (Ref: 21/0292/FUL) and Listed Building Consent (Ref: 21/02293/LBC) was obtained on 21 July 2023 for the conversion of the former community building into nine apartments including six one bedroomed, two one/two bedroomed and one two bedroomed. Additionally, the consents allows for the construction of a new build two bedroomed bungalow and an adjoining garage complex in the rear yard.

Importantly, there is provision for the widening of the access road running along the north side of the complex linking Palace Street East to the rear yard by the removal of a stone arch and the cantilevering of the north gable wall to the former school hall.

Consent is also provided to allow the removal of the two pre-fabricated outbuildings in the rear yard to facilitate the construction of the new dwelling and garage block.

Both consents are conditioned and a number of the conditions on each have now been crystallised.

The consents are subject to a Section 106 Agreement which deals principally with contributions. The developer will be bound to pay a Coastal Mitigation Service Contribution of £6,150 (£615/dwelling) and an Open Space Contribution of £12,494.34. Both contributions are index linked from 18 July 2023.

There is no provision or requirement for Affordable Housing.

Copies of all of the above are included in the Information Pack with further information available on the Northumberland County Council planning portal.

Rights, Easements & Outgoings
The property is sold subject to and with the benefit of all rights of way, whether public or private, and any existing or proposed wayleaves, easements, servitude rights, restrictions and burdens of whatever kind, whether referred to in these particulars or not. The Purchasers will be held to have satisfied themselves on all such matters.

Method of Sale
The property is offered for sale as a whole with vacant possession by private treaty.

A closing date for offers may be fixed and all interested parties are advised to register their interest with the Selling Agents.

The Seller shall not be bound to accept the highest or indeed any offer.

Viewing
Strictly by appointment with the Selling Agents.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Services
All main services including water, gas, electricity and sewage are connected.

No warrants are provided as to the capacity or suitability of these services for any re-development scheme and interested parties are advised to rely upon their own enquiries.

Statutory Designations
The property lies within the town's Conservation Area and part of it is Grade 2* Listed and part Grade 2 Listed. The front garden walls are Grade 2 Listed.

The town's walls and historic ramparts to the rear are a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Tenure
Freehold.

Rateable Value
The property has been de-rated.

Sub-Station Lease
A small area of ground at the north-west corner of the property is leased to Scottish Power by virtue of a Lease commencing on 1 October 1984.

A copy of the Lease is available in the Information Pack.

Local Authorities
1) Northumberland County Council, County Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2EF. Tel: 0345 600 6400. W: www.northumberland.gov.uk.

2) Northumbrian Water, Customer Centre, PO Box 300, Durham, DH1 9WQ. Tel: 0345 733 5566. W: www.nwl.co.uk.

3) Scottish Power, 320 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5AD. Tel: 0845 270 0700

4) British Gas, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Berkshire, SL4 5GD. W: www.britishgas.co.uk

5) The Environment Agency, Tyneside House, Skinnerburn Road, Newcastle Business Park, Tyne and Wear, NE4 7AR. Tel: 03708 506506 W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency

Conditions of Sale
Unless the parties agree otherwise, the Purchasers will be responsible for complying with all conditions of the planning consents and the Section 106 Agreement.

Information Pack
An information pack including further detailed information on the property will be made available on request.

Guide to Interested Parties
Whilst we use our best endeavours to make our sales details accurate and reliable, please contact us if there is any point which you wish to clarify. We will be pleased to check this information for you. These particulars were prepared in February 2024.

Health & Safety
Interested parties should note that the building has been boarded up and that there is no internal lighting. Furthermore, the first floor landing has been removed and the area taped off. We request that you take as much care as possible when making your inspection for your own personal safety.

Important Notice
Edwin Thompson for themselves and for the Vendors of this property, whose Agents they are, give notice that:

1) The particulars are set out as a general outline only for the guidance of intending Purchasers and do not constitute, nor constitute part of, any offer or contract.

2) All descriptions, plans, references to condition and necessary permissions for use and occupation, and other details, are given in good faith and are believed to be correct, but any intending Purchasers should not rely upon them as statements or representations of fact but must firstly satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to the correctness of each of them.

3) Nothing in these particulars is to be regarded as a statement that the subject of sale is in good structural, agricultural or horticultural condition, nor should any statement be taken as a warranty of fitness for any purpose or use, including existing use; nor is any warranty to be implied that any services, appliances, equipment, installations or facilities on the subject for sale are in good working order. Prospective Purchasers should satisfy themselves as to the condition of all such matters.

4) Descriptions of the property are subjective and are published as opinions and not statements of fact. They are not intended to be binding on the Vendors or their Agents.

5) No person in the employment of either the Vendors or their Agents have any authority to make or give any representation or warranty whatever in relation to this property or these particulars, nor to enter into any contract relating to this property on behalf of the Agents, nor into any contract on behalf of the Vendors.

6) No responsibility can be accepted for loss or expense incurred in viewing or in the event of any property being sold or withdrawn.

7) The property is sold with all faults and defects whether of condition or otherwise and neither the Vendors or their Agents will be held responsible for such faults and defects.

8) The Purchasers shall be deemed to acknowledge that they have not entered into an agreement to purchase in reliance on any statement contained in these particulars, that they have satisfied themselves as to the content of each such statement by inspection, enquiry or otherwise and that no warranty or representation has been made by the Vendors or their Agents in respect of the subject of sale.

9) Any error, omission or mis-statement in these particulars or any correspondence relating thereto shall not entitle the Purchasers to rescind or to be discharged from any Agreement to Purchase nor shall it entitle either party to compensation or damages, or give either party any cause for civil action.

Tenure: Freehold