DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FOUNDATION HOUSE, ICKNIELD WAY, LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY, SG6 1GD
Site Plan - Not to scale
An excellent opportunity to acquire a prime residential development opportunity within close proximity to the centre of Letchworth Garden City. Letchworth Garden City Centre - 0.7 miles to the southwest Letchworth Garden City Train Station - 0.7 miles to the southwest Letchworth Garden City Train Station to Cambridge Train Station - 27 minutes rail journey time Letchworth Garden City Train Station to London King s Cross - 36 minutes rail journey time A1(M) (Junction 9) 2.2 miles to the south-east Luton Airport 14 miles to the west (All distances and timings are approximate) Enquiries Geoff Leyland Sarah Cullen 01223 559248 01223 559433 geoff.leyland@bidwells.co.uk Sarah.cullen@bidwells.co.uk FOUNDATION HOUSE, LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY FOR SALE BY INFORMAL TENDER Existing Images of Foundation House
In Brief Exciting residential development opportunity in sought after central Letchworth Garden City location. Option for part conversion (Class O) and new build development, or comprehensive redevelopment. The site extends to approximately 0.70 hectares (1.73 acres). Full online Information Pack available. Long lease of 125 years. For sale by Informal Tender. Offers invited on the following basis: Unconditional offers for the sale of Foundation House with the benefit of the Prior Approval Notification and either unconditional offers or subject to planning offers on the associated land, and/or Subject to planning offers for the comprehensive redevelopment of the whole site. Closing date for offers 12 noon Friday 8th December 2017. Location Letchworth Garden City is located within the jurisdiction of North Hertfordshire District Council and is the District s second largest urban area with a population of 33,249 and 14,271 dwellings. Letchworth Garden City is the world s first garden city based on Ebenezer Howard s original concept of a self-contained settlement combining both town and country living. Much of the town is the product of a master plan, with areas of low, medium and higher density housing, industry, open space and the town centre in broadly separate land uses with attractively planned landscapes. Large open spaces are integrated into the town s layout, notably at Norton Common and Howard Park and Gardens. The town benefits from a range of both state and independent schools (to include St Francis College and St Christopher School) and offers extensive shopping facilities with a wide range of recreational amenities including a cinema, quality restaurants and bars. Icknield Road is well placed to the town centre with excellent road and rail links to London, Cambridge and further afield. The Letchworth Garden City train station provides fast and regular trains to London King s Cross in 36 minutes and Cambridge in 27 minutes. Luton airport is 14 miles to the west of the town and Stansted airport is 27 miles to the east. Junction 9 of the A1(M) is approximately 2.2 miles to the southeast of the site. Description Foundation House and associated land (the site) lies to the north of Icknield Way and is located approximately 0.7 miles to the north east of the town centre. The site extends to a total of 0.70 hectares (1.76 acres) and is accessed from Icknield Way. It is bound to the east and north by the residential dwellings of Haysman Close and a light industrial unit (Use Class B1) to the west. The south side of Icknield Way is a designated employment area. Foundation House is an attractive two-storey office, comprising of four office suites, extending to a total of approximately 1,149sqm (12,368sqft) NIA. The building is of brick construction beneath a tiled roof built in the early 2000s. The car park to Foundation House is currently accessed to the east of the building. The topography of the site rises steeply from south to north, with the northern part of the site approximately 5 metres above the point of access on Icknield Way. Town and Country Planning North Hertfordshire District Council is presently nearing the completion of a new Local Plan. The proposed Local Plan 2011-2031 was submitted to the Planning Inspector for examination on 9 th June 2017. Hearing sessions for the Local Plan are due to take place between November 2017 into spring 2018. It is currently anticipated that the new Local Plan will be adopted in the summer of 2018. Foundation House is identified within the Submission Local Plan as Local Housing Allocation reference LG16 to provide an estimated delivery of 47 dwellings. The northern boundary of the site lies adjacent to the Conservation Area. Foundation House currently benefits from a Use Class B1 (a) (offices). The Heritage Foundation has submitted a Prior Approval Notification Class O (reference 17/00614/1PN) for the change of use from Use Class B1(a) (offices) to Use Class C3 (residential) to provide 9 x 1 bedroom flats and 7 x 2 bedroom flats and 20 car parking spaces. The application received conditional approval on 4 May 2017. The 16 flats would be of market tenure and not subject to any Section 106 obligations. The associated documents are included within the Information Pack. Information Pack A comprehensive online Information Pack can be downloaded from the dedicated web address as follows: http://propertysites.bidwells.co.uk/foundationhouse The online Information Pack contains copies of the following documents: Asbestos Survey Bidding Guidelines Land Registry documents Environmental Investigation Report Prior Approval Notification (Class O) documents Development Brief (Planning Policy and Landowner Requirements Document) Topographical Survey
Interested Parties will be deemed to have submitted proposals in the full knowledge of all the documents within the online Information Pack. Heritage Foundation The Heritage Foundation (HF) is a Community Benefit Society, working for the local communities of Letchworth Garden City. They are descendants of First Garden City Limited that developed the world s first garden city, in Letchworth. HF continues to apply Garden City Principles, as part of Ebenezer Howard s social, community and economic model that helped inspire planners and architects across the world. Site Condition Full vacant possession will be provided on Completion with existing buildings remaining in situ. Tenure The site will be sold on a long leasehold of 125 years. Vacant possession of Foundation House is anticipated to be provided by a longstop of 31 May 2018. Environmental Assessment An environmental assessment report was completed in March 2017. The report identifies that the ground conditions comprise mix of sand and clay with frequent brick and concrete fragments concentrated in areas of thickest made ground. The site is located on a chalk principal aquifer underlying the site and within Zone II of a Public Water Supply Source Protection Zone, with the public abstraction drawing directly from the chalk aquifer. Elevated concentrations of Beryllium has been identified in a shallow soil sample exceeding the S4UL level for residential land use, as well as asbestos in the shallow Made Ground. It is recommended that a thin layer of hard standing and underlying Made Ground is removed during redevelopment to remove the Beryllium and asbestos. The full report can be found within the online Information Pack. Services Interested Parties must satisfy themselves as to the availability and adequacy of all services prior to making their offer. Wayleaves, easements, covenants and rights of way The site is sold subject to all wayleaves, easements, covenants and rights of way, whether or not disclosed. Interested parties are to refer to the Bidding Guidelines for further information in relation to this. Method of Sale The long leasehold of the site is offered for sale by Informal Tender. Offers are invited on the following basis: An unconditional offer for the sale of Foundation House with the benefit of the Prior Approval Notification and either an unconditional offer or subject to planning offer on the associated land, and/or A subject to planning offer for the comprehensive redevelopment of the whole site. Offers are to be submitted in writing to Foundation House, Icknield Way, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, SG6 1GD by 12 noon Friday 8 th December 2017. All proposals are to be in writing and in accordance with the Bidding Guidelines contained within the Information Pack. Emailed offers will be accepted if followed by a hard copy. The Seller reserves the right to reject any or all offers. Proposals should be clearly marked Foundation House, Icknield Way, Letchworth Garden City for the attention of Mark Coles.
01223 559352 bidwells.co.uk New Homes Bidwells has evidence of new home sales in the locality and a New Homes Report is contained in the online Information Pack. For specific queries with regards to resale values, please contact Paula Brain on 01908 541606. Viewings Viewing is strictly by appointment. If you would like to view the property, please contact Sarah Cullen on 01223 559 433 or Geoff Leyland on 01223 559 248 to arrange an appointment. Interested parties must be accompanied on site at all times, as organised by prior appointment and in the presence of an employee of Bidwells or representatives of the Seller. Parties should take due care for their own personal safety when inspecting the site. VAT We understand that VAT will not be charged on the purchase price. However, in the event that VAT does become payable, it will be charged at the prevailing rate. Photographs Any fixtures, fittings or equipment shown are not necessarily included in the sale. Location Plan Not to scale Agents Note For clarification Bidwells LLP wish to inform prospective Purchaser(s) that we have prepared these sales particulars as a general guide. These particulars do not form part of any offer or contract and should not be relied upon as statements or representatives of fact. Bidwells LLP has no authority to make or give in writing or verbally any representation or warranties in relation to the Property. The plans and acreages use gross acreages taken from the Ordnance Survey sheets and are not suitable for the preparation of Basic Payment Scheme forms. Measurements of areas and distance are approximate. The text, photographs and plans are for guidance only and are not necessarily comprehensive. No assumptions should be made that the Property has all necessary planning, building regulation or other consents. Bidwells LLP has not carried out a survey, nor tested the services, appliances or facilities. Purchaser(s) shall be deemed to have full knowledge of the state and condition as to the ownership of any tree, boundary or any part of the Property. Purchaser(s) must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise. In the interests of Health & Safety, please ensure that you take due care when inspecting the Property which, for the avoidance of doubt, must be by prior appointment and accompanied by the selling agent or representatives of the Seller. Important notice The above plans are not to scale and are provided for identification purposes only. OS licence NO. ES100017734. Copyright Bidwells LLP 2016. We may hold your name on our database unless you instruct us otherwise. Bidwells LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales (registered number OC344553). Registered office is Bidwell House, Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 9LD