This Edition’s Unique Property Feature:-

Mixed Emotions

We Bid On This Water Tower, But It Went For A Small Fortune. An Interesting Life Lesson

Even by Unique Property Bulletin standards, it has been an unusual few weeks. Maybe it is a mid-life crisis. Not sure, but it has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster on several fronts. This edition has some personal reveries and in the final analysis a fair bit of hope by the end of this Bulletin.

Plans Afoot For This High Home

Also included in the current feature article is this water tower at Doncaster (pictured above). Bawtry Tower was being auctioned with a guide price of just £2,000. However it progressed to an eventual sale, then resale figure of £105,000 after NO renovation – just a few pieces of paper with the words planning permission written on them! To read about Bawtry Tower and much more…

Feature details at the foot of this page.

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======= Regular Bulletin Listings Now Follow =======

Bargain Treatment Works

Swineshaw Water Treatment Works, Glossop, Derbyshire

There are not many detached buildings that can be bought for around £15,000 nowadays. This former water treatment works is one such case.

Auctioneer’s Description: A single storey detached property, predominantly open plan with kitchen and WC areas in need of refurbishment. Accommodation – internal approximately 120 sq m (1,292 sq ft). Outside: Enclosed and gated yard area. Approximately 701 sq m (839 sq yds).

Location: Swineshaw WTW, Bute Street, Glossop, Derbyshire, SK13 7PZ

Guide: £15,000

Further Details: Click Here

Original Details: Click Here

Contact Pugh Auctions Tel: 0844 2 722444

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Railway Residence Ripe For Refurbishment

Former Station Masters House, Bispham Road, Blackpool, Lancashire

A very interesting property which has both residential and commercial components. Ideal for consideration of home/work lifestyle. Railway station buildings are also very popular.

This old station house was placed for sale in the earlier auction at a guide of £100,000. Left unsold it is back at a reduced auction guide of £85,000.

Auctioneer’s Narrative: A former station masters house for sale by auction. Part is in residential use and part comprises the former ticket office, waiting room, parcels/left luggage office & detached Ladies waiting room with toilet (also included within this building is a dismantled sauna/steam room and contents). 

Former Station Masters House, Bispham Road, Blackpool, Lancashire

Photo (c) 2015 Courtesy of Mr Steve Daniels

An interesting background piece can be found: Here

Location: Former Station Masters House, Bispham Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0SX

Guide: £85,000

Further Details: Click Here

Alternate Archive Details (22 Oct 2015): Click Here

Earlier Auction at £100,000 Guide (Sept 2015) : Click Here

Contact Pugh Auctions Tel: 0844 2722444

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OUCH – Any Helpers?

Unique Property Bulletin Is Free For All Readers

This website is run by volunteers. It is a stand-alone entity run on a not-for-profit basis.

Unfortunately, we just got hit with a very high broadband bill just days after making another computer purchase for backups. Financially: Ouch! The Bulletin is not in financial dire straits (earlier syndicate profits ensure there are reserves to keep it going if the bills get too big) – it’s just that we aim to have this modest enterprise break-even each year without the volunteers having to subsidise it to an unbalanced degree. So if you are in a helpful, generous mood – and especially if this site has helped you, or even just given you some interesting information, possibly sparking the imagination over the years and hundreds of Bulletin editions to follow a unique property adventure, all donations to help keep this website online will make a real difference.

Even just a £5 or £10 Honorarium Donated Will Make A Difference.

Thankyou.

Minor S.O.S., For The Bulletin Website: Please Click Here

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Old School For Just Shillings?

Old School, Ysgol Rhydgaled, Groes, Debigh, Conwy

For those who remember the old pounds shillings and pennies – not to mention farthings, here we have a substantial detached building for not that much more than shillings in old money!

Auctioneer’s Description: A detached former school and caretakers house with additional detached single storey building comprising former classroom/canteen on a site of approximately 0.21 Hectares (0.51 Acres).

Location: Old School, Ysgol Rhydgaled, Groes, Debigh, Conwy, LL16 5SD

Guide: £80,000

Original Details: Click Here

Contact Pugh Auctioneers: 0844 2722444

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The Courtyard Barn Conversion, Tibenham, Norfolk

As per the old BBC Blue Peter mantra – Here’s one I made earlier. This picturesque property has been very well prepared. An exceptional and beautiful building conversion.

The Courtyard has had much time and planning invested into it. The result is a sizeable home. The proportions were all carefully considered and each room has its filled with character. The use of oak for much of the joinery contrasts with the brick floors, and the door and window furniture is blacksmith forged. Each of the bedrooms has its own en-suite facilities. Living areas are very much “open plan”. This is particularly true in the main wing which has a central kitchen of bespoke units flanked by a living area to one side and a dining area to the other. The main sitting room has been foreshortened and has a central woodburning stove, vaulted ceiling and unusual exposed timbering.

The Courtyard Barn Conversion, Tibenham, Norfolk

Outside The Courtyard is set within approximately 2.87 acres of land (1.162ha). Consisting of garden and fields together with a delightful courtyard enclosed by the house and buildings.

At Unique Property Bulletin we located this “before” report on a barn compound which we think could be the Courtyard before a huge amount of time and care was spent on it. But we aren’t totally sure. Maybe if you have a look and see what you reckon…

What Do You Reckon? Is This The Same Building?

Is this old derelict set of barn building the core of what is now the Courtyard? Answers on a postcard please?

There are many lovely pictures of this barn conversion on the estate agency details as weblinked below.

Location: The Courtyard, Cargate Common, Tibenham, Norwich, Norfolk, NR16 1QH

Guide: £875,000

Further Details: Click Here

Archived Details: Click Here

PDF Brochure & Layout Plan Drawing: Click Here

Contact: 01379 641 341

Boulderclough Chapel, Luddendenfoot, Halifax

A picturesque converted chapel with impressive baronial looks.

Well worth considering a holiday break at this interesting place. Not just to recharge the batteries, but there is bound to be some inspiration in the bricks and mortar of this rejuvenated unique building.

Location: Boulderclough Chapel, Sowerby Lane, Luddendenfoot, Halifax, HX2 6JW

Guide: From £40 per night

Further Details: Click Here

Archived Details: Click Here

Contact: 01422 366948

Photograph Courtesy of Jody Meow

Our Top & Commended Architects/Designer For This Unique Property Bulletin Is:

Kisho Kurokawa

8 April 8, 1934 – 12 October 2007

Kisho Kurokawa & Associates

Unique Project: Nakagin Capsule Tower

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Years Built: 1970-1972

Residential tower with a total of 140 capsule units.

Pod Interior – Nakagin Capsule Tower

Photograph © Tomio Ohashi courtesy of Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates

Located in Ginza, Tokyo, this amazing concept was years ahead of it’s time. Designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa and built in 1972. A project that has at its core, exchangeability, and recyclability as the prototype of sustainable architecture. Each “pod” is attached to the main tower by four very strong bolts. Resembling clusters of space pods stacked 13 stories tall, the Nakagin Capsule Tower is the world’s first example of capsule architecture. When erected in 1972, tiny prefab apartments were stacked like LEGO around a concrete core. The capsules were designed to be plugged in and replaced when necessary.

Each pod was a micro apartment measuring 4 by 2.5 meters, intended for Japanese businessmen who wanted to avoid a long commute home. Everything came built-in: a bed, a sink, a refrigerator, bathroom, folding desk and even a TV, radio and alarm clock.

1970’s Classic – Pod Interior: Nakagin Capsule Tower

Photograph © Tomio Ohashi courtesy of Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates

Humbled

Wentworth Woodhouse

In 1998 a syndicate member suggested we look at buying this humongous property. More out of curiosity than any other factor we inspected it in detail (general background here and here). The sale price in 1998 following bank foreclosure meant it was hovering around the £1,000,000 mark. There was a robust discussion amongst syndicate members whether to buy or not. Tantalisingly there was sufficient funding firmed up by syndicate members to proceed with a purchase of Wentworth Woodhouse. The problem was that this magnificent building required a LOT of ADDITIONAL money in repairs and maintenance. Plus we were particularly uncomfortable with coal mining reports in the near location and a possibility of subsidence, which for such a large property might be a financial bottomless pit as well as physical one! We are not shy when it comes to taking on unusual projects, but there is a huge responsibility when it is a large sum of financial exposure to our friends and group funds. In the Wentworth Woodhouse case we left this Leviathan and chose an alternate project where the risk was much more manageable. Many years later – in 2014 our discretion in leaving Wentworth Woodhouse off of the Syndicate menu was proven fortuitous. Last year the house was informally placed on sale (click here) at with a figure of around £8,000,000. However the house was reported to need works of around £42 million click here. 

The Wentworth Woodhouse experience is part of why Unique Property Syndicates – and the recent high level of interest can be so humbling. That folk have faith in what these endeavours are about to the extent that a decent sized number of friends and colleagues are willing to come together and embark on this sort of project.

Please Click On The Picture Above To Watch The Video Presentation

Wentworth Woodhouse: This Video brings home just how much there is to maintain, insure, repair, restore, preserve and heat! There was also a nearby college included into the 1998 deal, but even so, time and inter-period costs between 1998 and 2015 have shown that our decision not to take on such a gargantuan project was likely the best. Still it was an extremely interesting experience to go through – let alone a huge task to get around the vast pile – and well worth studying.

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For the avoidance of doubt, it seems likely we will restart the syndicates (after the 2007-2014 worldwide financial recession) with a smaller project just to get our bearings and also to give new members the grace of getting to know how the old salts of these syndicates have managed previous projects.

Just One Syndicate Illustrating Some Adventures – Via Rigid Inflatable Boat

Getting There Can Be Half The Fun – Though Most Syndicates Are MUCH More Accessible!

Moving forward with our emotional rollercoaster of the past 14 days. The excitement from last edition’s Unique Property Syndicate Survey is fourfold.

Firstly, we didn’t know exactly how the survey responses would go – would there even be that many? That was a lump of worry used up needlessly. There were dozens of replies. Thank you to all who took the time, interest and effort to revert with a view on these unusual adventures with unique property. We now know we have many dozens of like minded friends, readers and colleagues interested in these unique property syndicate endeavours.

Just One Syndicate Illustrating Some Adventures – Via Kayak

Spectacular & Stunning – A Vision of Adventure

Picture Courtesy of Seakayak Photos

Secondly, whilst this is not a scientific, nor definitive way to assess things, the fact is that within those dozens of replies we have a now ballpark cumulative figure heading towards the half million pound mark. Awesome. Of course the amount of interest in any given syndicate – any specific candidate property will vary. But considering the most recent offer made by our group of friends was at £32,000 for Binnhill Tower at Kinfauns, it is likely that we have a the ability to bring about a group of members to look at many of the projects that feature within the general Bulletin – onsite and offsite (new candidate properties are only circulated to members who have joined the syndicate alert round robin email – “Syndicate Alert” ). The prospect of being able to realistically consider the majority of projects and know these are financially within our arena is genuinely exciting.

Even Old Friend’s From The Mainland RNLI Lifeboat At Girvan Visited on Exercise

Picture Courtesy of James TM Towill

One of these RNLI guys – a lifelong best friend – flies a really scary mode of transport…

Gyrocopter From Ayrshire – My Friend Scares The Bejeebers Out of Me With This

The third reason, and this may seem a little tangential is the heady prospect of driving one of these projects forward with a group of friends. In past syndicates this has been a firm element of the raisons d’être. Whilst it is important to say several syndicate members like a low profile with a remote relationship to a given project, many enjoy the camaraderie that each adventure has brought about. Really, who could not enjoy a the pleasures of an actual railway on a small island!

Ailsa Craig Syndicate: Railway – Part of The Fun

Picture Courtesy of Seakayak Photos

The fourth reason for us to be excited is a little deeper. Each Bulletin is written as carefully as we can manage so that it contains something for all of our readership demographic. From the £10,000 bothy to the multi-million pound stratospheric luxury pad. We know for a fact that amongst some of our readers money will never be a worry again.

Ailsa Craig Syndicate: Railway – Original Use In Olden Days

But here’s the thing: no matter how well placed you might be up the financial tree, whether millionaire, or at the other end, nearing skintsville, there is an almost universal allure about making something useful from limited means.

This is an ancillary experience from the unique property syndicates. We have been privileged to walk along the path of life with friends who have a heart’s desire to eventually own a unique home but lack the wherewithal. Several syndicates further on, and that unlikely dream has been made possible – made real. Very real.

For us, seeing friends and fellow unique property syndicate members progress from relatively modest input, to a space where that hitherto elusive dream home can be made real gives a wonderful and tangible sense of happiness. No matter whether you are starting out with a modest budget and goals, there can be a great deal of enjoyment in dealing greatly until that unique home is where you actually live.

Ailsa Craig Island – An Actual Visitor Helicoptered In

Unusually This Unique Property Syndicate Had The Very Spot To Land On

Whilst the photographs above feature just one unique property syndicate, the majority have been unique. Most are also very much more accessible. All have had exciting elements of adventure.

There is still time to study these and possible register an interest for future syndicate news. For fairly obvious reasons, new candidate properties will only be emailed to those Bulletin readers who have registered for: “SYNDICATE” email alerts – Click Here.

For those who would like to complete a Unique Property Syndicate Survey, please: Click Here.

To read more about last Bulletin’s syndicate article: Click Here

To read more about Unique Property Syndicates in general, please: Click Here