BELL SNOXELL ASSOCIATES LTD

Chartered Surveyor, Architectural & Planning Consultants
Barclays Bank House, Baxtergate, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO21 1BW
( 01947 820262  Fax 01947 820644


FOR SALE

Grosmont Methodist Church and School Room
Ings Terrace, Grosmont, Whitby

February 2010

SALE OF METHODIST TRUST PROPERTY ON BEHALF OF GROSMONT METHODIST CHURCH COUNCIL

PROPERTY          Grosmont Methodist Church & School Room, Ings Terrace, Grosmont, Whitby, North Yorkshire, Y022 5BG

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The premises comprise two detached structures and associated land being the Grosmont Methodist Church and its associated School Room.  The Church building was erected in 1867 and the School Room in 1914. 

In both the Church and School Room accommodation is at ground floor level only with no significant changes of level throughout either building. 

In the Church there are effectively two principal areas, these being the main original Chapel and the Vestry.  The Vestry lies to the side of the Chapel and has a separate external access but is linked with the Chapel internally. 

The School Room comprises a principal main hall area to the front and to the rear, in the form of a lean-to structure, are w.c facilities and a kitchen. 

Neither of the existing structures are Listed and there is little of any major architectural or historic interest within either building.  The Chapel is unused and all services and other meetings have been held in the adjacent and wholly separate School Room building which lies to the north of the Chapel.  All services and other meetings will cease very shortly in the School Room and it is expected that all uses will cease by May 2010. 

The subject buildings and the associated land are shown edged red on the plan attached.  The plan is provided for identification purposes only. 

LOCATION

The Chapel and School Room are located on an elevated site above the village of Grosmont with the principal front elevations of each building facing due west.  The attached plan shows the existing Chapel building, which takes up approximately half of the overall curtilage, and includes an open area to the south of the Chapel which has been used for car parking with vehicular access via a private roadway from Ings Terrace.  There is a garden area to the north which lies between the Chapel building and the School Room on which there is, currently, an outbuilding.  There is a further garden area which lies to the east of the School Room. 

The School Room is located on a site elevated above that of the Chapel and it has its own, recently constructed, ramp and step access from Ings Terrace. 

Ings Terrace is a cul-de-sac roadway which extends in a northerly direction from Front Street, this being the principal highway through the village of Grosmont. 

Grosmont lies approximately 7 miles inland from the coastal town of Whitby and is within the North York Moors National Park. 

DIMENSIONS AND FLOORSPACES

Chapel

The main Chapel building is a detached structure occupying the lower part of the original curtilage.  The curtilage surrounding the Chapel has an average depth, measured from the front wall/railings to the base of the substantial retaining wall behind the Chapel, of                                                                           18.6m

Note:- This dimension excludes the area between the wall/railings and the highway as well as the high level area at the rear of the Chapel. 

The accommodation within the premises comprises the principal Chapel and a Vestry, the dimensions of which are as follows:-

Main Chapel

Overall width                                                                        7.600m

Overall length                                                                      13.409m

Gross internal floorspace                                                   101.908m²

Vestry

Overall width                                                                        4.054m

Overall length                                                                        3.323m

Gross internal floorspace                                                     13.471m²

Gross internal floorspace of Chapel and Vestry                  115.380m²

Room Heights

Maximum height within Chapel                                              7.355m

Maximum Vestry height -                                                      4.112m

School Room

School Room/main hall

Overall width                                                                        6.99m

Internal depth of main hall only                                             13.36m

Gross internal floorspace (main hall only)                             93.50m²

Gross internal floorspace (all rooms)                                  119.02m²

DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION

The premises are traditionally constructed throughout, the principal elements of the fabric being as follows:-

The Chapel

Walls

Walls are primarily in solid local natural stone laid in random courses and pitch faced.  There are dressed stone cills and architraves to windows with buttress features to the front elevation.

Roof

The principal roofs are pitched and covered in Welsh slate. 

Floors

The Chapel floor is in tongued and grooved boarding on joists with that to the Vestry being in solid construction. 

Ceilings

The main Chapel ceiling is in a cathedral style with the lower parts of the queen post trusses visible.  The ceiling is underdrawn in matchboarding.

The School Room

Walls

Walls are primarily in solid local natural sandstone laid in strict courses.  The stone is pitch faced.  There are dressed stone cills and architraves. 

Roof

The principal roofs are pitched and covered in Welsh slate. 

The roof structures are conventional and are based on trusses, purlins and common rafters. 

Floors

Flooring is in a mixture of tongued and grooved boarding on joists with some solid floor sections, principally in the rear lean-to section. 

TENURE

The properties are divided into three parts from the point of view of title registration, these being the School Room and its curtilage, the Chapel and its curtilage and the land lying between the former Methodist Church ownership and the highway which was purchased by the Methodist Church some years ago to facilitate the construction of the steps and ramp which give access to the School Room. 

Full details of the registrations can be obtained from the Church's Solicitors Messrs Thorpe & Co. 

For information purposes the Title documents relating to the Chapel and School Room are attached to this document.  These are respectively Title numbers NYK 364156 and NYK 364157. 

EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

It is understood from representatives of the Whitby Methodist Circuit and of the Grosmont Methodist Church Council that the site and buildings are not subject to the burden of, nor do they enjoy the benefit of, any easements.  It has also been confirmed that there are no annual or other periodic sums charged on or issuing out of the land. 

In connection with the sale of the property the following restrictive covenants will be imposed as follows:-

          The buildings shall not be used;

a)         for the manufacturer, distribution, sale or supply of intoxicating liquors, or

b)         for any purpose in connection with the organisation or practise of gambling in any of its forms, or

c)         as a public dance hall, or

d)         for the purposes of trade for gain on Sundays, or

e)         without the express consent of the Methodist Property Office for religious purposes, or

f)          that no act, deed, matter or thing shall at any time be done, suffered or permitted in or upon the land hereby conveyed or any part thereof which may be or become a nuisance, annoyance or disturbance to any adjoining property.

The above covenants will be registered on the Land Register. 

It is believed that access arrangements from the property to Ings Terrace have been enjoyed since 1867.  It is confirmed therefore that the Church premises enjoy a right of way for both vehicles and pedestrians over the various adjacent roadways and paths and out to the public highway, ie. Ings Terrace, which continues to its junction with the public highway known as Front Street. 

Any purchaser is advised to make their own enquiries as to the current situation regarding access to the premises.  The access via the trackway behind the Front Street properties, leading into the only single gated entry, has existed from 1867. 

Access to the School Room has been altered by the construction of a ramped pathway from Ings Terrace to the forecourt area of the School Room.  Planning consent for the construction of the ramped access was granted on 21st December 2007 by the North York Moors National Park Authority under the Reference NYM.2007.0885.FL.  The works were completed by a local contractor by the autumn of 2008. 

STATUTORY MATTERS

Over the past five years discussions with representatives of the Local Planning Authority, the North York Moors National Park Authority, have been undertaken in order to confirm that permission would be likely to be given for the change of use of both the Chapel and the School Room to residential use. 

Since the beginning of 2009 all development proposals within the North York Moors National Park are required to conform to Core Policy J of the Local Development Framework.  They also need to conform to Core Policy I which relates to the loss/provision of community facilities.  Correspondence has been entered into with the Planning Authority to demonstrate that the premises are no longer suitable or viable for community use nor are they required for such use. 

The Authority have already accepted the loss of the Chapel as a community building and in principle, have acknowledged that it is suitable for conversion to residential use. 

The occupancy of any new residential properties created within non-Listed Buildings would be subject to restrictions, firstly that the Authority would prefer the retention of both structures, ie. they do not support the principle of demolition and redevelopment and secondly that any consent would be subject to local occupancy restrictions as outlined in core Policy J of the LDF as follows:-

The occupancy of local needs housing will be restricted to:

■A People who are currently living in and have permanently resided in the

National Park for 5 years or more and are living in accommodation that

no longer meets their requirements or

■B People who do not currently live in the National Park but have a strong

and long standing link to the local community including a previous

period of residence of 5 years or more or

■C People who have an essential need to move to live close to relatives

who are currently living in and have resided in the National Park for at

least the previous 5 years or more and require support for reasons of

age or infirmity or

■D People who require support for reasons of age or infirmity and need to

move to live close to relatives who are currently living and have resided

in the National Park for at least the previous 5 years or more or

■E People who need to live in the National Park as a result of current sole

employment within that parish or adjacent parishes within the National Park

With regard to the conversion of the Chapel, one of the Officers of the Local Authority made the observation some years ago as follows:-

Whilst I appreciate it is not a Listed Building, nor is it within a Conservation Area, I am sure you will agree that the building is quite unique in character and sits in a prominent and elevated position within Grosmont.  …if it could be demonstrated that the building could be sensitively converted we would be more than happy to look at such a scheme for conversion. 

Vehicular access to the premises is currently via Ings Terrace, an adopted roadway maintainable at public expense, and an unadopted off-shoot running in an east/west direction behind the Front Street properties to the entrance gates.  It should be possible to provide a new vehicular access over the land to the front of the Chapel, being that land purchased from Yorkshire Coast Homes some time ago, subject to agreement with the Highway Authority and the North York Moors National Park Authority. 

GENERAL COMMENTS AND GUIDE PRICE

Inspection has confirmed that both structures are in a deteriorating condition.  Over the past few years only a restricted amount of repair work has been possible and as far as the Chapel is concerned it continues to suffer from deterioration and damage, particularly with regard to plasterwork and the roof coverings. 

The only mains services connected to the Chapel are electricity within the building and a possible water supply to an outside tap.  There is no foul drainage connection to the Chapel premises nor is there any fixed heating system.  Mains water, electricity and drainage are connected to the School Room. 

The premises comprise a relatively large site with substantial buildings overlooking the village of Grosmont from an elevated position.  The site is attractive and being within the National Park has a particular attraction to prospective purchasers.  We consider that these premises are desirable and that subject to planning permission being granted for the conversion of the buildings they could provide residential accommodation of outstanding quality in an attractive location. 

The policies of the National Park include allowing not only permanent residential structures subject to local occupancy restrictions but also holiday letting accommodation which would be subject to restrictions as to the length of stay within a calendar year and frequency of those stays. 

Offers to purchase the property are to be made on the basis of an informal tender (see details below). 

Guide price - £150,000

Offers should be forwarded to Bell-Snoxell Associates Ltd at Barclays Bank House, Baxtergate, Whitby, North Yorkshire, Y021 1BW

Telephone (01947) 820262, Fax  (01947) 820644

E-mail - info@bell-snoxell.co.uk

Envelopes to be marked 'Grosmont Methodist Church - Tender'

Offers will also be accepted by e-mail at the address given above

All offers to be forwarded, in writing, by 12 Noon 12th March 2010

Viewing

Accompanied viewing:- please contact Bell-Snoxell Associates Ltd

Solicitor acting for Grosmont Methodist Church Council (the Vendors)

Mr F V Richardson, Thorpe & Co, Solicitors, 3 Bagdale, Whitby,

North Yorkshire, Y021 1QL (01947) 603465

Barclays Bank House, Baxtergate, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1BW

Web: www.bell-snoxell.co.uk Phone: 01947 820262 Fax: 01947 820644 Email: Enquiries@bell-snoxell.co.uk