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

SALE OF METHODIST TRUST PROPERTY ON BEHALF OF STAITHES METHODIST CHURCH MANAGING TRUSTEES

PROPERTY          Staithes Methodist Church, Beckside, Staithes,

Saltburn TS13 5BS

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Staithes Methodist Church comprises a substantial detached, purpose built Church with accommodation on three principal floors including the main ground floor Chapel area above which is a balcony and below which is a School Room together with some ancillary rooms including a kitchen. 

The premises were built in 1866 as a Wesleyan Chapel.  The building is typical of many Wesleyan Chapels with a central pulpit above a communion rail area and a full rectangular balcony with raked seating, supported on cast iron columns.

The premises are located in the lower part of the village of Staithes on a site elevated above Staithes Beck and away from the coastal/harbour edge.  Uses in the vicinity are primarily residential with the usual village amenities including post office and general stores.  Staithes village is situated on the north east coast of England in an area protected by National Heritage Coastal Policies, the village itself being designated a Conservation Area and located within the North York Moors National Park. 

Site Measurements etc.

Attached is a Location Plan showing the Church premises located in the heart of the village of Staithes having the roadway known as Beckside lying immediately to the north, the property being orientated roughly east west with the main entrance doors facing west. 

Apart from a small entrance yard area, the building occupies all of its curtilage, the principal dimensions being as follows:-

Main curtilage/frontage         10.60m

Main curtilage/building length 14.20m

Total gross curtilage area       150.52m²

Access to the Church premises is available at ground and lower ground floor levels.  At ground floor level there is a principal entrance door set into an open porch entry with doors off to each side giving access to the stairs up to the gallery.  There is also a side entrance door from Chapel Yard into the ground floor worship area. 

A third entrance is provided at the lower ground floor level with access to Chapel Yard leading into a lobby area adjacent to the kitchen and w.c.

The premises remain fully furnished with all pews, communion rail, pulpit etc. remaining in place

The building comprises a single structure with no secondary structures or outbuildings. 

Measurement of buildings

The principal areas of the Church premises have the following dimensions:-

Maximum internal length (measured along balcony)            11.65m

Maximum internal width (measured across balcony)            10.13m

Chapel ground floor area including Vestry and vestibule        106.59m²

Gross internal floorspace, lower ground floor level       118.02m²

Overall depth of worship area (excludes gallery stairs)           10.50m

Overall maximum width of worship area            10.16m

Details of Accommodation

The accommodation within the premises comprises:-

Main ground floor - Principal front entrance with recessed entrance doors and vestibule, main Chapel area including fixed pews and a central pulpit.  To the side of the main worship area is a Vestry.

Lower ground floor - Stairs lead down from the main ground floor worship area to the right hand side of the pulpit into a School Room off which is a side entrance lobby and external door, a kitchen, a w.c and off the School Room, a boiler room.  There are also some small store rooms at the southern end off the School Room.

First Floor - Two flights of stairs rise up from the external front entrance porch area to a balcony with at the eastern end, an area that was formerly the organ position.  The organ has been removed.

Outside – The only land attached to the property is the front entrance deck located above Beckside. 

Details of Construction

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

Walls – Solid brick walling with some stone dressings around windows and doors.  The lower section of the walling above Beckside is in natural stone.  All walling is in solid construction. 

Roofs – The roofs are pitched, conventionally constructed and covered in Welsh slate. 

Floors – All of the principal floors are in tongued and grooved boarding on joists.  There are small sections of solid flooring at the lower ground floor level including parts of the entry lobby and boiler room. 

Ceilings – The principal Chapel ceiling is in painted matchboarding.  The soffit to the gallery is in lath and plaster and there are lath and plaster ceilings to the School Room. 

TENURE

The property is available for sale on the basis of a freehold interest.  Vacant possession will be available on completion of purchase.

EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

It is understood from representatives of the Cleveland and Danby Methodist Circuit and of the Staithes Methodist Church Managing Trustees 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. 

The subject building is shown edged red on the attached plan.  The plan is provided for identification purposes only.

ALTERATIONS TO BUILDINGS

As a result of these instructions, approaches were made to the Local Planning Authority, namely The North York Moors National Park Authority, to confirm whether or not they would allow the conversion/adaptation of the Church premises to use for other purposes including residential use as it had been decided to close/sell the premises. 

The enquiries were made on a confidential basis and a response was received from the Planning Officer for the National Park Authority by way of a letter dated 7th January 2010, a copy of which is attached, which stated that under the terms of the Local Development Framework, adopted by the Authority in November 2008, Core Policy I of the document considers community facilities and states that the loss of community facilities will be resisted unless it can be robustly demonstrated that such facilities are no longer suitable or viable for community use. 

A submission was made providing information relating to the use of the premises noting that use was intermittent and infrequent and that the costs of maintenance were significantly higher than any income generated. 

The Authority indicated that on the assumption that the loss of the building in its use as a Methodist Church would be acceptable it would be preferable to retain the structure and convert it to other uses notwithstanding the fact that the building is not a Listed structure.  It was confirmed that uses of the building could include residential use so long as it was subject to local occupancy restrictions as outlined in Core Policy J of the Local Development Framework.

The Authority made the unsolicited observation that in their view the fenestration detailing of the premises would be suitable for conversion to uses other than for religious services. 

A specific question was posed to the Authority regarding the possibility of conversion to three holiday cottages.  Such a proposal has received generalised support subject to various criteria and subject to further observations made by the Building Conservation Officer for the Authority.  Details of the observations are included in the letter at Appendix 3. 

With regard to the possibility of residential use, either as three units subject to local occupancy restrictions or three units for holiday use, it is considered that these uses may be the most appropriate for the locality although this does not exclude the possibility of other non-intrusive uses of a commercial nature.  It is likely that any commercial uses would need to be of a quiet nature as there are dwellings in close proximity to the subject building.  There are numerous properties within less than 6.0m of the structure.

The Local Planning Authority have indicated that should approval be given for permanent residential use, the occupation of any such dwellings should be limited to:-

(a) a qualifying person; and

(b) a wife or husband (or person living as such), licensee, dependant or sub-tenant of a qualifying person.

For the purpose of the above, a person is a qualifying person in relation to the dwelling if he/she has an interest in the dwelling (see Note A) and, immediately prior to occupying the dwelling, he/she has satisfied the Local Planning Authority that he/she was in need of local needs housing in terms of the criteria set out in Core Policy J of the adopted North York Moors Local Development Framework, namely that he/she:-

has been permanently resident within the National Park (see Note B) for at least 5 years, or

(2) while not now resident within the parish, has either: a strong and long standing link with the local community which must include a previous period of residence of 5 years or more; or an essential need arising from age or infirmity to move to a village to be near relatives who have been permanently resident within the National Park for at least the previous 5 years; or require support for reasons of age or infirmity and need to live close to relations who are currently living and have resided in the park for at least the previous 5 years or more; or

(3) has a need to live in the National Park as a result of his/her current sole employment in this parish or adjoining parishes within the National Park.

PROPOSED RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

In connection with the sale of the property the Methodist Church may consider the imposition of the following restrictive covenants that will be the subject of further discussion and agreement:-

          The building 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 orpermitted in or upon the land hereby conveyed or any part thereof whichmay be or become a nuisance, annoyance or disturbance to any adjoining property.

The above Covenants may be registered on the Land Register should they be included.

Our inspection has confirmed that the structure is in need of repairs and improvements.  Over the past few years a restricted amount of repair work has been possible but the structure continues to suffer from some deterioration, particularly with regard to internal plasterwork and other detailing and externally, to pointing, roof coverings and other features.

Mains services including electricity, water and drainage are connected to the Church building.  In recent years there have been improvements to electrical installations by way of the replacement of older wiring but further works will be required in respect of  the wiring and the heating installation which is oil fired.  Mains gas is not available in the lower part of the village of Staithes.

The property comprises a relatively large structure located in the lower part of the coastal village of Staithes on a site elevated above Staithes Beck and away from the coastal/harbour edge.  The location is attractive and, being within the National Park and within a Conservation Area has a particular attraction to many prospective purchasers.  We consider that these premises are desirable and that subject to planning permission being granted for the conversion of the structure, this building could provide facilities of outstanding quality.

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 - [email protected]

Envelopes to be marked 'Staithes Methodist Church - Tender'

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

All offers to be forwarded, in writing, by 12.00 Noon 25th June 2010

Viewing

Both accompanied and unaccompanied viewing can be arranged.

Please contact Bell-Snoxell Associates Ltd for details.

Key can be obtained from Mr Vic Humphries Tel 01947 840392 of 37 Captain Cook's Close, Staithes, TS13 5AW.

Solicitor acting for Staithes Methodist Church Managing Trustees(the Vendors)

Colin G Vaux at Punch Robson, Solicitors, 35 Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 1NU

01642 230700

Land Registry Title No. NYK374461 last entry – 17th December 2009

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

Web: www.bell-snoxell.co.uk Phone: 01947 820262 Fax: 01947 820644 Email: [email protected]