Land north of Watery Lane

An excellent opportunity to acquire 3.835 hectares (9.48 acre) of potential development land in a well-placed location in South Essex.

Description
Parcel 1 is a 3.84-ha (9.48-ac) rectangular parcel of arable land. It is bordered by trees. To the north and east is the new development, High Elms Park. To the south is a potential access route via Watery Lane. Existing access is taken from Watery Lane to the south and through the through the farm complex to the north-west.

Location
The site is located to the south-west of the large village of Hullbridge. Ferry Road, the main road through Hullbridge, is a five-minute walk and it features a number of shops and services. This includes Budgens and Co-op food stores, One Stop (with post office), Pharmacy, Medical Centre, The Hullbridge Centre, Riverside Primary School, two pubs, Community Centre, Yacht Club and numerous shops, takeaways and restaurants. There is also a free public car park on the river front. Other amenities close to the site include Coventry Hill Service Station (with shop), allotments, Hullbridge Sports Club and The Rayleigh Golf Club. Numerous bus stops line Lower Road offering services to Rayleigh, Rochford and Southend-on- Sea. Rayleigh and Hockley Train Stations are less than 3 miles away offering services to London Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria. The site is a 10-minute drive from the A130, providing access north towards Chelmsford and south towards Basildon. The A130 connects to the A127 via a 13-mintue car journey giving ease of access to the M25 and also Southend- on-Sea.

Town and Country Planning
The site is within the jurisdiction of Rochford District Council (RDC). Rochford District Core Strategy was adopted in 2011 and the council is in the process of producing a new Local Plan. RDC conducted a consultation on spatial options in Q3 2021. Rochford is currently updating its evidence base and anticipates that its Preferred Options consultation will occur in Spring 2023. The site is not allocated for residential development in the existing Core Strategy. It is allocated in the London Metropolitan Green Belt. The neighbouring development site at High Elms Park is nearing completion by Barratt David Wilson Homes, which forms an allocation in both the existing and emerging local plans for development at South-West Hullbridge (SER6). In the emerging draft Local Plan, in the Hierarchy of Settlements, Hullbridge is classed as a Tier 3 Settlement, which contain ‘a modest range of local services, including single primary schools, small village centres and a modest range of retail, employment and community facilities’. Both parcels were submitted to the Rochford Local Plan ‘Call for Sites’ in 2017 (CFS149 and CFS006). The 2021 RDC Site Appraisal Paper deemed parcel 1 deliverable (subject to policy) for approx. 101 residential units. Its level of harm to the Green Belt from potential redevelopment was ranked ‘2’ - development would result in moderate or moderate-high harm to the Green Belt. This is a lower level of impact than many of the Green Belt sites reviewed by the Site Appraisal.

Information Pack
A comprehensive online Information Pack can be downloaded. Please contact Eliza Griffiths for access.

Tenure
The freehold of the site is offered for sale with vacant possession on completion. It is held under the title EX765133. Some of the land as part of this title, to the west of the parcels, is the existing farm buildings to be retained by the seller.

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.

Method of Sale
The seller’s preference is for an unconditional sale of the land. The freehold of the site is offered for sale by Informal Tender. Offers are to be submitted in writing to Bidwells, Bidwell House, Trumpington, Cambridge, CB2 9LD. 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 ‘PICKERELS FARM, HULLBRIDGE – for the attention of NEIL KELLY’.

Planning
Bidwells Planning would be pleased to offer advice to any prospective parties. For specific queries, please contact Steven Butler.

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 David Bentley.

Viewings
Viewing is strictly by 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
The site is not elected for tax and VAT will not be charged on the purchase price.

Photographs
Any fixtures, fittings or equipment shown are not necessarily included in the sale.