Stanley Park – A Stroud Saga
Cotswold Conundrum
Stanley Park, Selsley, Stroud, Gloucestershire
We first listed this amazing property located in the picturesque Cotswolds on 15th July 2012 when it was guided at £650,000. Just goes to show that the old Unique Property Bulletin Archive site can be of some use for seeing how past properties come back up for sale.
Since then, Stanley Park appeared on an estate agency website marked as “under offer” and a revised tag of £595,000 (click here). The owner up until the trail went cold was Cretra Investments Ltd. However a short while ago they appeared to have been liquidated (click here). The odd thing is that when you research in a little more depth, the debenture/debt secured was a minuscule £500 (five hundred pounds). Simple to confirm (click here). Readers who have experience in property matters will understand what this means.
Stanley Park, Selsley, Stroud, Gloucestershire
Photo Courtesy of ASandP
In essence the company was NOT insolvent in the technical sense. As the solemn declaration states: click here.
If you haven’t already seen the new Companies House Beta system – which is now totally free – it is well worth trying it out. This Stanley Park property is one such case to study. Looking at the 2013 accounts the Fixed Asset is valued at £153,466. Checking the company accounts back to 2010 the Fixed Asset is valued at £146,783. There is a reasonable (though not infallible) deduction that this refers to the manor house (the slight uplift in asset on the books due to revaluation of the property for accountancy purposes). Of course you need to be a forensic accountant to probe some of these documents, and many don’t allow too much to be read into this. Even so it can give an instinctive feel for how things go behind the scenes, and is useful in informing your views on a project such as this.
However, this does give an interesting financial backdrop to this magnificent manor house. The next stage would be to either check HM Land Registry to discover the amount paid for this property in the recent past, or if it is being sold by a charge-holder (unlikely given the £500 mortgage and solemn declaration of solvency). For further tips on property research etc., you might find the Unique Property Manual helpful click here.
Interior of Character Awaiting Redevelopment: Stanley Park, Gloucestershire
This digression is to illustrate to any reader not yet utilising HM Land Registry and Companies House online facilities that they can be valuable in ascertaining values of property. Which in turn can help you negotiate a better deal. Especially for something as big as this building and when there is a question mark on the why and when – indeed the if – of previous sales given the place is now up for auction.
The question is that with four numbers: £650,000 sought in 2012; £595,000 asked for more recently, and a book value apparently at £153,466; then an auction guide of £750,000 – what will the actual auction sale price be?
If your interest is piqued, please let us know how you get on? This is an amazing building and looks to be in need of some t.l.c., to restore it to former glory.
Auction Summary:
Extending to Approximately 1,580 sq m (17,000 sq ft).
Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for Alterations to provide Eight Apartments.
Occupying a Site extending to Approximately 0.853 Hectares (2.108 Acres).
Car Parking and Gardens.
Potential for Alternative Uses subject to obtaining all necessary consents.
Location: Stanley Park, Selsley, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 5LF
Auction Guide: £750,000 – Auction Date: 17th December 2015
Further Details: Click Here. Then navigate Allsop’s website to locate Lot 184 (sorry we couldn’t give a direct one-click weblink. You’ll need to ask Allsops why they make that so difficult for us to help introduce folk interested in buying).
PDF Details: Click Here
Contact Allsop’s Auction Tel: 020 7494 3686.
Please can readers mention to external agents/auctioneers that they found the place for sale in Unique Property Bulletin. This helps us keep this publication free for all readers.
