Former water tower in Wheldrake to be sold at auction (From York Press)

Former water tower in Wheldrake to be sold at auction

7:44am Thursday 11th February 2010 in News By Megi Rychlikova, megi.rychlikova@thepress.co.uk

THIS unusual property looks set to make a splash when it goes under the hammer later this month.

The former water tower in Wheldrake could go for as little as £20,000 and is one of several Yorkshire Water properties in the same auction at Elland Road Football Stadium on February 18.

But would-be buyers are warned that the land the Wheldrake building is on only has planning permission for a water tower and there’s no vehicle access.

Tony Webber, of Eddisons Property Auctions, who are conducting the sale, said: “This is a highly unusual lot. Despite certain restrictions regarding its future use, imaginative buyers may see development potential.”

He said there were now clear signs of a recovery in the property investment market, with particular interest in tenanted or vacant residential property, ground rents, small plots of land, tenanted retail and properties in need of renovation.

The tower and the 0.16 acres of land is situated off Back Lane, Wheldrake, has a guide price of £20,000 plus in the auction catalogue and will be available as a freehold property.

Other former water towers have been turned into homes or office blocks, but the auctioneers warn would-be buyers of the Wheldrake tower they should contact City of York Council about future use.

The only access to the site is a footpath from Main Street going past the side of a doctor’s surgery.

A second water tower will go under the hammer at the same auction. The Lovesome Hill Water Tower, off Oaktree Hill, north of Northallerton, which was leased to a telecommunication company, is also up for sale on the orders of Yorkshire Water. The site is expected to fetch between £5,000 and £10,000.

The former Scalby Bottom Service Reservoir at Scalby Nabs, near Scarborough, is expected to fetch £1,000 plus.