BEST BIDS TO REACH THIS OFFICE BY 4pm ON THURSDAY 24th NOVEMBER 2022 - OF INTEREST TO PRIVATE BUYERS, DEVELOPERS AND INVESTORS.

AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE A DETACHED HOUSE AND FORMER CHURCH, WITH POTENTIAL FOR A VARIETY OF USES, OCCUPYING A PROMINENT POSITION WITH VIEWS OF THE MENAI STRAIT.

THE FORMER VICARAGE

- Entrance Hall
- Living Room
- Dining Room
- Kitchen
- Utility
- Library
- Office
- Downstairs w.c.
- 5 Double Bedrooms
- 2 Bath/Shower Rooms
- Garage
- Parking
- Gardens

FORMER CHURCH OF ST. MARY

- Nave
- Transept
- Vestry
- Altar
- Utility
- In all about 0.71 acres (0.28 ha)

LOCATION

The site occupies a convenient location within the village of Y Felinheli enjoying a slightly elevated position with views towards the Menai Strait. The historic town of Caernarfon is nearby and offers a comprehensive range of services for everyday needs including high street banks, supermarkets, doctor’s and dentist’s surgeries, restaurants, pubs and a parade of shops.

On the educational front there is a choice of both private and state schools nearby including Rydal Penrhos. Sporting activities are well catered for with marinas at Caernarfon and Porthmadog and excellent walking in the nearby Snowdonia National Park along with the many coastal walks along the Llyn Peninsula.

Caernarfon and Bangor offer well established football, cricket, rugby and hockey clubs and there are several links golf courses locally. There are a large selection of outdoor activities including Surf Snowdonia, Zip World and the Llyn Peninsula coastline is within a short drive offering various water sport activities.

COMMUNICATIONS

The property is conveniently placed for the A55 Expressway which provides daily travel along the North Wales coastline serving all areas of commerce from Anglesey to Chester. Beyond Chester the M53 & M56 motorways serve Liverpool, Manchester and in turn connect with the national motorway network. From the nearby Bangor station, there is 1 hour 45 mins service to Chester station from which there is a sub 2 hour rail service to London Euston via Crewe. For travel abroad Liverpool and Manchester are both served by international airports and the ferry terminal at Holyhead is 35 miles distant.

THE FORMER VICARAGE

The Former Vicarage & Church of St. Mary offers an exciting and unusual opportunity to acquire a substantial detached house and attractive church which could be suitable for a variety of different uses subject to the availability of planning permission.

The Former Vicarage is constructed of brick and block with cream painted rendered elevations beneath a slate roof, and provides spacious and highly adaptable accommodation arranged over 4 floors, extending to approximately 2,250 square feet. The building appears to have been well maintained but would clearly benefit from a scheme of modernisation and improvement to meet with modern standards. From the lane a driveway opens with parking for several cars off which is a detached single garage. Steps lead to the front door opening into a small porch and through into the hall. To the left of the hall are 2 bedrooms served by a family shower room with tiled shower cubicle, pedestal hand basin with tiled splashbacks and a low flush w.c. From the hall steps lead down to the lower ground floor which has a rear hall with separate w.c. and a cloakroom off, as well as a personnel door to the driveway. At lower ground floor level there are 3 rooms which comprise an office, library/study and principal bedroom with sliding doors to the rear patio and built-in cupboard.

At first floor level is the living accommodation which comprises a dining room with electric fire and dual aspect which opens into the living room. Adjacent to the dining room is the kitchen with wooden wall and base units, stainless steel sink with drainer and Zanussi 4 ring electric oven. The utility room houses an l-shaped base unit with tiled splashbacks. On the second floor are 3 double bedrooms served by a family bathroom with integrated bath, pedestal hand basin, tiled shower cubicle and low flush w.c.

THE FORMER CHURCH OF ST MARY

The Former Church is believed to date from 1865 and is constructed of Welsh stone with buttress supports to the gable ends, dressed stone mullion windows and stone door architraves beneath a slate roof. The building extends to approximately 2,500 square feet, and is particularly attractive with numerous period features both inside and to the exterior, of note are the dressed stone arches inside, and stained glass windows. A gate with wrought iron arched name plate above stating ‘Eglwys Saint Mair’ leads to a path up to the church. The church has two access points either via the main entrance or via a side door which historically would have been used by the vicar.

Internally the church has an impressive vaulted ceiling with exposed timbers throughout and lovely stained glass windows. Within the main body of the church there is the principal nave, transept to the left and altar. Opposite the transept a door leads to the vestry and through to the utility room which has door to outside. The organ remains in situ as do many of the pews.

DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

Given that neither building is listed, the site offers an exciting development opportunity subject to the availability of planning permission. In their existing form, both buildings offer comfortable accommodation for their respective permitted uses. The former vicarage presently provides spacious living accommodation, but does require upgrading and would also benefit from reconfiguration to meet with modern standards which, once carried out, would provide a superb family home with views of the straits. The former church appears to be in generally fair order, and could be suitable both from a commercial and residential perspective, including for conversion to a spectacular individual single dwelling. The property currently falls within planning use D1 of the Use Classes Order. Alternative uses may be possible subject to planning permission. Prospective purchasers must make their own enquiries with the local planning authority if they wish to consider any changes to the use of the building. In the alternative, there is scope for redevelopment of the entire site, with several replacement dwellings to the existing buildings. The site could support a select small development, in a sought after and convenient coastal location close to Caernarfon.

PROPERTY INFORMATION

Address: The Former Vicarage & Church of St. Mary, Y Felinheli, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL56 4SQ.

Tenure: Freehold with vacant possession.

Services: Prospective purchasers must make their own detailed enquiries in relation to the electricity and water supplies and to establish the location of any other required services in relation to their intended use.

Local Authority: Gwynedd Borough Council. [use Contact Agent Button]
Council Tax: To be advised.

Viewing: Strictly by appointment via Jackson-Stops, Chester office [use Contact Agent Button] or Williams & Goodwin, Bangor office [use Contact Agent Button].

Fixtures: The property will be sold as seen. The contents within the buildings are to be included unless otherwise agreed. Church in Wales Charity Statement: As a registered charity (registered charity number: 1142813) our client is required to obtain best value in all disposals of property in line with the provisions of the Charities Act 2011 and to ensure that terms are endorsed by a chartered surveyor as being in accordance with the Act. The quoted asking price is a guide and interested parties should submit the best offer they are prepared to make. In accordance with our client’s charitable status, the property may remain on the open market until exchange of contracts; our clients reserve the right to consider any other offer which is forthcoming. This property will be sold subject to our client’s standard covenants.

Covenants: The property is shown coloured pink on the plan and must not be used for:
- Manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol.
- Religious use.
- Immoral, sacrilegious, offensive or noisy purposes; use for the occult or psychic mediums; use as a club or any use which may cause nuisance or annoyance to the vendor; weddings.

The property must cease to be called St Mary’s Church and/or Vicarage and must not be called by any name that is associated with its use as a church and/or Vicarage or the dedication ‘St Mary’.

The purchaser must agree:

To give the vendor notice of any proposal to remove where present any remaining stained glass, fonts, altars, organs, bells, wall memorials or plaques from the property. If Local Authority Planning Consent is granted, the items must be offered to the vendor who must be given three months from the date of removal to respond and collect the items. If the property is sold to another party (the acquiring party), the
purchaser will enter into a contract with the acquiring party and the Representative Body to the effect that the acquiring party will accept and uphold the covenants contained in the original conveyance and incorporate the same clause in the terms of any contract with any successive purchaser. The purchaser will be responsible for meeting surveyors, and solicitors’ fees or any other reasonable costs incurred as a result of any variation, licence or contract relating to any of the above conditions.

DIRECTIONS

From the A55 exit at Junction 10 and at the roundabout take the first exit along the A4087 signposted Caernarfon. At the next roundabout take the second exit along the B4547/Bangor Street and continue for approximately 2 miles passing through Y Felinheli and on leaving the village the property will be seen on the left-hand side opposite the turning for Beach Road.