A largely extended semi-detached house with 5.75 acres for market garden/agricultural uses, an own produce farm shop and barns

What We Say at The Zoe Napier Group

Straight Road Boxted is well known for its entrepreneurial market garden/agricultural businesses alongside properties that have since acquired a change of use on their land to include equestrian uses. These premises have so much potential with good passing trade that we are sure the incoming buyer will want to make good use of the yard and facilities for home business purposes.

What The Owners Say

We have thoroughly enjoyed living here, utilising the premises for our livestock haulage business as well as having our own grass-fed livestock. The farm shop is underused, currently open on a Saturday morning and over the festive period selling Christmas Trees etc. There is a good living to be made here. Since the children have flown the nest, we are ready to right size and have a change of scenery.

History & Background

An exciting opportunity to acquire a largely extended three double-bedroom semi-detached family home with 5.75 acres of land with extensive yard areas, an own produce farm shop, and three large agricultural barns for storage and livestock. Our client currently has an HGV operators’ license on site which whilst nontransferable offers similar scope for the incoming buyer subject to appropriate permissions.

The property was originally one of many smallholdings post WWI, then owned by the Salvation Army for ex-servicemen to become market gardeners and grow from the land. It was later during the 1950s that the ownership of these smallholdings was transferred to The County Council of Essex and subsequently, the properties were gradually sold off to private buyers from the 1960s and 70s. Many of the properties had (and still have) covenanted use restrictions for the land to be used for market gardening and agricultural purposes only. This was a benefit to many as homeowners were able to operate and open for business in such related activities. The covenanted land is not permitted to be used for horses.

The house is well presented with two double first-floor bedrooms including an en-suite and first-floor bathroom. A third double bedroom is located on the ground floor where there is also a shower room, a spacious family room with semi-vaulted ceiling, a kitchen/breakfast room, a separate dining room and spacious cloaks and utility areas. The extension was carried out in 2017 creating superb family living spaces complemented further with the ancillary/leisure outbuildings.

Setting & Location

The property is set well back from the road on Straight Road Boxted, approximately 4 miles north of Colchester City and just 2.8 miles from Colchester mainline rail station for ease of rail travel to London's Liverpool Street in approximately 50 minutes.

The house and premises offer extensive road frontage onto Straight Road which extends back to 5.75 acres providing grazing land and significant yard and parking areas where there is a farm shop – predominantly meats and other locally produced provisions as well as Christmas Trees and wreaths over the festive season. Alongside are three large modern agricultural barns, utilized for forage storage and for covered livestock barns. There are two gated access points from the road, as well as a pedestrian gate and private parking area.

In Straight Road are a mix of private residential dwellings and home agricultural/market garden businesses which range from a garden centre with a café, to pick-your-own fruit growers and a garden pot company (amongst other businesses). The road is therefore populated with both local and visiting traffic which would be a strong advantage for any incoming buyer wishing to run a permissible business from home.

Ground Floor Accommodation

The original main front door leads to a small hall with stairs to the first floor. There are two further external doors with a spacious hallway located in the more recent rear extension which are more commonly used. There are two front rooms on either side of the stairs providing a dual aspect, ground floor double bedroom and a separate dining room which has a fireplace recess that has a chimney and could accommodate a log burner (including flue), if required. Beyond is a modern kitchen/breakfast room with a view across the south-facing garden. The kitchen features a breakfast bar for two and is fitted with a range of cream shaker units with an integrated dishwasher, full-height fridge, and a built-in double oven and hob. Access from the kitchen leads to the substantial extension which includes a large L shape hallway with two external doors and an area providing secondary kitchen/storage facilities where there is a built-in drinks fridge cooler and freezer. Access then leads to the ground floor shower room which further accommodates the utility facilities with space and plumbing for white goods. Finally, there is the delightful family room featuring a semi-vaulted ceiling, dual aspect with French doors to the south-facing garden and in addition there is a fireplace feature.

First Floor Accommodation

Stairs lead to the first-floor landing where there is access to a useful eves storage area. There are two double bedrooms including one with an en-suite bath/shower room and a further bedroom with fitted wardrobes adjacent to the main bathroom which also has a bath with plumbed shower over and screen.

Gardens & Ancillary Buildings

The house is surrounded on three sides by attractive landscaping and lawns. To the front is a pedestrian gate with lawns and a herringbone brick driveway for private parking, flanked by a high brick wall that provides suitable screening for the private south-facing gardens which feature brick terraces and Paths. There is also a raised (now covered) former Koi Pond, an outside w.c, and a Scandinavian-style log cabin which has been enjoyed as a lounge/cinema room with a bar. This has been great for family parties where there is additional terracing for alfresco dining to the fore. Opposite is a smaller log cabin which has been used as an occasional guest overnight room. Our clients have thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor rooms and space, especially for when the children were older, enjoying the outbuildings with their friends for sleepovers and having the handy outdoor w.c was of great benefit.

Yard, Land & Agricultural Buildings

A wide gated access with a deep apron to pull off the road leads to the main yard area where there is extensive parking and the outbuildings created to provide the farm shop facilities with associated storage, a w.c., and a washroom. There is an attractive shop frontage which has a traditional veranda for external covered displays.

A second gated yard area has three large modern (open-fronted) agricultural barns. These provide extensive storage for hay/straw bales, covered storage for machinery, and covered livestock barns. Please note all livestock equipment including the feeders etc is available strictly by separate negotiation (if required). Further parking areas provide space for an HGV vehicle (that has a current operator’s license in name only) and with further space for trailers etc. The grazing land is divided into four gated areas which include a front orchard and a separate gated access from the road in the far corner.

Agents Notes

• The property is on one title deed EX91711 with an appendix dated 1964 (County Council Act 1952) relating to the use of the land for market garden and agricultural purposes only.
• The adjoining neighbouring property (number 28) affords an easement over the path from the pedestrian gate.
• Our clients have completed a Propertymark questionnaire providing buyers wishing to make an offer with further details about the property. Please request this from the agent.
• Colchester Council 

Services

Mains Electricity. Mains Water. LPG Gas Heating. Modern Private Drainage Digester. 

PLEASE CALL FOR THE FULL BROCHURE