Portland Square - Savills · Portland Square is located south east of the Carlisle City Centre, with the area being laid out as a residential suburb in the 19th Century, following

Portland Square

CarlisleCA1 1DQ

Executive Summary

Savills on behalf of Cumbria County Council are delighted to bring to the Market this unique development opportunity, provided by the Portland Square properties. This collection of Grade II Listed townhouses benefit from Detailed Planning Consent for the conversion of the former Council offices back to their original use of residential accommodation.

• Rarely Available and Unique Development Opportunity.

• Comprises of three blocks of properties arranged around the Green Space, provided by Portland Square.

• Sought after City Centre location.

• Benefits from Detailed Planning Consent for Conversion Back to Residential Accommodation.

• Offers are sought on an Unconditional Basis for the Whole of the Property.

• For sale via Formal Tender on behalf of Cumbria County Council.

Occupying a site of just over an acre, the sale of the Portland Square properties, one of Carlisle’s finest collection of Victorian buildings, presents a unique opportunity to redevelop a historic site within a sought after residential location. The site benefits from Detailed Planning Consent for the conversion of the properties to 22 residential units, but the site would lend itself to a range of development scenarios, subject to obtaining the necessary consents.

Portland Square

1-5 Portland Square 15-19 Portland Square

Portland Square

1-5 Portland Square

Executive Summary

Portland Square is located south east of the Carlisle City Centre, with the area being

laid out as a residential suburb in the 19th Century, following the dismantling of the

eastern walls of the City. The site is surrounded by a number of Victorian terraced

buildings, varying in size and style; the majority of which, are either residential or

office accommodation.

The property benefits from close proximity to the full range of Carlisle City Centre’s

services and amenities, providing excellent rail, pedestrian, cycle and road access.

Carlisle offers a good range of retail and leisure facilities including; both high street and

independent retailers, along with a number of restaurants, public houses and bars.

Warwick Road, one of the main routes out of the city eastwards, is located just north of

the subject properties and provides easy access to the M6, allowing travel north towards

Scotland and south towards the Lake District and Lancashire, and the A69 which is one

of the major vehicular routes towards the east and the City of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Carlisle railway station, located half a mile away, is situated on the West Coast main

line with direct journey times of around 3.5 hours to London and just over an hour

to Glasgow.

Portland Square

4 Alfred Street North 5 Brunswick Street

Heritage

This area of handsome stone terraces was built in the late 1860’s and early 1880’s.

Initially designed as private residences, many of the buildings became occupied by

various business uses, including those in the ownership of Cumbria County Council.

The sandstone faced three and four storey terraces located around the square,

present a virtually intact surviving example of a central urban Victorian residential

square and as such, is of regional importance, in terms of historic planned urban

design and in the high architectural quality of external features and internal well-

proportioned living accommodation. In addition, the large and attractive central

garden is public open space and is ringed by mature trees, which are a positive part

of the character of the area.

The buildings are typically Victorian in design and include graduated slate pitched

roofs, ashlar stone facades, bay windows and stepped access to portico entrances.

Although the design of the properties around the square does vary, given that they were

constructed at different times from 1860 to 1881.

Internally, although the buildings have been altered over time when they have been

interlinked and converted from residential to office accommodation, they do retain a

number of period features such as historic cornicing, fireplaces and staircases.

The suburb was conceived as a genteel area of generously proportioned buildings for Carlisle’s emerging middle class, escaping the confines of the previously walled City and expanding in the period of growth accompanying the coming of the railways and industrial development.

Portland Square

1-5 Alfred Street North

1-5 Alfred Street North

Description Building Listing Gross Sq ft Gross Sq m

1 Portland Square Grade II 3,541 329










5 Brunswick Street Grade II 2,228 207

4 Alfred Street North Grade II 2,906 270




Total (As Proposed, Excluding Basements) 56,494 5,249

PlanningDetailed Planning Consent and Listed Building Consent (16/0359) was granted in December 2016

and allows for the subdivision of 16No. properties (currently adjoining former Council offices in

3No. blocks) to provide 22No. dwellings, (comprising 5No. townhouses, 11No. live/work units, 3No.

flats and 3No. maisonettes), along with alterations to existing roads, external works to front and

rear of properties, including the walkways and railings of the garden square.

Informal discussions have been undertaken with the city Council (Tel: 01228 817000) and they have

advised that they may now consider a higher density proposal than the consented scheme. We

would recommend that any interested party talks directly with the Council in order to establish

what variation to the Approved Planning Consent would be permitted.

Part of the application also allowed for the ‘stopping up’ of the roads to the north and south of

Portland Square along with works to improve the square itself, which are in the ownership of

Carlisle City Council. This tender does not include land in the ownership of the City Council and we

would recommend that any interested party talk directly with Carlisle City Council in regard to this

part of the proposed scheme.

Conservation Area The subject properties lie within the Chatsworth Square and Portland Square Conservations

Area, designated as such on 1 September 1992 by the Carlisle City Council, in recognition of the

areas special historic and architectural interest. In that regard, the redevelopment of the subject

properties, this presents an exciting and unique opportunity to create a landmark development

within the Conservation Area and within walking distance of the City Centre . Further information

is available at:

https://www.carlisle.gov.uk/Residents/Planning-Building-Control/Heritage-Trees-and-

Conservation/Conservation-Areas

Portland Square

TenureFreehold

Local Authority Cumbria County Council, Cumbria House, 117

Botchergate, Carlisle, Cumbria CA1 1RD

Tender PackA tender pack is available for inspection at the agent’s

offices, which include; official copies of the Register of

Title, replies to Commercial Property Standard Enquiries

and other relevant documentation.

Solicitors Environment & Community Team,

Legal & Democratic Services,

Corporate Customer & Community,

Cumbria House, 117 Botchergate, Carlisle, CA1 1RD

Jane Stark - 07968 793677

Legal CostsEach party will be liable for their own legal costs incurred

as a result of the transaction.

General InformationAll mains services are understood to be connected to the

site. Interested parties should make their own enquiries

relating to services with relevant providers in relation to

the scheme.

Method of SaleOffers are invited on an unconditional basis by Formal

Tender by 12 noon on Friday 15 February 2019. Offers

are to be submitted and addressed to: Matthew Bell,

Development Department, Savills (UK) Ltd, 26 Coniscliffe

Road, Darlington, DL3 7JX.

When submitting an offer to purchase, the Form of

Tender should be completed and submitted to the Selling

Agent, along with; Conditions of Sale, Sale Plan and Draft

TR1 Form as a whole document with an appropriate

cheque, in accordance with the Conditions of Tender.

The successful bid shall comprise of two elements; the

price and a 20% revenue contribution. For example:

Successful Bid £1,000,000

Revenue Contribution £200,000

Price £800,000

The price and the revenue contributions will be invoiced

separately. The transfer document will recite the amount

of the successful bid as the consideration.

Data RoomAn online Data Room has been setup and includes the

following technical documentation and information:

• Decision Notice

• Site Plans (Existing)

• Site Plans (Proposed)

• Traffic Report

• Title Information

• Listing Descriptions

• Design and Access Statement

• Heritage Statement

• Particulars of Sale

• Special Conditions of Sale

• Form of Tender

• Land Registry – Transfer of Whole of Registered Titles

(TR1) Documents

Please contact the agents for access to the Data Room.

ViewingPlease note that viewing is strictly by appointment only.

ContactMatthew Bell Ed Rooney

01325 370431 0161 6028211

07825 893268 07807 999801

[email protected] [email protected]

Date of Information Particulars prepared: November 2018

Photographs taken: November 2018

Portland Square