House for sale in Sticklepath, Dartmoor National Park - 4 bedrooms

DESCRIPTION
Crows Nest offers an increasingly rare opportunity to design and build a new country house in the Dartmoor National Park on a site running out onto open moorland, with boulder strewn grounds, streams and ponds, extensive equestrian facilities, and stunning views across mid Devon to Exmoor from 950 feet above sea level. Apart from the siting of the new house, as with any outline planning permission, nothing else is "fixed in stone" with the National Park planning authorities, so there is tremendous scope for putting one’s case as to what one wants to build on the site. There may also be scope for "trading off" tidying up the site and demolishing the riding school and stable yard together with the groom’s flat, with re-siting the house. From the riding school there is an unobstructed view over one’s own land to the open moor, as illustrated on the outside back cover of the attached brochure.

Cosdon Hill at 1,800 feet dominates the north east side of Dartmoor and is a large smooth dome of granite giving spectacular views over mid Devon and the rest of Dartmoor. For photographs from Cosdon Hill see: www.phototropic.co.uk/landscapeleaps/dartmoor_panoramic_photography/pano-Cosdon_Hill_Dartmoor.

There are the remains of several cairns and a treble stone row near the summit, as well as a triangulation point which has in the past been used as a beacon, with the next beacon along at Dunkery on Exmoor.

Crows Nest House, which currently sits below the site for the new house, was built in the 1920/30s with a timber frame, timber board cladding, and felt and steel box profile sheeted roofing. The house is on three storeys in part, with storage areas on the ground level. It is located on the lower section of the land, which is divided by a narrow "green track", and around and below the house are delightful woodland gardens and mature deciduous standard trees. The land above the "green track" runs up to the moorland access, with a further three enclosures along the moorland wall on the other side of a track to the moor. In the middle of the central section of land is the stable yard with an indoor riding school and the outdoor sand school, which is the site for the new house. Next to the site for the new house is a series of overgrown ponds and a number of streams. There is also a fourth block of land further down the hill, which is an insignificant sliver of scrub.

LOCATION
Crows Nest, as named, sits high above the villages of Sticklepath and South Zeal, which are on the north slopes of Dartmoor National Park. They have a thriving local community with a post office / general stores, tearoom, two public houses and a primary school. 4.5 miles away at Okehampton there are further amenities with 3 supermarkets including a Waitrose, nationally and locally owned shops, a community hospital, leisure centre, primary, secondary and tertiary schooling and active rugby and football clubs with opportunities for tennis, squash and bowls. From the village there are regular bus services to Exeter with excellent access onto the A30 dual carriageway 4.5 miles to the east at Whiddon Down, or 4 miles to the west at Okehampton. Consequently there is quick access via the A30 to the university and cathedral city of Exeter, where there is the M5 motorway, railway stations with mainline connections to London, an international airport and a selection of private and state schools. Dartmoor is renowned for its spectacular scenery and there are excellent opportunities locally for walking, riding and fishing.

PLANNING
There is outline planning permission to build a new house on the outdoor sand school. This permission is subject to providing detailed drawings showing the design and external appearance, the siting, the materials to be used, arrangements for disposing foul and surface water, means of access from the public highway, areas for vehicle parking, landscaping and all other works including walls, fences and other means of enclosure and screening. Drawings should also indicate the location and species of all trees existing on the site. A bat and bird survey will need to be carried out.

The existing dwelling should be demolished and all resultant debris removed from site within three months of the occupation of the replacement dwelling, unless otherwise previously agreed in writing.

The groom’s flat in the stable yard had planning permission granted in 1981 (reference number 03/26/0989/81) with a condition that it should be ancillary to the existing dwelling and was for the benefit of a previous owner. An application to vary the benefit for a new owner would be required if there is still a need for this accommodation. The property has been run in the past as a riding school.

INDOOR RIDING SCHOOL
The indoor riding school is 98’ x 62’ with an asbestos sheeted roof, asbestos and corrugated steel sheet cladding, and stone and block walling. A clear span portal frame riding arena of 98’ x 49’ also has an adjoining lean-to of 98’ x 13’ incorporating a feed store, hay store and loose box.

14 LOOSE BOXES
A concrete yard is surrounded by fourteen pitched felt roofed timber framed and clad loose boxes, a tack room and the small self contained groom’s flat.

GROOM’S FLAT
Bed / sitting room 17’ 7" x 11’ 6", kitchen 9’ x 5’ and bathroom.

OUTDOOR SAND SCHOOL
The sand school is 100’ x 60’ and is the site for the new home, below the groom’s flat and loose boxes.

2 FOALING BOXES
There are two timber frame foaling boxes between the sand school and the existing house, with a small field shelter the other side of the hedge.

ACCESS
Access to the property is via a "green lane", ownership of which is unknown. Agreement has recently been reached amongst property owners using the access to share the cost of laying concrete tram lines and tarmac up to the first turning to Beacon Cottage (marked A on the plan). Although this agreement has not yet been documented, work is planned to start in the Autumn of 2007. It should be noted that vehicular access is narrow and will limit the size of construction and delivery vehicles. There is vehicular access to the existing house, a separate entrance through sheeted gates to the stable yard and the site for the new house, and two gateways into the central block of land into the two enclosures running above the indoor riding school. Vehicular access then continues to the third block of land with three enclosures along the moorland wall.

RIGHTS OF WAY
There are no rights of way over the land being sold, although there are a number of bridle ways skirting the property with one running between the lower block of land and the central block along the "green track" just above the existing house.

VIEWING
By appointment only through Townsend Chartered Surveyors, Matford Centre, Matford Park Road, Exeter, EX2 8FD.   
Tel: (01392) 823935  Fax: (01392) 823938
Email: property@townsendcharteredsurveyors.co.uk

SERVICES
Water Metered mains supply to house with a spring fed reservoir to the buildings. Drainage Existing house has a septic tank. Electricity Mains supply. Council Tax Band F for the existing house £2,043.17 payable for 2007/08.

EASEMENTS
The property is sold subject to and with the benefit of all rights, including rights of way, whether public or private, light, sporting, drainage, gas, water and electricity supplies and other rights and obligations, easements, quasi-easements and restrictive covenants and all existing proposed wayleaves for masts, pylons, stays, cables, water, gas, or other pipes whether referred to in these particulars or not, and to the provisions of any Planning or Highways scheme of the County or Local Authorities.

FIXTURES & FITTINGS
If not specifically mentioned in the particulars, no fixtures and fittings are included in the sale, including fitted carpets, curtains, light fittings, garden ornaments etc. The vendor may consider selling some items by separate negotiation. If electrical or other items are purchased from the Vendor, these have not been tested by Townsend Chartered Surveyors and therefore prospective purchasers must satisfy themselves as to their working order.

AUTHORITIES
Devon County Council County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 4QG. Tel: (0845) 155 1019

West Devon Borough Council Kilworthy Park, Tavistock, PL19 OBZ. Tel: (01822) 813600

Dartmoor National Park Authority Parke, Bovey Tracey, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ30 9JQ. Tel: (01626) 832093

FLOOR, SALE PLANS & PHOTOGRAPHS
The floor plans are not to scale and are for illustrative purposes only as to the type of accommodation available. The other plans are also not to scale and should be used for reference only. Although carefully prepared the accuracy of these plans is not guaranteed.

MISREPRESENTATION DISCLAIMER
Any representations made by the Vendor or Townsend Chartered Surveyors whether orally or in writing and whether made prior hereto or contained herein is believed to be correct but it’s accuracy is not guaranteed. The Purchaser acknowledges that he has satisfied himself as to the accuracy thereof by inspection, measurement, search or otherwise and that he has entered into the contract on reliance upon his own researches and not reliant upon any such representation made by the Vendor or Townsend Chartered Surveyors.

Any description and information given should not be relied on as a statement or representation of the fact that the property or its services or any appliances are in good condition or working order. Photographs show only certain parts and aspects of the property at the time they were taken. Any areas, measurements or distances given are approximate only. Any reference to alterations to or use of, any part of the property is not a statement that any necessary planning, Building Regulations or other consent has been obtained. These matters must be verified by any intending Purchaser.