Commercial property for sale in Whetstone Gorse Lane, Whetstone, Leicester, Leicestershire LE8

A superb listed country house, requiring renovation, with potential for a variety of future uses.

7 miles Leicester City Centre, 5 miles M1 (J21), 22 miles Northampton, 47 miles Birmingham
Main house: Reception hall | Drawing room Dining room | Sitting room | Library | Study Kitchen and domestic offices | Ballroom Ancillary offices | 10 Main bedrooms 4 Secondary bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms | Cellars
Traditional brick barns and stable yard
Mature gardens and grounds in all about 5.11 acres (2.07 Ha).
For sale by Private Treaty as a whole.
EPC Rating F (commercial)

Whetstone Pastures House
Whetstone Pastures House is a classic large country house with traditional range of stable outbuildings set in approximately 5 acres of mature gardens. Approached via a private, tree-lined drive which passes through the parkland, the house stands in a secluded rural position surrounded by beautiful mature trees.

The main house is a striking villa-style property constructed originally for the Hind family, owners of the Swithland slate quarry. It has been in the vendors' family since 1910, with the main house used as a residential care home up to 2008. It is now in need of significant renovation and improvement, but retains many fine period details and features, whilst providing for a variety of future uses, subject to the necessary planning permission.

Situation
Whetstone Pastures House lies just south of Whetstone, about 7 miles to the south of Leicester City Centre, and within easy reach of the excellent motorway network in the Midlands linking to Rugby, Northampton, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby and Birmingham.

Communication links are excellent, Junction 21 of the M1 lies a few miles north, at Leicester, which also provides mainline rail connections to London St Pancras International in a little over an hour. Birmingham and East Midlands Airports are approximately 40 and 33 miles from the property respectively.

Accommodation
Whetstone Pastures House provides accommodation extending to about 11,372 square feet gross internal area over three floors (with substantial cellars on top of that area), with largely rendered elevations under hipped Swithland slate roofs and stucco chimney stacks. Although the house requires a full programme of renovation, it could be restored to its former glory and offers many fine original features including cornices, sash windows, fireplaces and wooden panelling.

The house is entered through a central Doric portico, with slate steps and pedestals which rise to half-glazed double front doors. There is a central hall, which is flanked by four reception rooms, and offers a connecting passage to the former ballroom, with an impressive bay window overlooking the front drive. The rear wing incorporates the former kitchens and domestic offices, with access to the stable courtyard to the east.

An early 19th century staircase with double stick balusters and a ramped, scrolled hardwood hand rail rises to the first floor. The landing is spacious, and has elliptical arches, and the main bedrooms have cornices and mid-19th Century slate fireplaces, some also offering canted or triangular oriel windows.

In the past some of these rooms have been divided and institutionalised, and some reorganisation is likely to be required. The second floor is accessed via a staircase in the rear wing, and formerly comprised a manager's flat, with 3 additional bedrooms and a bathroom.

Stable courtyard
To the east of Whetstone Pastures House stands a fine range of traditional brick barns forming two sides of a courtyard. It includes stabling for about 5 horses, various store sheds, as well as two large double height barns. These are currently used as a farm workshop and 'party barn' ideal for entertaining or use as a games room. Planning consent for change of use to offices was granted in 2005 but allowed to lapse. We believe there is still potential, subject to consent, to provide ancillary accommodation for the main house, equestrian facilities or other commercial uses, with access provided by a new spur from the main drive.

Gardens
The main gardens lie to the south and west of the main house, with signs of the earlier landscape features and many mature shrubs and trees such as azalea, mulberry, beech oak, chestnut and cedar. Indeed, it is understood that the gardens were originally designed by Waterers in 1911 and keen horticulturalists might well discover rare species in undertaking a restoration project. To the front of the house, the drive sweeps to a parking area flanked by lawn, and beyond there is a former sunken garden, a yew walk and an area with two ponds and the former walled kitchen garden.

General
Method of Sale: The property is offered for sale by private treaty as a whole

Planning: Whetstone Pastures House is Grade II listed. The main house was used as a residential care home with C2 Planning Use Class until vacated in 2008. Prospective purchasers are advised that they should make their own enquiries of the local planning authority.

Fixtures and Fittings: All fitted carpets, light fittings and garden ornaments are included in the sale.

Services: Mains-fed water and electricity. Private drainage system.

Covenants: The vendors are retaining adjacent land which is subject to a development promotion agreement for residential and logistics development.
Council Tax: Band G
Local Authority: Blaby District Council, Council
Council Offices, Desford Road, Narborough,
Leicester, LE19 2EP. Tel: Tenure: Freehold with vacant possession<br /><br />Whetstone Pastures House lies just south of Whetstone, about 7 miles to the south of Leicester City Centre, and within easy reach of the excellent motorway network in the Midlands linking to Rugby, Northampton, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby and Birmingham.

Communication links are excellent. Junction 21 of the M1 lies a few miles north, at Leicester, which also provides mainline rail connections to London St Pancras International in a little over an hour (whilst Rugby also has a fast train service to London Euston). Birmingham and East Midlands Airports are approximately 40 and 33 miles from the property respectively.

The area is also renowned for the quality of its schooling, and there are a number of state and independent day schools in the area providing primary and secondary education, including
Leicester Grammar, Lutterworth Grammar and Ratcliffe College, with notable private schools in the region, including Rugby, Oakham, Uppingham, Oundle and Repton.

There are many sporting and recreational amenities in the area including golf at Cosby, Blaby and Kilworth Springs, racing at Leicester, sailing at Saddington and on Rutland Water, and cinemas, theatres and concert halls in Leicester. There are local shops in Whetstone, Countesthorpe and Cosby, a Waitrose in Blaby and superb out-of-town at Fosse Park.