House For Sale £650,000
Chapel Road, Wivenhoe, Colchester, Essex CO7

A rare opportunity has arisen to acquire a part commercial/residential property in the centre of the sought after location of Wivenhoe close to Colchester.

The property
We are proud to offer to market a modern architectural designed property by Laurie Wood Associates built in 201,4 which is part commercial/residential. The ground floor of this exceptional property (approx. Over 1100 Sqft) is currently used as gallery complete with art studio, office and work room. On the first floor there is a beautifully designed two bedroom apartment (approx. 1000 sqft) with two en-suite bathrooms, a light and airy open plan kitchen/dining/reception room with solid wood floors and a sunny West facing terrace affording fantastic views over lower Wivenhoe. This property comes with no onward chain, allowing for an uncomplicated transaction and a code 5 sustainable homes rating.

On the ground floor, in more detail, the property consists of an entrance hallway giving access to both the apartment above and the studio/gallery.
The Studio is bright and spacious and is the perfect environment for the current owners to be as creative as they can be. It has underfloor heating, access to the boiler room as well as the work room (which was formally a Kiln Room), windows to the front and side and a door to the rear. The office with its skylight window is close to the gallery which also has a skylight window to the viewing area, solid wood flooring with underfloor heating, built in storage units with wooden display worktops.

The apartment above comprises an open plan kitchen/dining/reception room with solid wood floors. The Kitchen which has plenty of storage space, is modern and comes with with a Neff oven and hob. The terrace off the reception room is decked and is enclosed with glass panels. The master bedroom has a walk in wardrobe and an en-suite with walk-in shower cubicle, heated towel rail and a mosaic by renowned artist Ann Schwegmann-Fielding. The second double bedroom comes with fitted wardrobes and a second en-suite with panel bath, heated towel rail and tiled floor. Other benefits on this floor include a utility/cloakroom, a store room with heat exchange equipment.

The location
There is a good selection of eateries nearby including established Italian, Indian and tapas restaurants. The Greyhound, Black Buoy and The Crown among others offer a cosy atmosphere and fully comprehensive choice of delicious food being freshly prepared. Local shops provide everyday needs while a short drive or bus ride will take you to Tesco or Waitrose and Colchester's town centre.

However, Wivenhoe's period of greatest prosperity came with the arrival of the railway station in 1863 which is a major attraction for those needing to commute to London. The Sentinel Gallery is only a short walk to the station where the mainline service runs trains to London Liverpool Street with a journey time of approximately one hour. For the sports enthusiast there is village football, cricket, sailing and a popular badminton club. For those with teenagers looking for further education Essex University is also within walking distance.

A range of riverside walks can be enjoyed directly from this property, one of which leads to the ancient village of Alresford. Wivenhoe, which is thought to mean Wifers Ridge, is of a Saxon origin and is recorded in the Doomsday Book of 1086. The town developed as a port until the late 19th Century allowing larger ships to navigate further up the river Colne and it had two prosperous ship yards.

Today, it is brimming with charm with small, quaint streets that lead to the picturesque waterfront where fishing boats and small sailing craft bob at their moorings. This Bohemian town is easy to fall in love with and boasts an interesting variety of residents including artists, farmers, writers, shop-keepers and sailing folk.