Former Great Wakering fire station for sale: converted 'doer-upper' property with seven bedrooms and an annexe at auction for £330,000

A former fire station complex in Essex that has been converted into a seven-bedroom home - minus the fireman's pole - is set to go under the hammer as the ultimate doer-upper, for the same price as a tiny London studio flat.

Just four miles east of Southend-on-Sea town centre, the historic building is in High Street, Great Wakering.

A working fire station from the late Thirties until 1957, it was converted into a home in 2000 after residential change of use planning permission was granted.

The exceptionally large plot covers more than 6,700sq ft. The former station has been extended at the back to create extra living space. There is one bedroom downstairs, six more on the top floor, plus three bathrooms, three kitchens and a garage

There's also a two-storey, 2,688sq ft storage annexe behind the old station - enough space for another three homes - so Dedman Gray auctioneers has listed the complex as a potential development opportunity with a guide price of £330,000 for the lot. Planning consent – now lapsed – was previously granted to demolish the existing buildings and replace them with three separate residential units.

However, Dedman Gray managing director Mike Gray says most people who have viewed the property so far have expressed an interest in the character and historic features of the station and say they’d live in it, rather than demolish it. One potential buyer intends to reinstate the fireman's pole if their bid succeeds at next week’s auction.

"It's always good to offer something unusual and different and a property of this kind brings the best out of the creative applicants wishing to put their own stamp on it and making it a home to live in for the future," says Gray.

Interested buyers need to factor in a good chunk of their budget to tackle a full-scale renovation. Structural movement over the years means the building is in need of repairs. Yet with so many bedrooms upstairs - formerly the fire station offices, kitchen and night rooms - Gray suggests the new owners could knock through some walls to open up and modernise the space, subject to planning consent, while still retaining three or four bedrooms.

This project could also satisfy the post-lockdown longing for outdoor space, with a section at the side of the property that could make a courtyard garden, while the east Essex coastline is a short drive away. Direct trains from nearby Shoeburyness station take just over an hour to London Fenchurch Street.

The current owners moved in 20 years ago and lived upstairs, running a catering supplies business from the old fire engine garage. They’re selling in order to downsize.

The virtual-style auction will accept online and telephone bids and will be live streamed on Wednesday July 29 at 2pm on dedmangray.co.uk.

"Unusual properties of this kind do attract buyers that are unfamiliar with buying at auction," says Gray.

"We always recommend they check out the property thoroughly first, ask their solicitor to approve the legal pack and make sure they have a price in mind that they would want to bid up to, because if they are the successful bidder on the day, contracts are exchanged immediately at the fall of the gavel and it's their fire station/home in 28 days so they need to be ready for completion."

1. Attend a viewing prior to the live auction date to see the condition of the property first-hand so you can evaluate the cost of renovation and repair works needed.

2. Check all previous work has been granted permission or you will need to pay to convert it back.

3. Discuss the property with a good mortgage broker to agree how much you can borrow and how much it is likely to be worth.

4. Read the legal pack, starting with the special conditions. Check the length of the lease and for extra buying costs.

5. Determine the maximum bid you can afford and stick to it.

6. You will need to pay a 10 per cent deposit immediately so arrange to have the funds in place, ready to go.

7. Use a solicitor who is experienced in handling auction sales. They must act promptly within 28 days to facilitate exchange and completion.