A Huddersfield-based house developer has purchased a former fire station in the town, which was marketed at an asking price of £250,000.
SB Homes has acquired the Old Fire Station on Manchester Road in Marsden from West Yorkshire Fire Service. The developer hopes to turn the brownfield land into a residential rental development, primarily for people aged over 50.
The 108-year old property has been empty since 2005 when part-time firefighters moved to the adjacent building, Emergency House.
Managing director Stephen Byram is also set to purchase adjoining land at the back of the site, from Northern Gas Networks, making the development 20,000 sq ft in total. It occupies a prominent main road position on the A62, with Huddersfield town centre located 7 miles to the north-east.
Stephen commented: “This piece of land has been on the market for a number of years now, and currently retains planning consent for use as a cafe and yoga studio. We’ve acquired it because of its prime position, just a two-minute walk from the village of Marsden — it’s perfect for over 50s who wish to retire and/or downsize.
“The build-to-rent sector is typically aimed at younger generations who find it difficult to get on the property ladder, but we find that in a village setting this generally works equally well for older generations. Many over 50s want to release equity from their houses to enjoy their retirement.”
SB Homes is submitting plans to Kirklees Council, following a positive pre-application consultation.
Steve Mitchell, SB Homes’ designer said: “We are hopeful that this will be passed with planning consent. We’ve put a lot of thought into how it will work — we want to keep the original frontage and create communal garden spaces. A living wall planter has even been designed to make it a green building — not only for attractiveness but also to act as an additional insulator. We really want to create a sense of community for the tenants who will eventually live there.”
The family-run house building firm is currently developing Empire Works, a scheme of 60 bespoke homes alongside the narrow canal in Slaithwaite, Huddersfield. Past developments include Ancion Court, a housing scheme for over 55s and Deer Hill, both in Marsden.
