One of Plymouth’s most historic waterfront buildings has been put on the market for £665,000 and could be turned into a shop, bar or restaurant with flats above.
The freehold for the “unique” 19th Century, Grade II listed AE Monsen Ship Stores building, on the Barbican, is being offered for sale by property specialists Stratton Creber Commercial.
The four-storey pile, sandwiched between the Custom House and Blues Bar and Grill, was build in 1847 and is thought to be the last remaining unmodernised Barbican warehouse.
Formerly home to a succession of ships’ agents and stores merchants, the building, on The Parade, falls within the Barbican Conservation Area and overlooks an open, cobbled area with views over nearby Sutton Harbour.
The 650sq m of floorspace, spread over four floors, was renovated after Plymouth architecture and construction firm Bailey Partnership received planning permission to change the use and convert the ground floor from a warehouse and office to a commercial use including retail and use as a cafe or restaurant.
The building which has entrances onto both the Parade and Vauxhall Street, has planning permission for the first to third floors to be turned into six, one-bedroom apartments.
The Barbican, described by Stratton Creber as “one of the city’s most exciting and cosmopolitan areas”, has seen the conversion of many similar buildings into ground floor commercial units with residential apartments above.
The next-door Custom House, also Grade II listed but slightly older, with a restaurant, bar and wedding venue on the ground and first floors, with accommodation above.
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Stratton Creber said the Monsen building’s ground floor unit is self-contained from the upper floors and provides many original features. It is stripped out and ready for fitting out.
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The upper floors are self-contained from the ground floor and also provide many original features. Planning permission has been granted for six apartments and it has a new compliant staircase installed.
Stratton Creber agency surveyor Gavin Sagar anticipates high levels of interest in the unusual building and said: “The property has recently become available due to an imminent sale falling through. It is likely to generate considerable interest from developers and investors.
“Planning has already been granted for A1, A2 or A3 use on the ground floor with six one-bedroom apartments on the upper floors.”
Historic England said the building is constructed of “rusticated Plymouth limestone ashlar pilaster piers spanned by dressed segmental arches to ground floor” and has a “coursed rubble front with Plymouth limestone dressings including voussoirs to segmental arches”.
There is also a tall loading bay with doors on two levels, a datestone, and a large rotatable iron hoist bracket on wall bearings to the left of the loading doorway on the upper floors.