Telford and Coseley care homes under the hammer at Bond Wolfe Auctions’ February sale

Former care homes for sale by auction, both empty for the last six years, are going under the hammer as redevelopment sites at the next Bond Wolfe Auctions later this month.

The former Castle Lodge care home in Telford has a guide price* of £200,000 and the old New Bridge House care home in Coseley carries a guide price of £350,000 in the catalogue for Bond Wolfe Auctions’s upcoming auction on Thursday 27 February at Villa Park in Birmingham.

Castle Lodge, in Attwood Terrace, Dawley, was latterly used as a care centre for vulnerable adults but the South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust announced its closure in 2013. It has been unused and empty ever since.

The two-storey detached building stands in around 1.2 acres of land with a tarmac drive and car parking for 20 or 30 vehicles. Among its facilities are kitchens, offices, stores, bathrooms, work rooms and 13 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and WCs

While it could continue to be used as a care facility, the site may be suitable for a number of alternatives including residential development, subject to planning permission.

New Bridge House in Bayer Street, Coseley, was run as an assisted living care home by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council until it was closed in 2014 as part of wider cuts. It has been empty since then, despite a number of proposals over the years. Most recently Dudley Council gave planning permission in November for the site to be converted to create 23 one-bedroom flats and nine two-bedroomed apartments.

That planning permission will provide an added attraction for potential developers when the 1.6 acre site goes up for sale.

Currently the building, over two floors, offers a range of rooms including 19 bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen and seven WCs.

Ian Tudor, managing director of Bond Wolfe Auctions, said: “These are a pair of prime development opportunities and we expect to see intense interest – as well as highly competitive bidding – when they come under the hammer this month.

“Both provide two storey buildings with extensive facilities on large sites and the Coseley property already comes with outline planning permission to extend and convert for residential use.

“Given the opportunities both offer, they are starting at bargain prices. They are expected to be among the highlights of our upcoming auction, which is already seeing phenomenal interest.”

The two former care homes will be among 215 lots at the BWA auction, set to be the biggest ever held outside of London.

Gurpreet Bassi, chief executive of Bond Wolfe Auctions, said: “Interest is coming in from all over the UK and we will also be sending out a record number of catalogues before the auction.”

The auction on Thursday 27 February will now start at the earlier time of 10am, in order to cater for the record number of lots to be offered on the day.

Anyone interested in the auctions or with properties for sale in future auctions should contact [email protected], call 0121 312 1212 or visit www.bondwolfe.com.