BELTWOOD IN SYDENHAM HILL

[sydenhampark]

Hi everyone, google has a lot of interesting period detail and discussion about the eccentric owner of this clearly fascinating property. I've just moved into Sydenham Hill.

i'd love to know what the current status is with this house..who owns it? whats the story?

[tulse hill terry]

There is this thread in the Town Cafe section of this forum

http://forum.sydenham.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2978

[Dorian]

Its currently in the possesion of the Clydesdale Bank, who having spent some lenghth of time evicting squatters and gaining vacant possesion will probably put it up for sale soon.

[Dorian]

Its now on the market.

No guide price , just " Offers Invited " 12noon 24th February.

Im just off to lookin the piggy bank

[bigbadwolf]

Hi everyone, google has a lot of interesting period detail and discussion about the eccentric owner of this clearly fascinating property. I've just moved into Sydenham Hill.

i'd love to know what the current status is with this house..who owns it? whats the story?

As Dorian has already mentioned, it's in the possession of Clydesdale bank after the woman who used to own it, an American called Tracy Thier, was prosecuted for animal cruelty. But instead of answering bail, she absconded to the United States, subsequently defaulting on the mortgage. She was pretty wierd, and before her arrest I'd seen walking around Sydenham with a bunny rabbit in a pouch on her chest.

It's early history and occupants are available online, but I can shed some light on it's recent, more obscure past. During the '80s and early '90s it was a halls of residence for students at Kings College Hospital. It was then occupied by a Christian commune who were far to busy getting stoned and throwing weird, eclectic parties than praying to God. It was then rented by some events management organisation in the early to mid-naughties that did throw a couple of parties but only a handful of people would turn-up. They then fell foul of some licensing act and were shut down. It was then bought by the American woman who used it as a place to house her large collection of animals, some of them dangerous. It's now owned by the bank, so who know's what the place will be next. All-in-all, the current trend seems to be that someone or some persons move in, live there for a couple of years or so, then civilization forgets the place exists, someone eventually finds a mysterious set of keys and upon realising what they unlock, the whole cycle repeats itself.

If you're really interested in this place that time genuinely seems to have forgot, enter 'Sydenham Beltwood House ' into Google and trawl through the numerous results stemming from this forum, but keep a look-out for the Sydenham Town Forum user 'Steve Grindlay' who is a local amateur historian, and some of his detailed contributions include some very clear pictures of the interior of Beltwood House.

[Dorian]

I've got the full Sales brochure on PDF if any one wants to see ? Just need guidance on how to Upload it !

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[Hill Dweller]

Isn't it simpler to just post the link?

[Dorian]

It would be if I had one , HD. It's a PDF attachment

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[jmc]

I've got the full Sales brochure on PDF if any one wants to see ? Just need guidance on how to Upload it !
[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

Try the following file storage site
http://www.mediafire.com

Upload your file, you'll then be taken to a page where there'll be a button called "Share", click on it then copy the link to download and paste the link here.

You could create an account at the website before uploading so you can go back and manage your files
[ Post made via Desktop Computer ]

[Dorian]

Cheers

I'll give it a go tomorrow . I did try and add it here as an attachment but got a message saying the file was to big

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Dorian]

Many thanks JMC

Here it is

http://www.mediafire.com/?qxndau45iqeg81t

[Thomas]

Thanks for that - very interesting! I live nearby and am fascinated by the building - partly because it's so obscured by the trees, which makes it a bit more mysterious - so I am following progress with great interest. Would have been good if the brochure had more interior pictures though!

[Dorian]

It is interesting. I reckon it will go to a Private owner occupier rather than a developer.

[jmc]

The land had previously had planning permission for the following

• Conversion of main building into 3 flats
• construction of 8, 3-bedroom houses
• Conversion, and contruction, at Lodge House to build a 3-bedroom house

That planning permission is now lapsed, and planning law makes it more difficult to build on "back gardens".
I'd expect a developer to purchase the land and seek permission for a project similar to the lapsed planning permission. Will probably be controversial and drag on for a while

[Dorian]

Back gardens, within the boundry of a property used to be considered "previously developed land "along with the house/building on it. This is no longer the case and developers can no longer refer to gardens as previously developed land. That is the only policy change, it doesnt mean they are protected.

Beltwood however does not really have a "back garden" it has a large road frontage on to two roads. The gardens are not designated as protected land by virtue of being Metropolitan Open Land ( MOL) or Private Open space , either of which would afford protection from further buildings. The property is however within a Conservation area and the main building is statutory listed ( Grade II from memory) by English heritage. This is what restricts the site from large scale building.

The expired permission if renewed would require a substantial percentage of affordable/social housing ! ( pause , cough splutter from the owners of the larger homes in the vicinity). Grant funding for Affordable housing is to say the least ,slightly non existant due to the Exchequer being somewhat stretched at the present time.So in fact this Policy requirement has a negative effect on the value. This along with the restraints of Tree Preservation orders, the respect any development would need to have in being subservient and respecting to the main listed building,points to the house being bought by a wealhty owner occupier.

The nearest comparison I can think of near by to be devlopped large scale Was Henry Tate's old Esate ( Tate and Lylle) on Streatham Common, but that was 15 years ago ( ish ) in a very different financial and Planning climate.

Didnt the Beckhams mention a move to London and selling Beckingham Palace, recently ?

[gurka]

I wonder how much it will sell for and how much it would cost to restore......hmmmmmm, is it a case that the highest bidder wins or will they take into account what the building and land will be used for ?

[Dorian]

It's being sold by an LPA Receiver who does not have the same powers as a normal receiver / administrator. They will take the quickest and highest price with no regard for the buyers future use intentions

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[LeeGoodall@Mann]

We had this on the market 3 years ago when the house was initially repossessed by the lender. We had it on the market for 3.5 million and received a number of strong offers, no shortage of takers !
The house is magnificent and you can certainly get a feeling of an interesting history walking around it. I fondly remember the gas meter the size of a wachine machine !
Carrying out viewings on the property was rather interesting, it felt like doing guided tours on a tourist attraction. Every room was locked up so we had a bunch of 50 keys to contend with, hence viewings took two hours minimum.
It was shocking to see what state it had then been left in. The upstairs had been rented out as bedsits and to the rear an outbuilding had been use to stage all night raves. It was clear there had been numerous animals kept on site by the amount of feces in certain areas, definitely didnt seem right. The animals were taken away before we got the keys.
After numerous viewings and receiving interest we were made aware the owner had returned to the UK and was somewhat alarmed to discover the house was on the market. She came to our office to retreive the keys but we were instructed to turn her away by the lender. Next thing we know she had employed a rather prestigious lawyer (that we were told also represented the Queen!) and the sale was put on hold.
We were obviously dissappointed not to sell it after all our efforts, but it was well worth having the opportinity to see such a splendid building. Cant wait to see what happens to it.

[Ed lady]

Really happy to hear this place is up for sale. We viewed and were due to move into one of the mews there last year. Moved out of where we were, only to be told we couldn't move in. Long story short we found out she (the owner) was being obstructed by security despite her court papers. She was basically trying to lease it to keep it I think. We stayed at another of her homes in the interim and eccentric is an understatement.
It will hopefully now be brought back to it's glory, and it was exciting to go in and be shown around. But we had a lucky escape from a disheveled state of affairs with her.
I'll be watching with interest.

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[portobello]

So....any news on who brought it in the end????