House & Croft, Toft, Muness

Key details

Overview

Unique opportunity to acquire a three bedroom / two reception room detached house together with a 100m² agricultural building, separate commercial property, and a 48 hectare (120 acre) owner-occupied, registered croft at Uyeasound in the south-east corner of the island of Unst.

The house enjoys panoramic sea views whilst the commercial building which has previously been used as a workshop / retail outlet, offers scope for a variety of uses including continuing existing use, as a studio, or conversion to residential, subject to consents.

Although offering a remote 'get-away-from-it-all' location, Unst benefits from a wide range of amenities including a school, leisure centre, health centre and several shops. A regular ro-ro ferry provides a link with mainland Shetland via the neighbouring island of Yell.

This property offers a great lifestyle opportunity with huge potential – early viewing recommended.

Location & Amenities

'Toft' is situated a couple of miles east of Uyeasound at the south end of the island of Unst, Britain’s most northerly inhabited island. Although measuring only 12 miles long by 5 miles wide and having a population of around 600, Unst has a wide range of amenities far beyond what might normally be expected for such a remote location, most amenities being located about 7 miles to the north of the house at Baltasound, the main settlement on the island, these including a Junior High School (nursery, primary & secondary schooling to year 4), a superb leisure centre / swimming pool, health centre, several local shops plus a small hotel and marina.

A space centre is currently under construction at Lamba Ness at the north end of the island, operations being directed from the former RAF base at Saxa Vord at Haroldswick where there is there is a tearoom, boat haven and heritage centre.

As well as offering a great place to live, the island is a popular visitor destination with stunning scenery, great walks and many places of interest in particular Hermaness National Nature Reserve, the Keen of Hamar Reserve, and also historic Muness castle believed to date from the late 1500’s which is situated just along the road from the house. There are lovely beaches at Norwick, Skaw, Sandwick & Westing and much to offer those with an interest in ornithology and wildlife, geology, and archaeology (there are various Viking sites), as well as plenty of local heritage and culture. The island hosts the UK's most northerly festival, UnstFest, in July.

Unst is connected to mainland Shetland by a regular ro-ro ferry service which runs throughout the day from Belmont (approximately 5 miles from the house) to the neighbouring island of Yell (crossing time approximately 10 minutes), and from Yell to Toft on mainland Shetland (crossing time approximately 20 minutes), Toft lying approximately 28 miles north of Lerwick, Shetland's capital.

Further information about the island can be found at:-

https://www.shetland.org/visit/plan/areas/unst

With a population of around 23,000, the Shetland islands, a collection of over 100 islands of which 15 are inhabited, are the most northerly part of the United Kingdom, being situated about 100 miles north of the Scottish mainland, and 200 miles west of Bergen, Norway.

A daily overnight ferry service from Aberdeen operated by NorthLink Ferries (www.northlinkferries.co.uk) links Lerwick with mainland Scotland, whilst Loganair (www.loganair.co.uk) operates direct flights from Sumburgh Airport at the very southern tip of Shetland, to Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh & Glasgow, and also a recently introduced flight to London Heathrow. Islanders currently benefit from discounted ferry and air fares.

Considerable press coverage and TV exposure in recent years, in particular the 'Shetland' TV detective series and numerous wildlife programmes, has made the Shetland islands an increasingly popular, well-known visitor destination.

The House

The house comprises the original stone-built croft house with later timber frame / extensions clad with concrete blockwork added to the north and west sides. Windows are double glazed except for the front porch.

Entry is via a tripe glazed front door which opens to a hallway with tiled floor. To the left is the kitchen / dining room which leads through to the main living room, and the second reception room, whilst to the right is the bathroom, a bedroom, and an office. Ahead a stair leads to two further bedrooms on the first floor.

The tiled flooring in the hall extends into the kitchen / dining room, a substantial space with kitchen and dining areas both with windows facing west. The kitchen has ample fitted units including an integral microwave and concealed fridge, and a 1½ bowl sink, and the freestanding cooker will be included in the sale. A peninsula unit separates the kitchen from the dining area which is lit by a 'rise & fall' light fitting over the table.

Off the dining area is a large utility room with the same flooring as the kitchen, and further fitted units including a second sink, plus space for a freezer, washing machine etc. (appliances not included).

Also off the kitchen is the carpeted main living room, a lovely bright space with a wide picture window enjoying the fantastic view eastwards over the surrounding land towards a beach and the sea.

Back off the hall is the second reception room which also enjoys the view east, exposed 'beams' and wood panelling to one wall adding character. The solid-fuel 'Wamsler' stove provides a cosy heat source as well as supplying radiators throughout the house, the radiator system being supplemented by additional electric storage radiators, and the hot water tank housed in the roof space. A door off this room opens to a small lobby with access to storage space under the stairs, and door a single glazed front porch providing a second entrance to the house.

On the other side of the hall is a large carpeted double bedroom also facing east, a handy, dual-aspect office, again carpeted, and a bathroom with three-piece suite and tiled floor.

The stair to the first floor which is lit by a Velux window, leads to two coombe-ceilinged double bedrooms each also lit by a Velux window facing east, and carpeted, 'v'-lining along the centre incorporating spotlighting. There is access from the room to the left to plenty of storage space in the loft.

There are grassed garden areas around the house, and a large parking area.

Some of the furniture is available by separate negotiation.

Rooms Sizes (All approximate)

On the Ground Floor:-

Main Living Room

4.95m x 4.5m (16’4” x 14’9”)

2^nd Reception Room

3.85m x 3.2m (12’7” x 10’6”)

Kitchen / Dining Room

7.95m x 2.9m (26’ x 9’6”)

Utility Room

2.9m x 1.75m (9'6” x 5’9”)

Bedroom 1

3.5m x 3.1m (11’6” x 10’2”)

Office

2.9m x 2.2m (9’6” x 7’3”)

Bathroom

2.05m x 1.85m (6’9” x 6’2”)

Front Porch

1.75m x 1.3m (5’10” x 4’3”)

On the First Floor:-

Bedroom 2 (left)

3.5m x 3.2m (floor area) (11’6” x 10’6”)

Bedroom 3

3.45m x 3.25m (floor area) (11'4" x 10’9”)

Council Tax

Understood to currently be Band A. Prospective purchasers should however contact Shetland Islands Council directly for confirmation. Council Tax Bands may be reassessed by the Joint Valuation Board when a property is sold. Details of Council Tax rates can be found on Shetland Island Council’s website at:

https://www.shetland.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-charges-bands

The Croft

As noted, the croft land is estimated to extend in total to around 48 hectares (118 acres) as shown on the plan (not to scale), comprising the owner-occupied registered crofts of Toft (Taft) & House of Toft (Taft) (33.4 hectares (82 acres)) Register No. Z2106 (note this area includes an owned apportionment), and Ham & Little Ham (8.1 hectares (20 acres)) Register No. Z2099, plus the 6.6 hectare (16 acre) Midfield tenanted apportionment.

The house is situated on Toft & House of Toft, this land being situated to the north, west and east where it extends down to the shore. Ham & Little Ham lies a short distance from the house by the beach at the south end of the inlet of Ham of Muness. Midfield tenanted apportionment lies adjacent to Toft & House of Toft to the east (blue outlined area on plan).

There is a grazing share.

Included on the croft is a large agricultural shed and a separate commercial property, both situated by the house.

The agricultural shed is of steel portal frame construction clad with metal sheeting above a rendered concrete blockwork base. It measures approximately 13.4m long by 7.45m high with access by two large roller shutter doors and a separate side door. It has mains water supplying a sink unit, and ample power points.

The detached single storey commercial building is understood to have been built in 1990 originally as a knitwear workshop and retail unit. The property is of timber frame / timber clad construction with double glazed windows and doors, heating being provided by electric storage / panel heaters. It has a gross internal floor area of approximately 121m² or thereby comprising a substantial, very light and airy display / retail space area with extensive floor-to-ceiling windows to two sides, this space leading to a further similar large space again with floor-to-ceiling windows. Off the second room is an office and separate storeroom, plus a further staff area with its own separate entrance and fitted kitchen units including a sink (with its own hot water supply), with shower and toilet with WC and wash hand basin off. A hatch with loft ladder provides access to storage space in the loft.

Planning permission was granted in 2013 (reference 20/228/PPF) for a change of use of this building to part class 4 business / part class 1 shop use, and part residential, as shown on the attached plan although no alterations were carried out at the time. It is however thought that the building would suit a variety of uses either carrying on an existing commercial use, ideal for a home business, or as an artist's studio perhaps, or conversion to part or wholly residential, although any change of use would be subject to the usual consents being granted and prospective purchasers should satisfy themselves in this regard by contacting the local planning and building standards departments of the Council directly.

As the croft is registered it is subject to crofting tenure. Prospective purchasers requiring more information in this regard should discuss with their own agents or contact the Crofting Commission directly at Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness, IV3 8NW. Further general information on crofting can be found on the Commission's website at https://www.crofting.scotland.gov.uk/crofting-development.

Assignation of the tenancy of the Apportionment and the grazings share to the successful purchaser will require the approval of the Crofting Commission.

Entitlements are not included but may be available by separate negotiation. Around 30 sheep are available by separate negotiation.

Note none of the croft land has been decrofted (including the house site and commercial building) and therefore cash only offers can be considered.

Property location

To reach the property from the ferry at Bellmont, drive north for about 2 miles and turn right to Uyeasound. Drive down to the shore and right around the bay passing the local hall, the junction for Baltasound and the former primary school, then continue following signs for Muness passing a large green agricultural shed on the right. Continue for a further 1¾ miles (passing junctions for Hannigarth and Ramnageo) where you will come to a fork in the road (shortly after a cattle grid) with the main road leading off to the right towards Muness Castle, the tarred track to the left leading to Toft - the brown painted timber clad commercial property by the house will be visible.