“Gargantuan” former police station and magistrates court up for sale - and you could get it for a ‘steal’

Buyers will be hoping to secure a unique property at a ‘steal’ when bidding gets underway on a former police station at a sale later this month. The 17,380 sq ft building - in Minehead, Somerset - boasts its own cells and even a court room, with a guide price of £550,000.

As well as lots of space inside - which previously housed police officers and the criminals they caught - the detached building sits in around 0.84 acres of grounds.

Auctioneers Hollis Morgan said the rule of law landmark has "scope for a wide range of residential or commercial development opportunities", with auctioneer Andrew Morgan MBE saying: "'Hello, Hello, Hello what have we here?'. This now somewhat stylised quote from past policeman may actually be very applicable to this gargantuan former police station and magistrates court in Minehead.

“As with all municipal style buildings this offers over 17,000 square feet of imposing and substantial brick built accommodation being offered with vacant possession. Developers' minds may run wilder than the ponies on Exmoor as the residential and commercial opportunities presented by this outstanding property reveal themselves - obviously subject to obtaining any necessary consents.

“With a modest price guide of £550,000 I anticipate keen bidding from many developers who will be keen to be 'locked into this deal at the fall of my gavel'."

The property goes up for Live Online Auction on July 23 on the Hollis Morgan auction website, with the only gavel being that of the auctioneer - not a judge - set to fall on a true once-in-a-lifetime property.

The sale of the Minehead station comes after a nearby police station in Williton, West Somerset, was redeveloped in recent years into luxury homes.

Dating from 1858 and designed by architect John Norton, the Williton building was redeveloped to create two homes, one of which was listed last year with an asking price of some £450,000.