Want to live on the Shetland Islands? Here’s your chance!
When I read the Shetland Island mysteries by Ann Cleeves, I subscribed to the Shetland newspaper on Facebook. This “Land with planning permission” just showed up in Lerwick. It’s not far from where Jimmy Perez lives.
The outside walls from Harbour Street Lerwick
The property is reached from Harbour Street.
Here’s the view from Google Maps. The proposed house uses these existing rock walls. You are looking across the harbour toward Bressay. The property is on the right.
Google Street View 2009
Google has driven up this street twice. Above is what it looked like in 2009 with slates on the roof.
Google Street View 2015
This is site in 2015 with a red tarp over the roof.
The outside walls from Harbour Street Lerwick
This is what it looks like now. The gate has really improved!
Sliding Gate to Harbour Court
Harbour Court – and sliding doors. How’s that for the “sliding barn doors” look.
This view shows the yard. It is currently used as a builder’s yard.
This is one of the buildings.
The building with attached lean-to
The “site includes two commercial buildings with a lean-to attached to the larger one.”
Phone booth as wood storage
They are storing wood everywhere, including inside the phone booth.
Dog House?
The sign over the lean-to says Dog Hus, Dog House in Shetlandic? If it’s not, it should be.
The existing roof But look at those chimneys in the background!
Look at the turretty thing and the chimneys in the background!
The yard and the other building
This view shows the other building.
The second building
This is the smaller of the two buildings.
Stairs to where?
It has stairs. On the other side of the wall is public parking. Perhaps it is stairs to leap the wall to your car.
The listing includes the plans. The plans incorporate the existing historic stone buildings and turn it into a small one bedroom home.
Harbour Court, 8 Harbour Street, Lerwick
Convert this historic stable and cart storage in Lerwick into your home
Price: Offers over £60,000
Address: Harbour Court, 8 Harbour Street, Lerwick, Shetland, ZE1 0LR
Type: Land with planning permission
Agent: Anderson & Goodlad
Telephone 01595 692297
Email solicitors@anderson-goodlad.co.uk
Property Details A unique and rare opportunity to acquire an area of ground with Planning providing for the extension of an existing commercial building or its conversion into a one bedroom dwelling house in the centre of Lerwick. The latter would ideally suit a small business, providing the opportunity to live on site with separate commercial premises in close proximity to Commercial Street and public parking.
Currently the site includes two commercial buildings with a lean-to attached to the larger one. Each building has separate electricity supply and mains drainage is on site. The water connections can be installed by the Seller upon confirmation of the routes required.
Historically this site was used as a stable and cart storage and features the original flagstones. Latterly it has been used as a private builder’s yard. There are the appropriate consents in place to remove the small wall that currently divides the site from the adjacent public car park.
Prospective purchasers should satisfy themselves as to the terms of the Permissions in place by contacting Shetland Island Council’s Planning Office directly.
The Seller may consider dividing the site to allow for the residential conversion and commercial aspects to be sold separately.
Front Elevation as Existing
Existing natural slate roof.
Currently felt over new treated sarking with battens.
Natural stone external walls
Existing corrugated iron roof.
Existing stone wall.
What is sarking? Sarking is a laminated aluminum foil layer, or reflective foil laminate (RFL) installed on roof trusses, under the battens to support tile or metal roofing.
I had never heard of it either.
Front Elevation as Proposed Click to open larger
Front Elevation as Proposed
Roof to be reclaimed natural slate colour blue/black with low level conservation rooflights
Double glazed windows to be coated colour white.
Flat roof to be mineral fibre roofing felt (3no. layers hot bonded).
Flat roof upstand rooflights located in the flat roof to provide additional light.
Proposed timber gate height 1.8m
Proposed dark grey aluminium powder coated aluminium fixed to 50x50mm treated w.w. frame substrate.
Timber plywood fascia to be Siberian Latch, finish natural, with uvpc black downspouts to connect into the existing drainage system.
Side Elevation as Existing Click to open larger
Side Elevation as Existing
Existing natural slate roof.
Currently felt over new treated sarking with battens.
Natural stone external walls.
Existing corrugated iron roof.
Side Elevation as Proposed Click to open larger
Side Elevation as Proposed
Double glazed windows to be coated colour white.
Velux flat rooflights size 800x800mm
Flat roof to be mineral fibre roofing felt (3no. layers hot bonded).
Flat roof upstand rooflights located in the flat roof to provide additional light.
Roof to be reclaimed natural slate colour to be blue/black with low level conservation rooflights 780x1180mm.
Proposed dark grey aluminium powder coated aluminium cladding fixed to 50x50mm treated sw frame substrate.
Timber plywood fascia to be Siberian Larch, finish natural with uvpc. black downpipes to connect into the existing drainage system.
East Elevation as Existing and East Elevation as Proposed Click to open larger
These are the changes to the wall.
Roof Plan Click to open larger
This is the roof plan.
This is the artist’s concept. I think it would look better than this.
This is the artist’s concept so you can see what they mean by this roof plan. In this photo it looks like something from the ball ride at Epcot Center, but I think in reality it would look much better.
Site Plan as Proposed Click to open larger
So here is the site plan. It is only showing the edits to the larger building. The other smaller building is where it is marked Future Refurbishment.
Can you move to Shetland?
Well, really you can move just about anywhere if you really want to. But the Shetland Islands Council has put together information on how to move to Shetland. They tell you what documents you may need, information on income tax and national insurance.
Shetland is considered part of Scotland. If you are working five days a week in Scontland, you get at least 28 days of paid vacation! Even part-time gets paid vacation. For example if you work four days a week, you still get 22.4 days of paid time off. Do they know that that is a rarity in the US? Here is link to more information on workers rights on Shetland: worksmart.org.uk/work-rights
Instead of real-estate agents, you buy a house through a solicitor, like a lawyer. Some houses are sold for a fixed price. Others are sold on the Scottish “offers over” system. They advertised for written, sealed bids over a certain price. Winner gets the house. The Shetland Islands Council website explains the whole process.
Licenses
You can drive in the UK using your home country’s driving license for up to a year. The car must be insured against liability. Any other insurance is up to you and I suppose the bank if you are making payments. There are car inspections on cars over three years old if you are on an island where there is an inspector. If you are on Bressay or Yell you don’t need an MOT inspection sticker. You can’t even get one without shipping your car off the island. The website reminds you that just because the car has a sticker doesn’t mean it is safe, you should still have any car checked if you are going to buy it.
It is against the law to carry a knife or gun unless you are licensed.
And it is against the law to watch live TV on a computer or any other device unless you are licensed. If you do not have a license you may be fined £1000. Really: www.tvlicensing.co.uk
