Lombard Rd, Battersea, London, SW11

Architecture & Exterior
On the edge of south west London's cultural regeneration along this tranquil stretch of the Thames, is this secret residential mooring & dutch barge at Albion Quay. Moorings of this kind do not come along very often and remain in the same ownership for many years. 

Waterside living really is a beautiful lifestyle choice, and at 30m x 5m, the mooring has plenty of scope to fit a substantial vessel (current houseboat measures 21.5m x 4.5m) and is sold on a PLA licence until 2052, with the option to renew the licence for a substantial time period for a fee. 

Ringvaart III is a fully navigable '1915 built Dutch barge' and featured in the Netflix Series, 'Amazing Interiors'. The entire houseboat has been gutted back to its original steel by the current owners.

You enter into the wheelhouse, doubling as a dining room. Currently this space is a blank canvas and could be comfortably converted into a second bedroom or study depending on your usage of the boat. Down the steps into the wonderful reception room with a contemporary finish throughout leads into a beautiful reception room and open plan kitchen area,

Natural light floods in from the cleverly positioned ceiling skylight illuminating the concrete kitchen countertops. Concealed storage units pull out from underneath, designed as additional seating. Birch plywood & feature flooring in the living area has been reclaimed by the vendors from a Victorian school gym.

Typical for vessels of this type, a marvellous wood burning stove has been installed alongside individual copper radiators. The boat has also been insulated with foam insulation throughout, ensuring heat loss is kept to a minimum, cool in the summer, warm in the winter. Bulkhead lights and LED lighting (controlled wirelessly) enlighten the living area.

Completing the fit-out a king size bedroom is situated in the bow (including additional storage beneath the bed) and a family bathroom featuring copper finishes, complete with a waterfall shower, W/C and basin.

Battersea Railway Bridge breaks the backdrop, providing an arresting backdrop to the urban feel of London.

The clientele that has owned and moored here over the years makes for a vibrant and culturally rich club to be a part of. As part of the privilege of ownership you become a director and get a 10% share in Albion Quay Ltd, meaning you have the opportunity to steer all decision-making over what should, and is done in Albion Quay. 

Aside from the opportunity to moor your own boat and live in one of the most sought-after moorings in central London, another huge benefit is the flexibility from an investment standpoint. Monthly rents achieved on vessels that are rented out are strong, rents commonly make in the region of £1700 - £3000 per calendar month (Ringvaart achieved £1,900 per month), depending on the size of the vessel. This often is a more attractive investment and achieves a better yield, than many of the surrounding modern apartment blocks. 

 

History 

Boat building has been associated immediately north of Battersea Railway Bridge, on the site of Albion Quay in some form, since the 1870s, with the bridge a permanent fixture on the London skyline. 

Formerly known as Albion Wharf, this was a successful boatyard that was described in the early 1900s as ‘typically old-fashioned & rudimentary’. Towards the end of WW1 most of the boatyards were disappearing, taken over for industrial development as mass renovation took place along this stretch of the Thames, with Albion Quay becoming a refuse wharf. 

Closure occurred in 1981, with many of the boat yards taken over for industrial redevelopment. A revolution of sorts occurred along many stretches of the river in late 1980s London, with many of the first houseboats mooring up essentially squatting. 

Through the continued determination of these first pioneers, Albion Quay was born and was transformed into what you see today and continues to remain a rare sight amongst the luxury redevelopment of the Battersea riverside. 

The mooring also featured in the 1980s film "Mona Lisa", with Bob Hoskins! 

 

In the neighbourhood 

Albion Quay is a small, beautifully maintained community, driven by the love of water living and the Thames, whilst the surrounding area has developed into one of the trendiest sides of town. 

Battersea High Street, under 5 minutes away, is the historic village centre, which has a classic selection of restaurants, coffee shops and some independent retailers. Within easy reach is the extraordinary redevelopment of Battersea Power Station, which has brought huge wealth to the area with high-end retail, restaurants, events and a new tube station. 

Battersea Park, less than 20 minutes' walk away, is one of the most attractive parks in London for its diverse plant life, plane trees and sports facilities and is fast becoming somewhat of a running mecca. The Thames Path connects right into the park, following the river's edge. 

 

Transport & Connections 

Clapham Junction, 20 minutes' walk to the south, is one of the most connected stations in the city, with mainline trains down to the southwest & straight into the city. Cycling is the most efficient way of getting around & into town from the quay, with most journeys taking under 30 minutes. Battersea Bridge is under 4 minutes away, which is the closest road & foot bridge. 

 

Material Info:

 

• Property construction: Steel
• Utilities: Electricity, water, high speed internet, sewerage, phone line, post room, remote intercom (to your phone)
• Electricity supply: Communal supply at Albion Quay 
• Heating: Diesel for the boiler to power water and radiators. Wood burning stove. Bottled gas for the oven.
• Water supply: Communal supply at Albion Quay 
• Sewerage: Communal supply at Albion Quay
• Mobile signal/coverage: Likely external cover on all major networks, limited internal cover linked to Three. Source: Ofcom ? 
• Restrictions: Vessel maximum size 30 metres x 5 metres
• Rights and easements: Shared private access to mooring
• Flood risk: Very low risk of surface water flooding. High risk of flooding from rivers & sea – Source: Government’s flood risk checker
• Planning permission: None.  Source: Wandsworth Council
• Accessibility/adaptations: Not suitable for wheelchair users
• Coalfield or mining area: No. Source: Coal Authority
• Flight path: Yes. Source:  Flightradar24

 

EPC rating: Exempt. Tenure: Leasehold, Mobile signal information: Likely external cover on all major networks,
limited internal cover linked to Three. Source: Ofcom