Old Bells Yard, Haughley, Nr Stowmarket, Suffolk

Method of Sale
The property is offered for sale by Unconditional Timed Online Auction on the 19th September 2025 and on the assumption the property reaches the reserve price, exchange of contracts will take place upon the fall of the electronic gavel with completion occurring 20 business days later. For details of how to bid please read our Online Auction Buying Guide. 

Auction Legal Pack
The vendor’s solicitor has prepared an Auction Legal Pack.  This will be available to view online and interested parties should Register online to receive updates.  If you are viewing a hard set of these particulars or via Rightmove or alike, please visit the Online Property Auctions section of Clarke and Simpson’s website to Watch/Register/Bid. 

Vendor’s Solicitors 
Thomson Webb & Cornfield, 16 Union Road, Cambridge CB2 1HE, attn Francesca Moroz, Tel. , email . 

Location
Old Bells Yard is located in a secluded position at the end of a private drive.   It is located within the rural parish of Haughley and is easily accessible to the A14 (approximately 3 miles) and the village of Haughley (2.5 miles).  There are various footpaths running from Old Bells Yard to Haughley and nearby Bacton.  The historic village of Haughley benefits from an excellent local shop, bakers, village hall, parish church, sports centre, bowls club and restaurant.  It is also served by Haughley Crawfords CEVC Primary School. 

The Yard is in easy reach of the town of Bury St Edmunds which is approximately 14 miles to the west.  Stowmarket is approximately 5.5 miles to the south and the county town of Ipswich is approximately 8 miles away.  All three towns have mainline railway stations with trains from Stowmarket to London Liverpool Street taking just over the hour.  The A14 trunk road provides access in a westerly direction towards Cambridge and the Midlands.  The historic city of Norwich is around 34 miles to the north. 

Description
Old Bells Yard offers an interesting opportunity for a purchaser to acquire a range of useful farm buildings and a Suffolk Barn in a quiet rural position. 

The property consists of a traditional timber framed Suffolk Barn with adjoining covered barns.  There is a further building and adjoining temporary accommodation. 

The property is approached via the small public lane known as Wassicks lane and then a shared private driveway (which also serves Old Bells Farmhouse). 

Buildings 
There is a large covered barn of portal frame construction, partially enclosed with timber weatherboarding and partial concrete floor.  This adjoins the 

Suffolk Barn and adjoining former Cattle Yard and Dairy 
Timber framed and clad barn with concrete floor.  The former dairy has profile sheeting roof and windows and doors to the front elevations and concrete floor.  Extending in total to approximately 612m2. 

Storage Barn 
Of steel portal frame construction under a concrete profile sheeting roof with timber cladding to all elevations.  Two open bays to front.  Extending to approximately 470m2.

Yard 
Concrete area of yard and turning area extending to approximately 1400m2.

Temporary Accommodation 
A mobile home comprising toilet, utility area, porch, kitchen, bathroom with shower, basin and WC, sitting area and two further rooms. 

Environmental Schemes 
The land is not included in any Environmental Stewardship Schemes. 

Services 
Mains electricity and a shared water supply are connected.  Drainage is to a septic tank. 

Viewings 
Strictly by appointment with the Agents.  All viewings take place entirely at the viewer’s own risk. 

Rights of Way, Wayleaves, Easements etc
The property is sold subject to and with the benefit of all rights of way, wayleaves and easements that may affect the land.   

The Purchaser will be granted an unrestricted access along the track coloured green on the plan at all times and for all purposes, by the owner of Old Bells Farmhouse.  Maintenance of the track will be according to user. 

Timber, Sporting and Minerals 
All sporting rights, standing timber and mineral rights (except as reserved by statute or to the Crown) are included within the sale of the freehold.

Outgoings 
The land is sold subject to any drainage rates and other outgoings that may be relevant. 

The yard and buildings are not currently rated for tax. 

Boundaries 
Boundaries are shown for identification purposes only outlined in red on the enclosed plan.  Purchasers should satisfy themselves with regard to these and no error, omission or misstatement will allow the purchaser to rescind the contract nor entitle either party to compensation thereof.

The land is registered with the Land Registry under titles SK392431 and SK230152.  Please note the land is referred to as ‘Land at Old Bells Farm’ and ‘Land adjacent to Old Bells Farm’ respectively in the registered titles. 

Overage/Restrictive Covenant 
There will be no overage or restrictive covenants applied to the sale of the land. 

Town and Country Planning 
The property is sold subject to any development plans, Tree Preservations Orders, Ancient Monument Orders and Town and Country schedules or other similar matters as may be or come into force.   The yard is suitable for a range of alternative non-agricultural uses, subject to planning permission. 

Planning permission was granted for ‘prior approval for a proposed change of use of agricultural building to a dwellinghouse’ under reference DC/19/02373 which was approved in 2019 and has now expired.  This was followed by a full planning permission for the erection of one dwelling under reference DC/20/01118 which was granted in 2020 and has now expired. An application for the renewal of this application was refused under DC/24/04412 dated 3rd February 2025.  An application for the renewal of application DC/19/02373 was submitted to Babergh Mid Suffolk Council and has been refused under application DC/25/01589 dated 26th June 2025.  

Full details of the planning history for the property will be available in the Legal Pack. 

VAT 
Should any sale of the property or any right attached to it become a chargeable supply for the purposes of VAT, such VAT shall be payable by the purchaser in addition to the contract price, although it is not anticipated by the seller. 

Tenure and Possession 
The land is for sale freehold with vacant possession. 

NOTES

1.  Every care has been taken with the preparation of these particulars, but complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed.  If there is any point, which  is of particular importance to you, please obtain professional confirmation. Alternatively, we will be pleased to check the information for you.  These Particulars do not constitute a contract or part of a contract.  All measurements quoted are approximate.  The Fixtures, Fittings & Appliances have not been tested and therefore no guarantee can be given that they are in working order.  Photographs are reproduced for general information and it cannot be inferred that any item shown is included.  No guarantee can be given that any planning permission or listed building consent or building regulations have been applied for or approved. The agents have not been made aware of any covenants or restrictions that may impact the property, unless stated otherwise.  Any site plans used in the particulars are indicative only and buyers should rely on the Land Registry/transfer plan. 

2. The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 require all Estate Agents    to obtain sellers’ and buyers’ identity.

3. In the unlikely situation of our client considering an offer prior to auction, a premium price would have to be put forward and the purchaser would be required to sign the contract and put down a 10% deposit and pay the Buyers Administration Charge, well in advance of the auction date.  An offer will not be considered unless a potential buyer has read the legal pack and is in a position to immediately sign the contract.  The seller is under no obligation to accept such an offer.   It should be noted that Clarke and Simpson cannot keep all interested parties updated and at times will be instructed to accept an offer and exchange contracts without going back to any other parties first. 

4. Additional fees:  Buyers Administration Charge - £900 including VAT (see Buying Guide).  Disbursements - please see the Legal Pack for any disbursements listed that may become payable by the purchaser upon completion.

5. The guide price is an indication of the sellers minimum expectations.  This is not necessarily the figure that the property will sell for and may change at any time prior to the auction.  The property will be offered subject to a reserve (a figure below which the auctioneer cannot sell the property during the auction) which we will expect to be set within the guide range of no more than 10% above a single figure guide.

6.  Photographs taken 2024.