Property Case Studies

C-Listed Fife Coastal Property

C-Listed Fife Coastal Property

Agency team turn detective to achieve successful sale of home and garden.

Brief

We were instructed to market an attractive, C-listed Fife property situated on the Firth of Forth coastal pathway. However, the sale was hampered by the fact that the nearby Estate, and not the seller, appeared to own the title to the garden. Our clients had declined an offer to buy the garden some years before, and when a new approach was made to the Estate, the purchase price had increased greatly.

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Process

As this point, our Agency team decided to carry out a thorough investigation into the title and purchased copies of the older title deeds from The Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. With a bit of detective work, and a desire to achieve a successful sale for our clients, we were able to establish that the boot was actually on the other foot. If indeed the Estate did own the land, then the obligation lay with them to produce their title and stake their claim.

Outcome

Happily, the outcome was that The Keeper accepted that our clients did have ownership and we were able to successfully conclude a sale which allowed them to downsize to a new project further along the Fife coast.

Article posted on 21/12/2021

Forestry Case Studies

Woodland Creation With Protected Species

Woodland Creation With Protected Species

Professional approach to a challenging ecological project.

Brief

Bell Ingram’s forestry team were tasked with managing a large scale woodland creation scheme in proximity to an established golden eagle territory. Given the birds’ iconic status as one of Scotland’s ‘Big 5’ species – they have strict legal protection in Scotland – this was a particularly sensitive job.

Process

Full regard to the presence of the protected species was adhered to throughout the entire project with all operations managed accordingly.  A golden eagle foraging survey was conducted to identify areas to avoid.  During the golden eagle breeding season activities had to be managed to ensure minimal disturbance to the birds.

Outcome

Bell Ingram was delighted, as was our client, that our expert forestry team professionally and skillfully managed the creation of this new woodland. The conditions were challenging, but the project was delivered with minimal disturbance to the golden eagles.

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Article posted on 29/11/2019

Property Case Studies, Uncategorized

Chesterhill House – Tayport, Fife

Chesterhill House – Tayport, Fife

The Fife development opportunity that became an international social media sensation.

Brief

Chesterhill House had been uninhabited for 12 years and needed complete renovation. Set in a secluded position surrounded by woodland, the property had a number of desirable architectural features including a rare oval walled garden.  As was common in the late 1800s, successful Dundee merchants would build beautiful houses in an around Newport and travel to and from their businesses via a steamer across the Tay. Chesterhill House was constructed around 1870 for this very reason.

Process

Our Perth Agency team were invited to bring this historic and locally well known hidden gem to the open market and our Property Manager, Carl Warden, relished the challenge. In a bold move, in agreement with the client, the property went to the market at offers over £200,000.

Outcome

The result was firstly a social media frenzy reaching 121,399 (89,000 in the first 48 hours). This was following by national and international coverage including Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand and on television news in the US. The resulting telephone enquiries had the Bell Ingram staff working non-stop on the project and after 156 viewers we received 15 Offers on a closing date. The property eventually achieved an outstanding sale price.

Article posted on 25/05/2020

Property Case Studies, Uncategorized

Kirk O’Muir – Kinclaven, Perthshire

Kirk O’Muir – Kinclaven, Perthshire

Our Perth Agency team sensitively and successfully managed the emotive sale of a family property.

Brief

Kirk o’ Muir at Kinclaven was formerly a manse and is category C Listed. Having been a family home within the same family for many decades, the house had been empty and fallen into disrepair. Included in the title were the remains of the A Listed Kirk o’ the Muir Church which once formed an impressive Secession Church – now long disused. Within the grounds are the ruins of the coach house for the Manse.

Process

Our Perth Agency team were keen to bring this property to the market. Having been in the same family for so long, it was a very emotive sale for the remaining brothers who had grown up there.

Outcome

Kirk o’ Muir generated interest from all over the UK with many attracted by its private and idyllic location. Thirteen viewers vied with each other on a closing date and the property was sold for over the asking price to a family who were keen to make it their forever home too.

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Article posted on 08/11/2019

Property Case Studies

Flocklones Farmhouse – By Invergowrie

Flocklones Farmhouse – By Invergowrie

Timing was everything in the rapid sale of this beautiful property.

Brief

This original farmhouse dates from the end of the 18th century and was very sympathetically extended in the 1970s and again in 2011. It combined traditional features typical of its time with modern family living.

Process

Although Easter time has many people’s interest focused on eggs and bunnies, the Perth residential team brought Flocklones House to the market on Easter Friday and arranged one viewing for the next day.

Outcome

The viewing was a success and a substantial and acceptable offer, well above the asking price, was submitted on Easter Monday.

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Article posted on 25/05/2020

Commercial, Conservation, Design Case Studies, Residential

City of Brechin | Townscape Heritage Initiative

Brechin Townscape Heritage Initiative

Public Sector funded restoration project to transform historic row of 19th century, gable-ended buildings.

Brief

Bell Ingram Design was appointed as Project Architect and Lead Consultant on seven linked projects within the Brechin Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI). The work centred on a historic row of early 19th century, gable-ended buildings along 29-33 High Street. The main project was the conversion of a derelict property. into three apartments and ground floor retail space. We were also appointed by the neighbouring owners on both sides of this property to carry out external restoration, plus THI grants also enabled BI Design to complete external improvements on four further communally owned properties within this key area. Brechin THI was a five-year, £2.9 million project funded by Angus Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Historic Scotland (Historic Environment Heritage Fund – Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme).

Process

29-33 High Street was one of a number of similar, historic properties located on Brechin High Street. The overriding character of the buildings was based more on the consistency and use of locally sourced building materials rather than on a particular architectural style; the quality of design being attributed to the skill of local artisans. However, the row had fallen into dereliction because Brechin’s historically low property prices meant that the cost of conversion back to a habitable standard exceeded the property’s value once refurbished. The appointment of BI Design to carry out work on properties adjacent to 29-33 High Street meant that we were able to apply a consistent approach to the grouping as a whole. As each property had a different client (sometimes multiple clients), the works were restricted by budget to a greater or lesser extent and had to be carefully prioritised. 

Outcome

Being a high-profile site within the centre of Brechin it was important to minimise any disruption caused to the local community by scaffolding. The construction works were completed within budget and with no complaints received from residents or businesses. Restoration of the 19th century row has greatly enhanced Brechin’s existing streetscape which Angus Council believes will in turn help to raise the spirits of Brechiners and attract new jobs and investment. Retail space and apartments within the Arrowpoint developments are now occupied and, importantly, the value of each property has been enhanced by applying a consistent approach across the row.

Article posted on 26/06/2019

Press Release Archive News

Alasdair Reynolds retires after 35 years at Bell Ingram

Alasdair Reynolds retires after 35 years at Bell Ingram

After over 35 years at Bell Ingram, Alasdair Reynolds, Director and Renewables & Utilities Consultant, officially retired on Tuesday, April 30.

Bell Ingram Chairman Graham Lumby said: “On behalf of everyone who has worked with you over the years and those who work with you currently, I’d like to thank you for your loyal service and say that we will miss you enormously.”

Staff gathered in the boardroom to wish Alasdair a fond farewell and Graham (left) presented him with a number of gifts including a lovely etching by artist Norman Wilkinson and framed photograph of Taransay.

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Article posted on 01/05/2019

Press Release Archive News

Bell Ingram announces new Managing Partner Mark Mitchell

Bell Ingram announces new Managing Partner Mark Mitchell

Bell Ingram – one of the UK’s largest independent firms of Chartered Surveyors – has announced that Mark Mitchell will become its new Managing Partner on 1st April 2019. Graham Lumby will continue to represent the firm as Chairman.

The Rural Land and Property experts have professionals spanning a range of services, from forestry and mapping to architecture and farm sales. The firm has a rich heritage and will celebrate its 120th year in November.

Mark joined the firm as a trainee in 1993 and has subsequently fulfilled various senior management roles, latterly as Partner in charge of Estate Agency and Health and Safety. A Rural Leader and current Vice Chair of the Perthshire Agricultural Society, Mark is a stalwart of the local community with an unwavering commitment to the sector.

Commenting on his new role, Mark said: “The future is bright for Bell Ingram. The change in leadership signals a new direction for the firm; with ambitious plans for growth underway for the next five years spelling exciting times ahead for the business.

“The current economic and regulatory environments continue to present land-based businesses with opportunities and challenges in areas on which Bell Ingram is ideally placed to advise.

“I look forward to the challenges of being Managing Partner, working with my colleagues to continue to deliver the outstanding service that sets us apart, while providing an environment where our people can flourish.

“Graham’s tenure has been very impressive, and I am delighted that he will continue to contribute to the implementation of our strategy and our future growth. Thanks to his leadership, the firm is in an excellent position. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to build on this success and see us go from strength to strength.”

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Article posted on 01/04/2019

Press Release Archive News

Bell Ingram revolutionises woodland mapping techniques

Bell Ingram revolutionises woodland mapping techniques

Bell Ingram is shaking up traditional woodland mapping techniques with its ground-breaking new Cloud-based system which marks a significant change to the way the company works.

In a presentation which was widely shared on Twitter (#AGIScot19), Bell Ingram’s Head of Mapping Chris Duncan gave the sector an exclusive preview of the Forestry Cloud at the recent AGI Conference in Stirling.

The system, which rolled out to Bell Ingram’s Forestry team this month, allows access from virtually anywhere and on any device to view the company’s forest management records at the click of a button.

Additionally, the team is moving forward with a paperless approach to site work with rugged tablets, offline working and shortly will record all H&S, work instructions and site inspections electronically without the need to take paper records.

Chris Duncan explained: “Bell Ingram has used geographic information system (GIS) and digital mapping for Forestry for many years. Several years ago, it became abundantly clear that storing individual datasets for each property was not a sensible approach as we manage many forests from multiple offices across Scotland. We required a more integrated approach and the solution we have developed is a Cloud-based geodatabase built on the open-source software PostgresSQL and QGIS.”

Bell Ingram’s system allows all its foresters to have secure access to the company’s forest database for any office or any other internet-connected location. The company is also able to publish information online, via a secure service, allowing its clients to access their own forest records.

Convenient Android App allows access to forest records in the field.
Chris continued: “In the past, calculating changes over time and visualising the future composition of the forest was a very involved process, with the long-term forest plan production forecast potentially taking hours to complete every time felling or restocking plans changed.“However, the integrated nature of our system makes calculating statistics and future composition plans, including 3D visualisation, automatic and every change to the database propagates through the layers, giving an up-to-date view of the forest making preparation of plans much quicker and simpler.”He added: “Our system is not just limited to the office, mobile technology has transformed in recent years, and our forestry system makes use of this. An Android app allows a copy of the forest records to be downloaded to a device and taken out into the forest. Any updates to records made in the forest can then be uploaded back into the database on their return to the office.“Our approach to modernise woodland mapping using modern techniques and open-source software enables us to be at the cutting edge of mapping, using modern equipment to maximise our efficiency and reducing costs so our clients get the best value for money.”
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Article posted on 29/03/2019