It started with an empty shop in Evesham Nothing remarkable at first glance, in fact, it was a disgrace of a building A ground floor unit sat empty for four years beneath two already occupied duplex apartments Most people walked past it without noticing the potential, just a wreck But there was a gap between what it was and what it could be And that gap is where the opportunity lived The building is Grade II listed and in a conservation area - some people’s worst nightmare Planning had already been refused twice under previous ownership Most would swerve around this building I drove head on into it The refusals happened because the owners didn’t understand the local plan Once you understand policy the whole project turns from a 1,000 piece puzzle where every piece is the same colour to a four piece puzzle toddlers can complete So I kept the frontage to protect the street scene Respected the character that makes this part of Evesham feel like Evesham Then focused on the dead unused space at the rear of the shop That space had no purpose No life No value So I created one A self contained flat that fits perfectly within the building A couple of strong steels made the structure work A light touch protected the listed fabric The two duplex apartments remain fully occupied The shop is occupied And the new flat is now on the rental market The entire project was funded with a blend of bank finance and a private investor Delivered on budget Delivered without drama Planning approved at the first attempt under my ownership keeping my 100% success record The valuation is due to take place on Friday When the figure comes in I will share the full picture But here is the real point This building now works It produces income It adds strength to the portfolio And it proves once again that opportunity is always there if you know how to look

Posted by Sam Bastow at 2025-12-03 12:04:56 UTC