Mystery buyer snaps up former residential centre used by hundreds of Peterborough school children for £250,000 plus
A former residential education centre used over the years by many Peterborough schoolchildren has been sold for more than £250,000.
The Stibbington Centre, in Church Lane, Stibbington, which sits in a 1.65 acre site, was closed down two years ago by former owners Cambridgeshire County Council.
The council claimed that falling usage meant the centre was no longer financially viable and the Grade II listed building was put up for sale.
Now commercial property agents Eddisons, who managed the sale on behalf of the council, say the property has sold at ‘considerably more’ than the £250,000 asking price.
The sale deal was completed last week but the identity of the new owners and the final price paid have not yet been revealed..
The nineteenth century building was used as a field studies education centre for a number of years under Cambridgeshire County Council.
Gavin Hynes, who led Eddisons in the sale of the centre, said: “Following an extensive marketing campaign in which the property was positioned as suitable for a number of uses, subject to planning approval, interest was secured from a number of potential buyers and soon progressed to best offers beyond the original asking price.”
Mr Haynes added: “It’s a landmark property adjacent to the A1 and its scale, historic interest and vernacular style were always going to attract attention.
"It’s an important building and that’s reflected in its Listed status.
He said: “We are as keen as other local residents to see how its new owner chooses to use it.”
The decision to close Stibbington left many people devastated with thousands of children having made life long memories at the centre over the years.
At the time, the council said less than half the visits to Stibbington were from schools outside the county council boundaries, although schools in Peterborough, which are not considered to be in Cambridgeshire in the statistics, made a large number of visits to the centre.
It offered a range of activities, including pond dipping, treasure hunts, and exploring renewable energy sources. It could accommodate up to 38 people in bedrooms ranging from singles to rooms for four.
Although the future use of the building has not been revealed, the council has stated it will be used in a way sensitive to the location and beneficial to the community.