Pladda Island For Sale & Lighthouse Keepers Cottages

OVERPRICED VALUE PLACED ON THESE RUINS

Pladda Island For Sale

& Lighthouse Keepers Cottages

We would love to see these RUINOUS buildings brought back to life. But they are currently OVERPRICED and will take at least £180,000 to £250,000 MORE that the purchase price to renovate. How do we know? We have just done this at a MAINLAND lighthouse station. Our FOURTH lighthouse station renovation. So we have a reasonable idea of the costs. Plus expert crew onside who work for the lighthouse board and understand the financial safety net required. Be in no doubt, these buildings are in very poor condition.

^^ Pladda Island Ruins ^^

Photo Attribution Sarah Kerr (here)

Other than the lighthouse TOWERS which are OWNED by the NORTHERN LIGHTHOUSE BOARD. They spend around £120,000 a tower to renovate.

Maybe just as well you will NOT be owning the TOWERS as this would bring about more costs.

On 1st August 2022 when the estate agent placed the island and ruinous cottages for sale at “OFFERS OVER £325,000” they got the valuation TOO HIGH.

So much so, that like one or two others we have seen over the years, Pladda is at risk of GETTING STUCK AS AN UNSOLD SET OF RUINOUS BUILDINGS. Too high a valuation and remains unsold for years just like Corsewall Lighthouse Station (took 9 years to sell).

Ironically when viewing from Pladda, you can see two other lighthouses on nearby islands. We have renovated BOTH! The first was from 1984 to 1991 at Davaar Island. The second is one we bought: Ailsa Craig Island Lighthouses. It is an expensive business. Worse…

THE PROBLEMS IN RENOVATING ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE BUILDINGS ARE THAT THEY CAN BE AND ARE LETHAL.

Our good friend Len Bennett perished on his way back to Davaar Island during January 2013. Much to the relief of Len’s family and friends, his remains were retrieved from the shoreline on Arran and a cremation and final farewell were arranged a short time later (here).

^^ Len Bennett ^^

Tragically Lost Off of Davaar Island

4th January 2013.

With regard to condition f the buildings on Padda Island, see if you can tell the difference in the following video between the actual TOWERS which are owned and MAINTAINED by the Northern Lighthouse Board, and the tired, ruinous former keeper’s cottages?

^^ Pladda Ruinous Keepers’ Houses ^^

Contrasted with well maintained Towers (NOT for sale)

Our friend from nearby Sanda Island spent several years renovating his ruinous lighthouse buildings and pretty much had a season-ticket for being rescued by the Campbeltown RNLI Lifeboat such were the dangerous waters. Owner of Sanda Island, Dick Gannon came close to losing his life several times. So PLEASE do NOT underestimate the dangers of remote island life.

^^ Pladda Island ^^

Photo Attribution: Vincent van Zeijst

Looking Towards

Our Ailsa Craig Island Buildings

(We sold Ailsa Craig Lighthouses in 2001)

Yes we are a bit angry, because when we sold Ailsa Craig Lighthouse buildings in 2001 they were in habitable condition. 21 years later they are not habitable and we worry the same thing will happen to Pladda because the resale valuations that are too high.

All in all, these are not just random words. These are written by or via the owners of Pladda island neighbours at: Ailsa Craig Island + Davaar island + Sanda Island… even the Island of Arran.

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING BUYING PLADDA ISLAND, PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

People see these island lighthouses on a pretty day and wax lyrical about how nice it would be to live there. Many utterly neglect the very reason for the lighthouse tower being needed “there” in the first place!

Island based lighthouse stations are a dangerous environment.

 

So PLEASE beware.

For the sake of good form, we will NOT be bidding on Pladda. Maybe if the price was realistic. Maybe if the Arran ferry service was fit for purpose rather than imploding. Maybe if the owner of Pladda would sell us his helicopter at a reasonable price (sorry the last bit is a bad joke).

In the main, we are put off because of the unrealistic price placed on IMPORTANT lighthouse buildings that may well end up leaving these stuck unsold and going from a ruinous state to a derelict and irrecoverable condition.

IF/WHEN THE PRICE FOR PLADDA ISLAND AND LIGHTHOUSES COMES DOWN FROM £325,000 TO A MORE REALISTIC £225,000 THE FACT YOU ARE LIKELY INTO A FURTHER £200,000 TO £250,000 RENOVATION BILL MEANS IT MAY BE BEST TO LEAVE THIS ONE ON THE SHELF UNTIL THE ESTATE AGENT GETS A BETTER IDEA OF HOW TO VALUE AND SELL LIGHTHOUSE STATIONS.

Estate Agent Sale Details

Click Here