Boat dock in London’s Battersea is for sale for £500,000

If you’re looking for somewhere to park a boat, an opportunity has become available in London, with access to the River Thames.

But you will need deep pockets, as the freehold dock in Battersea has an eye-watering price tag of £500,000 for what is essentially not much more than a parking spot.

The piece of freehold property is called Oyster Wharf Dock, and has a depth of four metres at low tide. The price is just for the dock, no boat is included.

Looking for somewhere to part your boat? The unusual piece of property in London’s Battersea has a price tag of £500,000

The property for sale is in a popular riverside setting in London and has access to the capital's River Thames near Oyster Pier

The property for sale is in a popular riverside setting in London and has access to the capital’s River Thames near Oyster Pier

It was formerly known as Grove Dock and was used to unload coal for Grove Power Station, which is where the Oyster Wharf development now stands.

Oyster Wharf is a popular riverside building close Battersea Square that includes flats and penthouses with balconies and river views.

A three-bedroom penthouse for sale in the block has recently sold after being advertised with a listing price of £1.55milion.

It compares to an average price of a British home of £309,103, according to property website Zoopla.

However, typical values are much higher in London’s Battersea, standing at £886,495. Flats and penthouses with riverside views can easily venture into the seven-figure bracket.

In times gone by the site was formerly known as Grove Dock and was used to unload coal for the nearby Grove Power Station

In times gone by the site was formerly known as Grove Dock and was used to unload coal for the nearby Grove Power Station

The average price of a residential property in the surrounding area of Battersea is £886,495, according to property website Zoopla

The average price of a residential property in the surrounding area of Battersea is £886,495, according to property website Zoopla

The site was formerly used to unload coal for Grove Power Station, which is where the Oyster Wharf development now stands

The site was formerly used to unload coal for Grove Power Station, which is where the Oyster Wharf development now stands

The dock is north and east of Wandsworth Bridge between the south bank of the Thames and Lombard Road.

It has planning permission to hold or build a 1,722 square foot houseboat. The dock is 123 ft long and 21 ft wide, at low tide the depth is four metres.

George Franks, of Radstock Property, said: ‘This is the first dock that has come up for sale in London for longer than I can remember. 

 ‘Subject to planning, it could suit someone who wants to moor a houseboat and live in a prime central London location for a fraction of the price of nearby properties. 

‘Equally, you could have a high-powered rib bobbing away there ready to blast along the Thames,’ he added. 

Do you have a boat that fits? The area of the dock measures 123 feet long and 21 feet wide, and at low tide the depth is four metres

Do you have a boat that fits? The area of the dock measures 123 feet long and 21 feet wide, and at low tide the depth is four metres

Location, location, location! The dock is north and east of Wandsworth Bridge, between the south bank of the Thames and Lombard Road

Location, location, location! The dock is north and east of Wandsworth Bridge, between the south bank of the Thames and Lombard Road

Living in a houseboat has widely been considered as a cheaper option for many, especially for those working in London, where house prices tend to be higher. 

But moorings – or a place to park – can prove expensive, as this example proves, adding significantly to the overall cost. It suggests that living in a boat may no longer be the once financially attractive alternative it once was, which is why many canal boat dwellers choose the option of continuous cruising that involves regularly moving on. 

North London estate agent Jeremy Leaf said: ‘House-boat living may once have been regarded as not just a more romantic and flexible but cheaper option, especially for those working in city centres.

‘However, times have changed and the rules of demand and supply being what they are have pushed up prices to crazy levels in some places.

‘Finding a place to park your boat can be prohibitive nowadays as any quick glance at those advertised will reveal.

‘Post-pandemic, whether you live in a house, flat or on a boat, people want the same things – not just flexible living but outside space, the ability to work from home and not to get under each other’s feet. Living on a boat may not tick all those boxes.

‘Before making a decision, all factors must be considered, not just the cost of buying or renting the boat and moorings, but longer-term commuting decisions, accessibility to friends and family to say nothing of its condition, when rising damp can take on a whole new meaning.’

Tom Parker, of Zoopla, added: ‘With Battersea Power Station a property hotspot thanks to its many new shops and restaurants, this freehold dock could be a great investment for someone looking to live on a houseboat in an unrivalled location.’ 

The property is being sold by estate agents Radstock Property and has planning permission to hold or build a 1,722 square foot houseboat

The property is being sold by estate agents Radstock Property and has planning permission to hold or build a 1,722 square foot houseboat