A historic canalside site in Sandwell with plans submitted to build 50 apartments has come on the market for £1.25m. The Boat Gauging House is located at the Tipton canal basin off Factory Road, which is on the main line of the greater Birmingham canal network.

The former British Waterways site covers 1.1 acres in area and is well positioned at the junction of two canal routes, the Birmingham Level (new main line) and the Wolverhampton Level (old main line). 

The site therefore benefits from canal frontage on two sides (north and west). On the eastern side is Factory Road, from where the site is accessed, and to the South is an area of open space. 

The site is in a sustainable location as it is close to public transport facilities. There are bus services within 400 metres and Tipton train station is only 600 metres away. The Sustrans cycle route runs along the Birmingham Canal adjacent to the site.

It is also within easy walking or cycling distance of several leisure and retail facilities in Sandwell and Dudley.

The proposed scheme includes the refurbishment and conversion of the Grade II-listed Boat Gauging House, which was built in 1873. This building will house four exclusive two-bedroomed dwellings, whilst maintaining the historic character of the building. 

The remainder of the 1.1-acre site has already been cleared and plans have been submitted for two apartment blocks that will contain a further 46 apartments.

Block A will contain 10 new-build apartments with a mix of one and two bedrooms, and a Block B will house another 36 new-build apartments, again with a mix of one and two bedrooms.

The Boat Gauging House was originally used for calibrating new canal boats to make sure the weights of cargo that they carried could be accurately recorded. More than 10,000 boats were gauged and registered at Tipton in the period between 1873 and 1900 and boats were still being gauged there in 1950.

The plans that have been submitted are for 50 high-quality, individually designed apartments and include 61 associated car parking spaces plus landscaping of the historical canalside location.

The property is being marketed by property agent Bond Wolfe.