Historic building where JRR Tolkien was cared for as a soldier on market for £1.3m

The University of Hull-owned Dennison Centre, on Cottingham Road, sports a blue plaque on its exterior detailing how Tolkien was cared for there in 1917, when the building was an officer’s hospital.

In recent years the building, which stands opposite the main University campus, has been used as a conference centre, offices, and for use by international students.

However, it could soon be home to a whole new community as it is being marketed as having the potential to become a sizable residential plot.

Paul White, agency director at commercial property specialists Garness Jones is handling the sale of the building for the university and says there has already been significant interest.

He said the university has already had indicative plans prepared which show how the three-storey Dennison Centre could be converted into 15 apartments (11 two bedroomed and four one bedroomed), whilst the land has enough space for a further seven detached four-bedroom homes.

The site includes another property which has already been converted into two self-contained flats.

High number of interested parties expected

“This is a really excellent opportunity for the right buyer to create a high-quality residential development,” said Mr White.

“It is a desirable location as it is well-placed just a few miles out of Hull city centre, but close to Newland Park, which is a beautiful area, and of course Newland Avenue, which is highly sought after due to its busy day and evening economy with retail, cafes and restaurants.

“It is also well placed for Kingswood and Beverley, so as a location, ticks many boxes for a new residential development. It is rare that an opportunity like this arises to build a new residential development in such an ideally placed, established location with so many amenities already nearby.”

Mr White said the university is understanding that most offers from potential buyers will be subject to planning permission being granted. However, he says unconditional offers will also be considered and the sale will go to the ‘best bid’ at the end of September.

“We expect there to be a good number of interested parties by the closure date for offers, which is September 27,” Mr White said.

“The only stipulation on future owners, which will be placed on the title by the vendor, is that the property not be used for the purposes of student accommodation to occupy, let or otherwise take possession of any building or part of a building on the site.”

'The Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings' author JRR Tolkien was cared for at the property, then Brooklands Officers' Hospital, aged 25, in 1917-18, suffering from trench fever, which he had picked up in France in the Great War.

At the time a still unpublished author, he spent 18 months in East Yorkshire, much of it on the Holderness coastline where soldiers spent hours watching for an invasion from the sea.

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James Mitchinson