Stunning former pump house up for auction

If you have ambitions for a Grand Designs-style project on a large scale, then you might want to check out this extraordinary building in Suffolk.

The Old Pump House, in Akenham, on the outskirts of Ipswich, is currently half covered in ivy. Built in 1913, it's a former Anglian Water pump house, but has been abandoned for years.

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The building's a good size, with a footprint of around 2,340 square feet, and you could double that by putting in a first floor.

That would be a bit of a shame, though, given the stunning vaulted ceiling and pillars; a mezzanine might be a better bet.

It currently consists of one main room, with a high metal frame truss roof and an original rolling beam hoist system, which could make an unusual feature. There's also a small side addition.

And if you can see past the ivy, the frontage of the building has the makings of a very grand house. There's an impressive front door, with three sets of arched windows either side.

The building sits in a rectangular plot of a little under half an acre, and has pretty views across farmland.

Right now, of course, it's designated as a commercial building, and the new owner would have to get planning permission to convert it into a home. It looks like a perfect candidate, though, so the odds are good.

Pump houses come up for sale more often than you might think - we took a look at another one back in January that's now sold. It already had planning permission for residential occupancy, despite measuring just 20 by 14 feet.

The Old Pump House in Akenham is going up for sale as part of a large auction on Monday July 24, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Piccadilly, and has a guide price of just £140,000. Contact agent Savills for more information.