Ever dreamed of owning a private island? Not an uninhabited strip of land, or an outcrop big enough for a single house – a whole, self-sufficient island, with a whole village worth of houses, that you’d potentially never have to leave.
Essex’s Osea Island, complete with 38 houses, a recording studio and a golf course, might do the trick.
You’ll have to get your friends to club together, though: it’s for sale for £25 million via Knight Frank and Fine & Country.
Located on the river Blackwater near Maldon —only 40 miles away from London— the 380-acre island is accessible by boat, of course, as well as by an ancient Roman causeway at low tide.
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As well as a jetty and dry dock, the island has its own light aircraft landing strip and helicopter landing area.
During the First World War, Osea Island was used as secret naval based called SS Osea.
After World War Two, it was owned by Cambridge University and made a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest before returning to private ownership in the 1950s.
Since 2004, it has been owned by music producer Nigel Frieda, who has produced music by the Rolling Stones and Sugababes, amongst others.
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The likes of Rhianna, Stormzy, Charlie XCX, George Ezra and Jessie J have recorded in Osea Island’s studios, with Rihanna reportedly renting the whole island for £20,000 a day in 2019.
Stormzy recorded his recent album, This Is What I Mean, there, which he described as a “surreal experience”.
Today, alongside the recording studio, the island is used for glitzy A-list events, weddings and private hire.
Olly Murs married Amelia Tank there in 2023, while in 2015, The Weeknd chose Osea for his only gig that year.
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Osea has also been used as a film location, including for The Woman in Black starring Daniel Radcliffe in 2012, and the TV series The Third Day, starring Jude Law.
There are 38 residential properties on Osea, spanning a total of 105,207 square feet with 90 bedrooms. Amongst these are an Edwardian manor house, a range of luxury apartments and cottages, with potential for further development.
The island’s “village” has its own pub, The Puffin, as well as a café, bar and cinema. There are commercial properties too, including a luxury retreat called the Captain’s House, which sleeps 22.
For sports fans, there is a private golf course, swimming pool, gym, tennis court and shooting facilities.
“This is an exceptional opportunity to purchase a unique self-contained and self-sufficient island of approximately 80 acres with an established revenue stream and excellent reputation, along with substantial opportunities to expand the business and infrastructure further,” says Knight Frank.
The island is being advertised as a business opportunity, with potential to be used for festivals, glamping, hotel, spa and wellness retreats, in addition to its current uses as an events venue, film location and recording studio.
Or, of course, a private island for you and your friends.
“Osea Island presents an exceptionally rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a private island of remarkable scale and historical significance,” says Georgie Veale, senior negotiator at Knight Frank.
“Offering extensive land and multiple properties, it affords the purchaser unparalleled exclusivity, privacy, and a wide range of potential uses.”
