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Wales Online
Wales Online
Lifestyle
Richard Youle & Christie Bannon

The little lodge at the entrance to Swansea's Singleton Park is up for sale

As you stroll into Swansea's popular Singleton Park to walk the dog or take the scenic route to the seafront, you probably barely notice the little house perched by the big gated entrance off Gower Road

It's been there for as long as anyone can remember and things like that have a tendency to fade into the background a little.

But you might want to take a closer look next time you pass by, because Gower Lodge is up for sale and could soon be someone's home.

The two-bedroom property used to be the park keeper’s house, but has been deemed surplus to requirements by its owner, Swansea Council.

It was built in the mid-1800s, decades before cars and lorries began trundling past.

A Grade II listed building, the lodge is being marketed through property specialist Allsop and is due to go to auction on December 17 with a guide price of £135,000.

Geoff Bacon, the council’s head of property services, said: "We hope the new owners will ensure it stands for generations to come.

"It will be a fantastic project for its new owner who will have a unique property in a unique location."

It will go under the hammer on December 17 with a guide price of £135,000 (Swansea Council)
It was once home to the park keeper (Swansea Council)

Gower Lodge has a small garden, an outdoor privy and dated decor.

The council said maintenance costs had become an issue, but that it would remain as a residential property.

Money raised from the sale will be reinvested into council services.

How not to sell your house:

10 house buying turn-offs that could knock thousands off your property

The former county borough council bought what was then the Singleton Estate for use as a public park in 1919.

It is known for its ornamental gardens, and hosts high-profile concerts and events in the grounds, so anyone living in the lodge will have to contend with some loud music on occasion, and hordes of concert-goers strolling past. On the plus side, if the buyers are music fans, the house couldn't be better positioned.

It even comes with an outdoor toilet (Swansea Council)
You can catch a glimpse of the park through the garden (Swansea Council)

It's not the only building of note in Singleton Park.

In 2011, the Gothic-style Singleton Lodge at the Mumbles Road end of the park was sold at auction for £140,000.

And the current Labour administration put forward a proposal in April to seek developer interest in a scheme which would have delivered 42 houses and restored a listed former farmhouse in the park’s Home Farm depot, in the western end of the park.

It caused consternation among many residents – although council chiefs stressed no green space would be touched – and a Friends of Singleton Park group was set up.

The proposal was then put on hold in June , pending the creation of a new cross-party working group to explore other options.

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