Island on the River Great Ouse at Houghton is snapped up at auction

An island which sits in the River Great Ouse fetched more than £100,000 when it was put up for auction last Wednesday.

Cambridgeshire-based auction house Cheffins sold 8.75 acres of grassland and woodland, which came with a plot on the River Great Ouse on the edge of Houghton, for £106,000 – exceeding the estimate.

The 1.5 acre island is accessible via a footbridge and is close to Houghton Mill, owned by the National Trust.

Ian Kitson, from auctioneers Cheffins, which organised the sale, said: “It’s not every day that you have the chance to buy your own island so we always thought that it would create plenty of interest.

“The site was bought by a local person who’s keen to keep the land in its current form and enjoy the tranquillity that it has to offer. We’re delighted with the result and hope the new owner gets plenty of pleasure from their new purchase.”

The sale featured a flat parcel of grassland in a single plot of around 7.3 acres surrounded by a mature broadleaf tree belt and hedgerows.

At the southern edge of the land, a wooden footbridge leads on to an island comprising mixed woodland and amenity land, extending to approximately 1.45 acres along the River Great Ouse.

The land is accessible from Thicket Road by vehicle whilst the island has pedestrian access.

“A public footpath along the Great Ouse links the land to Houghton Mill and Houghton Mill camping and caravan site.”