Iconic Cornish Landmark Set for Auction

Connect UK Auctions is offering Wenford Dryers, a 14-acre Grade II listed former china clay drying complex in Cornwall, with detailed planning permission to convert it into 38 loft-style homes.

Built in the early 20th century, the complex played an important part in Cornwall’s china clay industry. The approved scheme (references E1/2010/00455 and E1/2010/00454) provides for 33 residential dwellings and five live-work units, designed to retain the site’s industrial character. The homes are planned with open-plan interiors, large windows and private terraces overlooking the River Camel valley.

Robert Jenkins, Regional Director of Connect UK Auctions, said the site is unlike anything else on the market in the South West and, with consent already in place, offers a ready-made opportunity for heritage-led development. The auctioneer suggests the scheme could suit premium primary homes, high-end holiday properties or a live-work community.

The property is freehold and sold with vacant possession. It sits on the edge of Bodmin Moor within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, near the village of St Breward and about six miles north of Bodmin. The Camel Trail, a 17-mile route from Wenfordbridge to Padstow, is close by, as are Rough Tor and Brown Willy, Cornwall’s highest point. The A30 gives access to Truro, Exeter and the M5, and the north Cornish coast at Padstow, Polzeath and Rock is a short drive away.

The lot was offered in a Connect Realtime online auction on Wednesday 17 December 2025, with bidding open from 12pm to 1pm. The auctioneer highlighted strong regional demand for quality housing and growing interest in heritage-led schemes as supporting the site’s potential.

Source: Connect UK Auctions, original article (24 November 2025)