Channel House is prominently positioned overlooking the Port of Dover on Channel View Road. The site is accessed from the A20, the main approach to the town and harbour buildings with spectacular views overlooking Dover Marina and the English Channel across to France.
Dover, with its world-famous white cliffs, has significant resonance in the national psyche being synonymous with the gateway to Britain. As the UK’s busiest international ferry port Dover carries 10 million passengers, 1.3 million tourist vehicles and 2 million freight vehicles each year.
In recent times, the town has undergone a significant transformation with a high-speed rail link to London and a revamped promenade and beachfront. Historic sites such as Dover Castle, the White Cliffs of Dover, and the Citadel are close to Channel House and attract in excess of 350,000 tourists each year.
The building is a 5 minute drive from Dover Priory train station, which has regular trains to London Bridge and London St Pancras, taking 1hour 6 minutes at fastest.
Channel House was built in 1982 to a modernist design by Dover architects Dudley Marsh & Co as the administrative headquarters for P&O Ferries. The flagship airconditioned offices offer light, attractive and modern space laid out around a full height atrium. There are substantial kitchen and canteen facilities opening onto a terrace with commanding southerly views. The under-croft and basement areas provide substantial secure car parking.
The warehouse to the rear of the site which is connected to the main building, has two loading doors and a substantial loading apron.
Channel House is excellently located opposite the Port of Dover, beside the A20 and connecting with surrounding towns of Ashford, Folkestone and Canterbury.
There are 298 car spaces on site providing an excellent ratio of 1 space to 208 sqft based on the office floor area, substantially more than other offices in the town.
Dover’s office market is predominately made up of local authority and governmental bodies, professional firms and port related companies. White Cliffs Business Park (WCBP) is a relatively new development, linking the existing Whitfield commercial area to a new junction on the A2 to the northeast of Dover, it has attracted significant development from retail warehouse, car showroom, food retail and supporting uses. The towns leisure centre also relocated to WCBP.
The Department for Transport has recently purchased a 66-acre site at WCBP to increase its Inland Border Control facilities. Dover District Council has also bought a 12-acre site from which they now operate their government funded, all electric new bus facility linking the area with the Castle, Port, Railway and Town Centre.
Channel House is located within the authority of Dover District Council. The building is currently used by P&O Ferries for their HQ offices and warehousing within Use Classes E, D1 and B8 and is not subject to any Tree Preservation Orders or any heritage or conservation designations.
The site is allocated as an Employment site (ELR17) within Policy E2 of the Dover District Plan (adopted 2024). Employment sites may be re-purposed within the Local Plan if the change does not significantly reduce the amount of employment land within the district. Enquiries for alternative uses including Residential, Permitted Development and Pre-Application advice should be addressed to Dover District Council Tel: 01304 872486 or
email: preappadvice@dover.gov.uk.
Flood Risk
The Environment Agency assesses the site to have a Low Risk of flooding from river and sea.
EPC Rating: EPC D
Channel House is assessed as Offices and Premises in the 2023 Rating List:
Rateable Value: £540,000.
The entire property is available to purchase freehold subject to an agreed timetable for vacant possession.
Offers are invited on a conditional or unconditional basis. Guide price £4.5 million.
VAT will not be chargeable on the sale.
A purchaser will be required to confirm its identity in compliance with HMRC regulations prior to instructing solicitors.
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Disclaimer: Avison Young and Martine Waghorn for themselves and for the vendors or lessors of this property whose agents they are give notice that: (i) the particulars are set out as a general outline only for the guidance of intending purchasers or lessees and do not constitute part of, an offer or a contract, (ii) all descriptions, dimensions, references to condition and necessary permissions for use and occupation, and other details are given in good faith and are believed to be correct but any intending purchasers or tenants should not rely on them as statements or representations of fact but satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to the correctness of the property, (iii) no person in the employment of Avison Young and Martine Waghorn has the authority to make or give any representation or warranty whatever in relation to the property. Compiled January 2025.