Underground Yorkshire property promises home fit for hobbit... as long as you’re not claustrophobic

The derelict reservoir which lies underneath half an acre of land in Elloughton Dale in the East Riding is up for sale with planning permission for a three-bedroomed home.

Estate agent Oliver Hudson has said it expects a lot of interest from someone looking for an unusual development opportunity, which mirrors the famous underground “hobbit holes” in JRR Tolkien’s classic Lord of the Rings trilogy. There has already been a “substantial” offer for the property, which has a guide price of £150,000. Until recently the field above was used for growing hops.

Mr Hudson said: “It’s going to be a completely underground home. The landscape will change in parts because there will be one or two openings but from the road looking up the hill you will see pretty much the same field.”

Although the only entrance and source of light is a manhole, the plans allow for a good-sized roof light and sunken courtyard which would have all the living spaces off it.

“The architect gets claustrophobia and he said when he designed it he did it in such a way that he felt sure it wouldn’t be claustrophobic. But not everyone is going to want to live underground,” added Mr Hudson.

He said Yorkshire Water sold a lot of reservoirs it no longer used and the reservoir for sale may not have been used since the 1960s.

Mr Hudson said it would now make a decent-sized home.