A SCOTTISH watermill which previously operated as a tea room and gift shop has been put up for auction, with the possibility of residential development flagged.

Eden Watermill, three miles from Banff, is going under the hammer with a guide price of £99,500-plus. The sale is being conducted by Auction House Scotland.

Set in a peaceful rural location between Banff and Turriff, Eden Watermill has three water wheels. Auction House Scotland said that, although these “do require some work”, they could offer off-grid power capability.

Most recently, only the ground floor of the premises was open to the public, housing a gift shop selling handcrafted gifts and artwork from the local area, alongside a “light and airy” tearoom seating 20 people with a small kitchen and counter, Auction House Scotland noted.

It added: “The spacious first floor has been used as a storage and workshop area, but offers an ideal opportunity for development, either as additional retail/seating space or for potential residential development.

“The large basement houses a Lister generator that can be used as a back-up power source, as well as a 20kw biomass boiler with a large water tank which could be used for supplementary heating. The property is well signposted and is conveniently accessed less than a mile from the A947 trunk road to Aberdeen city.”

Mandi Cooper, managing director for Auction House Scotland, said: “Eden Watermill offers a great lifestyle/business opportunity with lots of potential, including the possibility to develop residential accommodation.

“The chance to own this charming watermill in a beautiful rural setting, yet less than four miles from the Aberdeenshire coast, is sure to attract a lot of attention at its keenly positioned guide price.”

The mill is due to go under the hammer at Auction House Scotland’s in-room auction at pm on July 20 at the Radisson RED hotel in Glasgow.

The auction will also be live streamed allowing interested bidders the option to watch and bid online, with telephone and proxy bidding also available.