BIDDING wars erupted in a packed saleroom as garages across Ilford and Romford were sold at auction on Friday for more than £600,000

Twenty seven up-and-over door garages, offered jointly in three separate lots went for a combined total of £686,000.

They were among 118 lots in the February auction held by Britain’s largest independent regional land and property auctioneer Clive Emson Auctioneers.

Senior Auction Valuer Martin Hardy said: “This was an incredible auction with intense bidding across these three lots making them really fly.

“There was very strong interest from a number of investors seeking to add to their property portfolio – and possibly seeing future use for the sites.”

“Most of the garages are let, providing a decent annual income.”

Fifteen garages in five blocks, plus land, off Bush Close in the Newbury Park area of Ilford, sold for £343,000, fully £243,000 over the upper freehold guide price.

They are all currently let at a total of £6,960 per year.

Twelve garages in two purpose-built blocks off Starch House, Lane, Barkingside, Ilford, went under the hammer for £242,000 against an upper freehold guide price of £90,000. They are all currently let, generating a total of £4,640 per annum.

A purpose-built block of five garages off Cedar Park Gardens, Chadwell Heath, Romford, went for £101,000 against an upper guide of £35,000.

Three are let at a total annual rental of £1,392 with the other two currently vacant Clive Emson holds eight rounds of auctions each year at five locations from Essex to Cornwall on consecutive days.

The second round of Clive Emson’s regional Essex, North & East London auctions in 2017 is being staged at Chelmsford City Racecourse, Great Leighs, CM3 1PZ, on Tuesday, March 21 at 11am. Closing date for entries is February 20 (online February 21).

The firm now stages an online auction, complementing the existing live auctions. See www.cliveemson.co.uk/index.php/online for details