Buying Agricultural Land Backing onto the House

Leeds_Fella

Hi,

We have been offered a piece of agricultural land that backs on to our garden. Its not huge - 125 feet x 60 feet, but it would double the size of the garden.

We have been offered the land at ~ £17.5K

Does anyone have any ideas if this is a good price or how I could find out the value of the land.

Also, have anyone experienced buying farm land to increase the size of a garden?

PasturesNew

Unless you obtain Change of Use, you couldn't use it as a garden.
You can grow cabbages on it though.

Land has shot up in price recently. But that's way over the top I think. I think it's about £5k/acre at the moment ( could be wrong).

And that bit is nowhere near an acre. So you're paying a premium for "what it's worth to you".

What did you have in mind for it? Who approached who? etc

TD5

Hi, in my experience it all depends on who is going to get upset and jealous. We bought some agricultural land about 3 years ago and when the children put a tent up on it in half term, we had the planning officer down. Agricultural land varies in price around my area (Hampshire/Wiltshire) between £5k an acre to £30k an acre in the new forest so on the face of it I'd say that unless it can be included in your domestic curtilage (sp?) then it sounds rather expensive.

PasturesNew

An acre is 43,560 square feet.
125x60 is just under 1/5th of an acre.

Just thought I'd mention that to save others working it out.

TD5

PasturesNew wrote: »

An acre is 43,560 square feet.
125x60 is just under 1/5th of an acre.

Just thought I'd mention that to save others working it out.

Spot on - it's worth a grand or two at the most.

Leeds_Fella

Big thanks for the prompt replies.

The farmer approached us. He mentioned he does not intend to sell for agricultural prices, but If I can only use it for agricultural uses ??????

We would not want to put a putting green on there, simply to cut the grass once a week, put a paddock style fence around the land with a large gate from our garden.

Yep, camping over in the summer would be great, but if we would have any issues

We'd love to buy the land, but the price seems a bit steep.

Strapped

Seems a bit steep - but then it's what it's worth to you.

How much would it increase the value of your house by? (The "worth to you", for example, might be higher if you have a family sized house but only a small garden at the moment). If you can change-of-use it to garden, then it's worth more (any precedents in the area?). OR - would the farmer be willing to sell a bigger amount - >1 acre puts you into "equestrian property" territory worth a big premium when you come to sell.

Another consideration is whether it's land that might feasibly be built on one day - if so, would you either (a) consider developing it yourself or (b) is it "worth it" to you to protect your immediate surroundings?

Personally, I'd love a 1/5th acre allotment! But I'm not sure I'd pay that much for it :eek:

PasturesNew

Leeds_Fella wrote: »

Big thanks for the prompt replies.

The farmer approached us. He mentioned he does not intend to sell for agricultural prices, but If I can only use it for agricultural uses ??????

We would not want to put a putting green on there, simply to cut the grass once a week, put a paddock style fence around the land with a large gate from our garden.

Yep, camping over in the summer would be great, but if we would have any issues

We'd love to buy the land, but the price seems a bit steep.

You'd probably be better off using it for agricultural use. So get a nice orchard in there, grass round the base of the trees is normal. Grow some cherries. Get some peas, spuds etc in. Strawberries would be nice too. Grow some herbs ... and if you sneak out in the summer and pitch your tent on the grassy bit under the apple trees ... well, it's agricultural isn't it!

You can get some climbing items to shield portions of it, green beans and broad beans, for example, grow upwards on canes. And you could put a trellis up and grow some grapes.

You'd have to check really what crops count.

Strapped

Plant some cherry trees and rent 'em out (I'll take one...)

PasturesNew

Yes, people rent cherry trees. It's a growing interest/business.

£30/year http://www.rentacherrytree.co.uk/pricing.html

Somerset

Bloke who had my house before me bought a piece of agricultural land and turned it into garden and big shed. Was dobbed in by the neighbours. Anyway he had to apply for retrospective permission to bring the curtelege into domestic use - it was granted. No idea how easy or hard it is now.