Field/Land. Who owns it? How much is it worth? How do I buy it?

dopester

ixwood wrote: »

There's a field down the road from me, that I'm very interested in buying. It's mostly grass/brush with a gate to the road, but is all on a fairly steep slope and I've never seen it used for anything (in 5 years+).

Am I right in thinking a steeply sloped field isn't much use to a farmer? That's my hope. It'll never be allowed to be built on either, so I hope to be able to get it for a reasonable price.

The only thing I think it could be used for is hay/straw/grazing. Would the slope mean no machinery possible, so no use for hay/straw? .

Why do you want to buy it?

ukmike

Roughly speaking an acre is about 210 feet square

A mile out,it's 43,560 square feet!

baileysbattlebus

ukmike wrote: »

A mile out,it's 43,560 square feet!

Or going back to my school days

22 yards wide by 220 yards long (1chain x 1furlong)

4840 sq yards.

I thought it might give the OP an idea when trying to estimate the area if the field is a regular shape.

Richard_Webster

If the title is registered you can find out who owns it but you would need a plan of the area and download a SIM search form from the Land Registry website, complete it, and attach a plan showing the area you are concerned about edged red. They will then tell you the title number if the land is registered. Once you know the title number you can get an official copy for £3 and that will tell you the name of the owner.

If the land has been owned by the same people for many years it may well not yet be registered.

PasturesNew

ukmike wrote: »

A mile out,it's 43,560 square feet!

I meant 210x210 "feet square", not "square feet"

ixwood

Thanks. Very helpful.

I want to make a little wood/nature reserve type thing.

mlz1413

ixwood is the land anywhere around the Rushden Northants area? that's my old stomping ground so might be able to help if its anywhere within 5 miles of the town.

although I must say a steep hill is a rare sight in east anglia!

Edit to add if it is can you give me the name of the farm with the horses, that would be a good land mark.

Garnett_F

For registered land submit a Form SIM to the Land Registry.

Or try this. Never used it before but looks promising.

John_Pierpoint

The aerial photo feature on the Land Registry works. It is sometimes difficult to home in on small plots.
HOWEVER it was only about 10 years ago that it became compulsory to register change of ownership, when money did not move in the reverse direction.
So a lot of country land simply meant another "assent" in the deed box together with grandad's death certificate and it was business as usual.
So don't be surprised to find it is not registered.

I would recommend doing something with it that yields at least a little money as well as being wild life friendly: Coppice, Xmas trees.............?
Just leaving it alone will mean s scrubby mess of brambles (full of rabbits?) which might not make you flavour of the month with your neighbours.

ixwood

Thanks. Coppicing is in my plans.

Quick update, I tracked the owner down. It's a local foundation. And the land is 6 acres, which is more than I realised, so I'm going to keep saving and bide my time for now.