Buying cheap land...?

dr_shabzzz

There was some land for sale locally a while back that didn't have any planning permission until 10 years had passed...didn't take the opportunity at the time

I found out about this by word of mouth...Anyone know how to find this type of land? I think it would make a decent long term investment

Also...is it still possible to buy countryside land for cheap? If so...where to look??

planning_officer

Be very careful about buying rural land with no planning permission - usually it is a complete con! While perfectly legal, any investors end up with useless parcels of land which are never likely to be granted planning permission.

Take a look at http://www.propertyscam.org.uk/

Be careful if this is a landbanking company, as no landbanking company has EVER sold any land that has been successfully granted planning permission for housing!

Davesnave

There is no such thing as cheap, useful land.

Decent agricultural land is currently around £5 - 8K an acre, sometimes more, and it has not suffered any noticeable price crash, like housing. As a long term investment, it might make sense, bearing in mind that food shortages are already commonplace in many areas of the world. As a means of generating income, however, it's not great, unless you have a lot of it in the right place. There can be tax and other benefits too complex to mention here.

If land has 'hope value,' i.e. it lies just outside an expanding built-up area, it will attract a premium price, well above agricultural levels. In other words, you are unlikely to find a naive landowner these days!

dr_shabzzz

I'd be interested in land that might never get planning permission also

...as a second idea...thinking of using the land for a bit of buggy/karting fun...few mates are looking to chip in if its super cheap...with the potential of turning it into a karting business in the longer term

where do I find this land? I guess if its for the purpose I just mentioned...without planning permission is better, since it'll be a heck of a lot cheaper

GDB2222

dr_shabzzz wrote: »

I'd be interested in land that might never get planning permission also

...as a second idea...thinking of using the land for a bit of buggy/karting fun...few mates are looking to chip in if its super cheap...with the potential of turning it into a karting business in the longer term

where do I find this land? I guess if its for the purpose I just mentioned...without planning permission is better, since it'll be a heck of a lot cheaper

What makes you think it won't need PP for that purpose?

Debt_Free_Chick

dr_shabzzz wrote: »

I'd be interested in land that might never get planning permission also

...as a second idea...thinking of using the land for a bit of buggy/karting fun...few mates are looking to chip in if its super cheap...with the potential of turning it into a karting business in the longer term

where do I find this land? I guess if its for the purpose I just mentioned...without planning permission is better, since it'll be a heck of a lot cheaper

Agree that you may well need PP for this. What did you have in mind?

Bear in mind that others are likely to live near to this land - what about the noise and general disturbance they're likely to endure?

For this reason, you may well need PP.

In addition, all land has a "classified use". If you buy agricultural land, it will be intended for just that purpose, so using as a grasstrack will be subject to restrictions and may well need PP.

Davesnave

dr_shabzzz wrote: »

...as a second idea...thinking of using the land for a bit of buggy/karting fun...few mates are looking to chip in if its super cheap...with the potential of turning it into a karting business in the longer term

where do I find this land?

Here is a link to a EA that specialises in land in the Westcountry, which will give you some idea of prices. Devon, Somerset, etc = more expensive than Wales. You can search for land within the general property search, specifying price range & acreage.

http://www.stags.co.uk/

And, if you do buy any, make sure it's not next door to me!

planning_officer

Yes, to use the land for karting etc will need planning permission - and if it's rural land, it's probably unlikely to get it!

Dinah93

dr_shabzzz wrote: »

There was some land for sale locally a while back that didn't have any planning permission until 10 years had passed...didn't take the opportunity at the time

I found out about this by word of mouth...Anyone know how to find this type of land? I think it would make a decent long term investment

Also...is it still possible to buy countryside land for cheap? If so...where to look??

After 10 years of land being used for a purpose you can apply for a certificate of lawful development to make this use legal. You don't wait 10 years and then start the use. The use must be continuous for 10 years with no breaks. All the time the use is ongoing during those 10 years it has no permission, you can be reported to the local planning authority by neighbours, local dog walkers, a disgruntled ex, anyone basically, and the LPA can make you remove the use and any associated buildings/equipment at your cost. Fighting this is expensive, and rarely successful. The use must not have been concealed (such as the castle in the haystack scenario!).

My personal feelings are you have to have more money than sense to go this route, its not cheap, and the system is there for people who did not realise they needed permission to make it legal, rather than to avoid putting in a planning application for something that isn't acceptable but they want to do it anyway.

What do you want the land for? It may be that your use is acceptable in the countryside subject to pp, so you'd be fine to buy a package of agric land, put in the planning application, and do things the right way around.

dr_shabzzz

If the land has planning permission...is that generic?...as in you could build/do anything with it? ie the mud or tarmac go kart track? or would we need to apply for a go karting specific planning permission?

Also, when buying the agricultural land...how can you tell whether or not it will be accepted for this kind of planning permission if it doesn't have any already?

...or what about coming to a private agreement with a farmer to use some of his land on a lease/rental basis? Do the same rules apply?

Gwhiz

dr_shabzzz wrote: »

If the land has planning permission...is that generic?...as in you could build/do anything with it? ie the mud or tarmac go kart track? or would we need to apply for a go karting specific planning permission?

Also, when buying the agricultural land...how can you tell whether or not it will be accepted for this kind of planning permission if it doesn't have any already?

...or what about coming to a private agreement with a farmer to use some of his land on a lease/rental basis? Do the same rules apply?

If it's being sold at a knock down price you can bet your bottom dollar it isn't going to get planning for anything that would add value!