demolition of semi to create access

phill8282

we currently own a allotment approx 60 x 20 with no access
a semi detached house as come up for sale for 90k worth 150k needing 30k to renovate it. i am looking to offer 115k on wednesday with a garden 40 x 10. as knocking this down would create a access, can you see any problem with this or is it just worth just doing up rather then knocking half of it down giving 3 meters accessof space to get a road past and useing this land to build houses on. Is it complicated knocking down a semi would council approve? how much per plot ?

sorry for the complicated post your help would be thankfull along with any advice

cheers phill

Doozergirl

Is there any reason why are you offering that much over asking price?

Is there a precedent set in the street for building behind houses? This is likely to be the sort of thing that will meet fierce opposition otherwise. I'd at least have a chat with planning and, very importantly, the immediate neighbour. I don't know what effect the fact that it is a semi would have on your aplication - I can't imagine it being a plus point though.

Ultimately, if you're going to take the punt, you have to be prepared for the knock back and to be sure that you can still refurb the property and make a profit.

phill8282

thanks for that. in our area homes in need of renivation are put on for less then there value and the advert says offers around and are going for 15 - 20 k more . i reacon you could get possible 12-15 of the new 3 floor town houses which go for 225k plus in this location so i reacon its must to make sure i get it, as its final bids and not the traditonal way, and there as been 60 people viewing it but we have the land and they dont

Doozergirl

Is the semi worth £150k finished or before renovation? How many storeys does this semi consist of? I'm asking because it's unlikley you'll get permission for anything higher than the existing buildings and you may have to go lower (ie. bungalows).

If you talk to planning and get a positive reply (though that is no guarantee of success at application) then it's absolutely worth paying over market value for the house if you have the cash availabe (I'm very worried about it being a semi though).

If you really could get permission for that type of build then your land is worth approx. one third of resale, which would put it just shy of £1million with PP. Nice work if you can get it, but this is really difficult stuff to push past the planners. It has happened in my area after going to appeal because previous precedent has been set (oops!).

phill8282

basement ground first and attic it as and is worth 150 renovated, my gut feeling is that at worst case in 6months time i could have been rejected planning permision so worked my socks off and get it renovated for no profit or possible 5k on the renovation, so no loss but a chance for a massive gain.

no worse off but a slight chance to be really well of.

also another chance is my uncle lives next door not the joint semi but would allow us to use is drive giving us access , but would want a cut. so may not be a problem.

thanks

Doozergirl

The difference between £150k and £225k in my area is a 2 bed end of terrace and a full four bed, three storey townhouse plus pitched roof. I'd check your costings.

Have you got much experience in property developing? This is a crazy place to start and, tbh, it doesn't sound like you've done much homework. You need significant access for a lorry to drive down to stand a hope of PP so your uncle's drive isn't likely to be big enough. Knocking down your uncle's house aswell to create a bigger plot would be obvious, I'd have thought.

This is all pie in the sky; you need to talk to a proper planning consultant. New houses wil require a certain number of parking spaces each which will eat into your planned numbers.

Robert_Sterling

phill8282 wrote:

we currently own a allotment approx 60 x 20 with no access
cheers phill

Is this 60 feet by 20 feet, 60 yards by 20 yards, 60 metres by 20 metres or what?

clutton_2

talk to the planners before you do anything else - if this development does not match the current "property-line" - they will probably not pass it. This sounds like a huge undertaking to cut your teeth on.

With respect, i still have little clear idea of your plans, and if you are to get PP for this, you will need to employ an architect who can word your application in a manner likely to be more intelligible and which uses current planning terminology.

phill8282

meters its in

Think it will benefit my career as im studying for a construction projectmanagment degree and have been a land surveyor so have lots of contacts , And there but still learning the trade.

So at worst I could make a tiny profit on the refurb and rent it out. With the chance of making big money if pp is achieved, then if the task is too much could sell the land off.

bobalicious

Good luck on getting the other half of the semi to work, dealing with the party wall issues, avoiding any party wall objections to your plans, getting permission to demolish your half of the semi, avoiding further party wall objections to your development proposal, getting clearance from highways on your proposed access, and then it sounds as though you may run into issues on the plot ratio proposed, even before you've run a realistic development appraisal.

Other than that, sounds like a real winner...

matto

Have a word with the planning dept. See if you can put in an application for outline planning permission as is.

The biggest problem with access now is the visibility splays required where the access meets the main road. Even if 4m were acceptable for the width of the access in general you might find you need 6m at the junction.

Your best bet sounds like it would be to buy the semi, do it up, rent it out or sell it depending on the results of the outline pp. If favourable wait for the other half of the semi to come on the market or make them an offer they can't refuse then demolish the pair.