FTB advice. Would you pull out of house purchase?

mabalman

Me and my partner had an offer accepted on our first home in November, the sale was delayed due to issues on the vendors side and during this delay time we have found out a two way segregated cycle path will be built on the road outside of our house. To give some context, the house is on a main road but is set back about 20m, with 10m of drive and 10m of grass verge / trees. The grass verges will be removed to make way for a concrete cycle path with two lanes (going either way) and we would have to cross it to get onto our drive. Would this put your off buying a house and should we seriously consider pulling out before our costs start to accrue?

GDB2222

I would be upset about the loss of the greenery, and I think it might reduce the house value a bit.

moneysavinghero

Are you ok to lose the greenery and have it replaced with the sight of MAFMIL's going past all day?
Would you have been interested in the property originally if the cycle lane was already there?

davidmcn

It wouldn't put me off any more than being on a main road in the first place would have.

eddddy

It's a shame about the loss of the grass, but I think I'd probably be pleased that the property had safe/easier access for cycling.

(FWIW, I don't think cycle lanes attract the lycra-clad weekend fanatics - they tend to want the open road. I think it's more the local commuters and families, who would have been a little nervous about cycling on a busy road.)

lr1277

So you would have to be careful either entering or leaving your driveway. I would want to be forward facing when crossing the cycle path. So unless there is room to turn the car around within your property, at some point you are going to have to reverse either to get onto or to leave your drive. Harder to see cyclists whilst reversing.

Also do you leave or return to your house during rush hours? By definition, there will also be more cyclists present at that time.

parkingadvice1212

eddddy said:

It's a shame about the loss of the grass, but I think I'd probably be pleased that the property had safe/easier access for cycling.

(FWIW, I don't think cycle lanes attract the lycra-clad weekend fanatics - they tend to want the open road. I think it's more the local commuters and families, who would have been a little nervous about cycling on a busy road.)

The lycra-wearers will be on the road holding the cars up, totally ignoring the presence of the cycle lane.

Doozergirl

I'd be delighted to have a dedicated cycle lane outside my house!  

I don't think it makes much difference to your day to day life, other than the fact that you can safely leave your house on a bike.   Which is a good thing. 

I wouldn't even consider pulling out.   I live in a very similar situation, btw, without the cycle lane but I'd appreciate one.  

Are they really not retaining any of the grass?  A two way cycle lane doesn't use that much space.  

GDB2222

It's the loss of the trees that would upset me more than the grass being lost.

davidmcn

GDB2222 said:

It's the loss of the trees that would upset me more than the grass being lost.

It's not very clear from the OP that the trees are being lost. And I presume there isn't really going to be a 10m wide cycle path? That's almost three motorway lanes wide.

mabalman

The trees are being retained, some are being removed but will be replaced elsewhere to offset the loss, there were plans to remove more trees but it was met with many objections. This is what I cannot understand from council plans, the entire area (less 2m of footpath which is current and will remain) is shown as a cycle path with small patches of grass around the retained trees remaining. I cannot understand how a cycle path could be that wide..