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Buying land

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Smudge1980
Smudge1980 Posts: 3 Newbie
in House buying, renting & selling
Hi all

I live in a terraced house with my partner - we moved in about 4 months ago. At the front of our houses is a green which was bought privately about 5 years ago (about 1 acre). The landowner has tried repeatedly to get planning permission to first build a house, then a bungalow and then a stand alone garage without success.

Since buying he has fenced the common off (which is well within his rights of course). The land was previously used a common shared space for residents of our Hamlet.

I'm thinking that given his repeated unsuccessful attempts (6 in all), that i would like to write to him to ask if he would consider selling the land. I would like it to become common land again for use by residents so no future building planned by me.

Has anyone ever had any experience of this and how would you world such a letter?

Many thanks

Smudge

Comments

  • Ozzuk
    Ozzuk Posts: 1,884 Forumite
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    It can't hurt to ask, if he faces no prospect of permission then he might sell (no doubt with some very strong uplift clauses). Then again, we can't create new land, planning laws change so he could be better off hanging onto it. I've seen figures of 14 houses/acre put about, fair amount of money in that!
  • eddddy
    eddddy Posts: 16,441 Forumite
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    It's impossible to guess the owner's motivation.

    I asked somebody about selling a bit of 'unused' land to extend a garden - they refused.

    I think they've owned the land for 20 years now, and periodically apply for consent to build houses on it. So far, they've always been refused - but they keep waiting and hoping.

    But there's no harm in asking.
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 17,643 Forumite
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    A town in county X, borders county Y. Building in county X is now right up to county Y boundary line. Recently a parcel of agricultural land within the town boundary (large enough for several hundred houses) which afforded almost outstanding views across was given pp for development after many years of refusal and is now rapidly being developed.

    County Y needing to build several hundred houses, realised that instead of extending their own towns and villages, they could give pp to a large piece of agricultural land on the town's boundary which when built would just look like further new housing development of the town and of course the new residents would use the town's infrastructure.

    So given time, pp for that former common may just be granted.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • spadoosh
    spadoosh Posts: 8,732 Forumite
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    edited 6 December 2017 at 4:27PM
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    Smudge1980 wrote: »
    Hi all

    I live in a terraced house with my partner - we moved in about 4 months ago. At the front of our houses is a green which was bought privately about 5 years ago (about 1 acre). The landowner has tried repeatedly to get planning permission to first build a house, then a bungalow and then a stand alone garage without success.

    Since buying he has fenced the common off (which is well within his rights of course). The land was previously used a common shared space for residents of our Hamlet.

    I'm thinking that given his repeated unsuccessful attempts (6 in all), that i would like to write to him to ask if he would consider selling the land. I would like it to become common land again for use by residents so no future building planned by me.

    Has anyone ever had any experience of this and how would you world such a letter?

    Many thanks

    Smudge
    I havent dealth with this before but i would word it something like.
    I live in a terraced house with my partner - we moved in about 4 months ago. At the front of our houses is a green which was bought privately by yourself about 5 years ago (about 1 acre). [STRIKE]The landowner has[/STRIKE] You have tried repeatedly to get planning permission to first build a house, then a bungalow and then a stand alone garage without success.

    Since buying [STRIKE]he has[/STRIKE] you have fenced the common off (which is well within [STRIKE]his[/STRIKE] your rights of course). The land was previously used a common shared space for residents of our Hamlet.

    I'm thinking that given [STRIKE]his[/STRIKE]your repeated unsuccessful attempts (6 in all), that i would like to write to [STRIKE]him[/STRIKE]you to ask if [STRIKE]he[/STRIKE]you would consider selling the land.? I would like it to become common land again for use by residents so no future building planned by me.

    [STRIKE]Has anyone ever had any experience of this and how would you world such a letter?
    [/STRIKE]
    Many thanks

    Smudge
  • moneyistooshorttomention
    moneyistooshorttomention Posts: 17,940 Forumite
    edited 6 December 2017 at 4:37PM
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    The village green should obviously have "village green status".

    I'd have to have someone else "speak for me" if I were trying to communicate with someone that had bought everyone's village green off them:eek:.

    I am wondering if there is still time to get it awarded "village green status" to protect it for everyone - and, at that point, it becomes a lot less worthwhile Mr Selfish trying to hang onto it for his own personal use:D.

    I've known of residents beat off a particularly rapacious Council before now from developing land by having it officially declared as having village green status. So I would have thought it's not beyond the bounds of possibility to deal with one private individual trying to build on a community resource.

    I'd try googling in your position re "village green status". First possible link I came across for instance was:

    www.oss.org.uk/what-we-do/village-greens/

    from the Open Spaces Society.

    Good luck.
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 17,643 Forumite
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    moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

    First possible link I came across for instance was:

    www.oss.org.uk/what-we-do/village-greens/

    from the Open Spaces Society.

    Good luck.

    Link doesn't appear to work
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • moneyistooshorttomention
    moneyistooshorttomention Posts: 17,940 Forumite
    edited 6 December 2017 at 4:40PM
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    The village green should obviously have "village green status".

    I'd have to have someone else "speak for me" if I were trying to communicate with someone that had bought everyone's village green off them:eek:.

    I am wondering if there is still time to get it awarded "village green status" to protect it for everyone - and, at that point, it becomes a lot less worthwhile Mr Selfish trying to hang onto it for his own personal use:D.

    I've known of residents beat off a particularly rapacious Council before now from developing land by having it officially declared as having village green status. So I would have thought it's not beyond the bounds of possibility to deal with one private individual trying to build on a community resource.

    I'd try googling in your position re "village green status". First possible link I came across for instance was:


    www.oss.org.uk/what-we-do/village-greens/


    Good luck.
  • moneyistooshorttomention
    moneyistooshorttomention Posts: 17,940 Forumite
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    lincroft1710 wrote: »
    Link doesn't appear to work

    The post was being awkward for some reason at accepting my edit.

    Its done it now.
This discussion has been closed.
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