New Builds Going Up

[KoalasAteMyHomework]

Viewing a house tomorrow that I think has a lot of potential. However slightly up the road is a development site where a fairly large amount of new houses and flats are going up. My initial concern is how busy the road and schools might therefore get, but wondered if anyone had experience of buying a property near a new development? And does it seem to have an effect on the prices of houses around it? Looking for our forever home so want to get it right!

[specialsubject]

My first thought would be to check flood issues!

[KoalasAteMyHomework]

Sorry if I'm being an idiot but why flood issues?

[StripyBlanket]

Some of the new estates round here are built on the flood plains and in areas that are always flooding. Probably same with special

[specialsubject]

Not near my house ( one of the criteria! ) but yes, that's it. Also a new build of even one or two houses can cause flooding where it never happened before. So older properties get problems too.

There is a reason that much of the UK is not built on - because in many places it is a stupid idea.

[KoalasAteMyHomework]

Ah ok I see. I'd actually be very surprised if there was flood plains near that area, but imagine that would be brought up in a survey if there was a potential issue? Good to know though.

[Spam88]

This doesn't help you in the slightest OP, but the flood thing is so true - one of the new builds we looked at buying including an annual fee to maintain the flood defences 😂 we went for a house on top of a massive hill instead 👍

[KoalasAteMyHomework]

Thats a bit scary! Didn't know it was such an issue. We aren't buying one of the new builds but does worry me a bit now that it could cause problems for the existing houses.

[perhapstomorrow]

I live on top of a hill. Last year we had torrential rain and some old houses on top of the hill were flooded. The general opinion is that it was caused by run off from the new developments in the area. The drainage on new developments goes into existing sewers. These old sewers cannot cope with the extra water in times of heavy rain.

[Spam88]

I don't know whether it's just things have changed in recent years or if it depends on your local council, but the surface water from our new build development doesn't drain to sewer, we've got some things installed under ground instead...that is the extent of my understanding. And that I get 5% off my waste water bill 👍

[whatsthecomingoverthehill]

If developed properly then that sort of thing shouldn't happen. Anyway, OP how many houses are we talking about?

[specialsubject]

The developers are not going to be concerned about other existing houses and there is little regulation. The developers aren't too worried about what they are building , read about 'snagging'!

When the geldof types blubber about nimbys objecting to planning applications, they usually haven't thought that the nimbys might not want their houses wrecked.

Caveat emptor.

[KoalasAteMyHomework]

They haven't specified but looks massive. Some flats and then 2, 3 and 4 bedroom houses. Starting to worry about how busy the road will get as its already quite a busy road anyway.

Might give this one a miss.

[whatsthecomingoverthehill]

There is loads of regulation special. And it is getting more stringent. That doesn't mean there's never any problems but planners, environment agency etc are more than aware of the need to control water coming off a development.

Koalas, it doesn't seem like you're that bothered about this one, but you need a lot of houses to generate significant traffic.

[specialsubject]

As always awareness means nothing, especially as I am in a county where everything gets waved through. Planning apps just need to say where the water will go, even if the destination doesn't exist.

Fortunately our not London prices and slow sales rate means many never get built as the quick buck brigade realise it doesn't fly.

[CountMagnus]

New developments have to use SUDS these days together with higher levels of permeable surfaces, so that storm water can be held back and allowed to infiltrate the soil rather than just running off.

A development of two hundred dwellings can generate a fair amount of traffic at peak times - especially if the transport assessment has been carefully crafted. The traffic assessment for a new development close to me was an order of magnitude out when stating baseline numbers of queuing vehicles at a critical junction.

[BackforGood]

My experience of the massive amount of new housing that has gone up around here over the last 10 - 15 yrs, and especially last 3 yrs or so, is that they only build houses (or 'apartments' and houses). There is nothing that anybody needs on the new estates - from schools to parks to newsagents to chip shops to corner shops to Drs to train stations to libraries to churches or mosques or community halls to corner shops, etc.,etc.,etc., so every time that anybody needs anything, they have to get in the car and drive. Most dwelling therefore need at least 2 cars. The extra traffic is a LOt, IME.

[KoalasAteMyHomework]

Thats what I'm worried about backforgood that there won't be anything in place for the new houses in terms or extra roads, shops etc. We've viewed the house now but we do have to consider all this stuff. Argh house buying is so stressful (but then, so is selling!)

[Spam88]

At what stage is the development at OP? The plans would show/sales office will be able to tell you about any plans for shops, parks, pubs etc.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

About 3 miles from me , they're building a new development (Phase One so far) there will be 425 houses (Flats up to 5 bedroom) in all.

Traffic has been an utter pain in the arse , they've redone the road, built a new road for the development.
I can forsee it being worse even before its in full use .

The schools will be inundated.
Health Centres, GPs

But......they need the houses , huge demand.

[PickAChew]

Check what prices in the street you're looking at have done over the past few years. When they built a 100 house development near us, about 8 years ago, the marketing spiel on our terraced houses changed from "ideal first home" to "ideal rental opportunity" and they slashed the prices and effort in selling in tandem with that. So, it might turn out that you're getting a better price.

Houses in our street are back to being ideal for couples and young families now the BTL regulations are biting, though.

It is a good idea to look up the planning info for any newish build you buy and any nearby developments. You can probably ignore anything about bats and greater crested newts but the drainage reuirements and other pertinent info tend to be touched on.

We're actually on the other en of the condundrum and needing to sell our house, this year, with planning permission in place to build a few " prestigious" homes in the filed behind (which doesn't mention the other 80 houses in the pipeline once those plots are sold). The killer is the fact that the end house on our terrace is to be demolished to widen the access road. Thankfully, it's a cheap house and we paid off the mortgage in less than 10 years, so, while not ideal, we can afford to only get back the original price we paid (though would like a little more, so we can afford a better next home!)

[KoalasAteMyHomework]

Its all a bit of a nightmare isn't it?!

The house needs much more work than we think is worth it so we are going to leave it. However, the road is popular and in the right catchment for the school I'd like DS to go to so it's helpful to know all this stuff in case we view any more on that road. Thanks all!