To want to move before a new build development starts next to us?

[Tired756]

I live on a quiet housing estate at the edge of my town, not a lot of traffic as it there's nowhere to go other than the houses, no reason to drive through. My house is on the end of a cul de sac, with a field and play park to the side of me, then the estate is surrounded on one side by farmers fields and nice walking routes through green space and woods until you get to smaller villages on the other side.

There's a big housing development being built for the last few years on the other side of a main road, it looks half done, hundreds of houses lived in, park, shops nearby open but still building site on the edges and more coming. From looking on the website I've found their next stages plans, and the stage 3 is actually wrapping around our little estate. (*terrible diagram attatched) It's not clear when it will start but I would guess a few years away still based on the existing developments timeliness.
From the map on the website it looks like it will continue our cul de sac and go straight into new housing, the park and fields will be housing, somewhere there will be shops and a primary school.

It's not a debate about new builds, I know we don't own the green space or the view, it makes sense for houses to extend out from town and won't always be convenient, I get it.
But the appeal of this house was the quiet estate, our kids being able to play out, seeing the park from our window, nice walks with the dog and kids etc. There are compromises we made with the house because it was worth it for these things, the main one being that it is quite far from the middle of town so it's a long walk everywhere I go.
I want us to move at some point before this all starts, we've got a few years so no rush, we are going to have a building site literally next door to us which seems like a nightmare. We'll lose the space for our kids to play, green areas, the safety of quiet roads. Once it's built we will be in the middle of a much bigger estate, a lot more traffic, especially with a primary school very close on the map. I just feel like it's not where I want to live and the downsides to our house will no longer be worth it.
However my husband isn't really as fussed, he points out that the existing estate is really lovely, its got a great park, nice walking areas and we would quite happily live there, so if the plans are similar we would benefit from better roads to the rest of town, shops, and the community they build.
I also don't know what would happen to housing prices if we wanted to move down the line?

I'm interested in what everyone thinks? It would be easier to stay put and see how it plays out but I can't get the downsides out of my head and worry we might end up stuck not being able to sell next to a building site.

• yellow is existing housing, blue is the new estate and purple is the planned area surrounding us.

Has the new development got planning permission? If so it would likely already affect the house prices as it will be flagged up in searches and many people won’t want to move just before works will begin.

You could have opposed to it when they began planning permission.

As above. I don’t know if it’s had or will have an impact on house prices but if the development already has planning consent, that ship has sailed.

You're entitled to move wherever you want and can afford.

However, the plans will show up on searches so the house price will already be affected (but I assume that's not the reason for wanting to move)

I think I'd feel the same as you, but what is the alternative? Is there somewhere you prefer. If there wasn't somewhere I desperately wanted to be I'd probably sit it and and then see how I feel.

As if the OP’s opposition would have stopped the build 😏

I wouldnt move now

At the moment, any buyer will see there are plans in place and be put off because they wont want to live in uncertainty

During the build, people will be put off because they wont want to live near a building site

After its all completed, and people can see and understand the layout, the routes, the amenities etc etc, people wont be put off in the same way

So if you're going to move at all, I would wait until its all over.

This is only something you can answer. We can all say it would or wouldn't bother us, but its about what you want. This wouldn't bother me at all, like your DH. But your feelings are your feelings.

I think this is the thing, at the minute I'm spending around 3 hours a day walking with school runs, getting to baby groups etc but it's worth it because I genuinely love where I live. I work part time so I spend a lot of time outside with DC, the older two can ride their bikes on our street and play out as its so quiet, I spend a lot of time at the park with them and my baby, going for walks in the fields and the woods. All that going will have a big impact on my day to day, and especially while my children are young enough to want to do those things. By the time we can benefit from new parks etc that time will have gone. Whereas my husband is out of the house at work and at weekends we tend to use the car to go further out so although he'll miss the dog walks in the fields and football in the green space it's not quite the same.
The current new development has had a real push for community, theres a lot on the social side, but it's whether being right next to it we would benefit or be seen as the side with the old houses.

Like you say there's no right answer, I'd just like to get some other insight other than me and my husband

Makes no odds. Money talks.

@Pottedpalm

What are you talking about? All the neighbours could have.

Well like anyone, if your house isn't giving you the lifestyle you want and you can afford it, you move.

And if is does/you can't afford it you don't.

It's up to you and your DH to decide what is important to you.

But there is no guarantee that when you move the same won't happen somewhere else.

@Sharptonguedwoman

Of course it does. Plenty of people oppose to new builds / extensions / change of use that stops the build. Loads round here.

The issue is if you live somewhere with any sort of view sooner rather than later it’s going to be build on. I live rurally and the local council turned down an application for 1200 houses but Scot gov overturned it, ignoring all objections. Whilst people keep buying new houses with a 60 year lifespan and keep having kids to fill them it just keeps happening. So yes move if you want to but you’re just contributing to the future issues. Do I have a solution- yes, stop having more than one kid.

You can move whenever you want - but I wonder if you’ll find it hard to sell or get a good price; as the approved plans will show up during searches; and any savvy buyer will see the current development and look into the expansion plans. And it’s always a risk anywhere: this is why we bought a house already surrounded by houses! At least you know what you’re getting

We went through an extensive application for development in my village as developers wanted to double the size of the village but not add any amenities. The Parish Council fought every step of the way but the village plan was steamrollered. The Parish Council wanted gradual development, the developer wanted 54 houses right now. Once outline planning permission is granted, no hope. The only thing that seems to stop them is if the local MP has any influence. They build on floodplains, whatever.

The current new development has had a real push for community, theres a lot on the social side, but it's whether being right next to it we would benefit or be seen as the side with the old houses.

We bought brand new 15 years ago. We pay £25 monthly for a management charge. So you may not benefit if the owners are paying.

Others still use the green areas we pay for but they are public so it's weird why we are responsible.

I would only move if you can find somewhere that has the same benefits, otherwise I'm with your DH.

However, if you're to do anything I would make the move now. If you wait until they start building you will limit your buyers as most people don't want to live next to a building site. Once the new site has started you will be competing with new build houses, who will then in turn be a second hand market as they'll always be someone who wishes to move which will then affect your sale price.

If there's no signs of building yet I would move now but only if you're getting the benefits of what you have now.

The problem is, there is going to be building work everywhere soon, so even if you find somewhere nice now, you can’t guarantee that there won’t be new developments nearby. If you’re concerned then probably a small town that’s already developed would be good, or failing that, somewhere that is on the edge of country that’s really hard to develop, like mountains or the seaside?

It is possible to stop the occasional speculative application, but Op looks like she is the middle of a planned expansion, which almost certainly in a local council plan, in which case there is zero chance of stopping it.

I suspect the outline planning permission was done before phase one, yours, I don't blame you but they do have to minimise disruption

We are the same. Have lived in victorian house which backs onto fields for 20 years. Planning thrown out by the Secretary of state twice, they just come back every 5 years until it's granted - 96 hourses. Need to move but house price has dropped and noone will want to live next to the building site. Unfortunately the developers have the wealth to defeat the councils and increased housing quotas are on their side and there's nothing that can be done. They will build wherever they want - greenfield preferably as brownfield is too much effort to clear.

At the moment it seems quite far off, phase 1 is almost finished, phase 2 is meant to start in 2025, has just completed a public consultation and is awaiting the result of the application to the council. Phase 3, which affects my estate still says subject to final planning approval but realistically I can't see any amount of residents concern would stop it. Probably looking at 4-5 year before anything starting here, which is why I'm thinking if we were ever going to move better sooner. At the minute this phase hasn't really been advertised, if you search this area nothing comes up about the proposal.

Its just the proximity of the works , not just building houses but they'll have to clear all the area next to us, then build roads as they wouldn't get lorries down ours, before even thinking about actually building, so presumably quite a long time of noise and mess and disruption 20 yards away, I think I would be a lot less fussed if I was another street away.

The phase next to me also includes another primary school, which this part of town does need so I really can't see if being refused.
If anything I do think the development is good for the town and would quite happily live in a nice new house in it (if they weren't £70k more than similar existing houses) it's just being on my doorstep, but it has to be on someone's doorstep I suppose 🤷‍♀️

It would be really unfair to let a buyer move in unaware because nothing comes up on a search. But I dont know the rules on that and whether you're within your rights to do that.