Would you buy a house which had a garden open onto common land ??

[scatterbrain]

Just been to see one today and it is perfect in every way - except the garden is open to some light woodland that is described as "Parish Council Land" - which is roughly described as common !

The garden is pretty small if you discount the common - but as neither dh nor I are gardeners and like the "wild woodland" look - we feel quite tempted ! ie. space without the bother of formal gardens !

Apparently a previous potental buyer asked the PC if they could buy the land but were refused - so they withdrew from sale !

Anyone got any experience of this kind of thing ?

Hmm, I don't think I would. My mum did this and what was a lovely view over fields is now someone's back garden, they've built a whole estate behind them.

Unless that doesn't bother you, imagine if a house was built at the bottom of the garden. If you wouldn't mind, go ahead.

Hmmm - that's what worries me WWW - I suppose you can't get any guarantees out of PCs either. There isn't enough room to build houses really - lots of lovely mature trees to the side of the house and a sort of treeless area at rear. Also - across from the house is a village green - I guess that could potentially become houses.

I must look online and see if any of it is green-belt !!!

It sounds like a dream come true to me.
Unless of course security was an issue.

How fab for the kids to have extra rambling space. I would go for it. If you are worried about security could you build a fence and have a locked gate which allowed the kids out to roam as and when?

usually parish councils like to keep common land as just that and refuse applications to build on it..however its usually a different story when the parish council decide they want to build on it, of course your solicitor should uncover any immediate plans to build on it during the searches.

no way.

Thanks for the replies !

Yes you could fence it in - but I guess it would really seem small then. I am a bit concerned about dd wandering and also the cats - the plot is open to the road at the side with just trees/bushes - so gaps available for esacping. We were just saying that we would have to put some sort of invisible-ish fence in there (chicken wire type of thing maybe ?)

Also it is described as "private drainage" and has "LPG gas heating" - neither of which we have experienced before !! More googling needed !

Oh God - that church thing is scarey !