Finding out about building plans

[Baubleswithdiamonds]

The house we want to buy has a small piece of land behind it that's more or less enclosed by other houses' gardens. I think (looking at the Land Registry) that it belongs to the house whose garden backs on to it (on a different street from us). How do I find out if there's plans for building on it? I've checked the council's planning site and there's no plans as yet, as far as I can tell.

It wouldn't stop us buying the house (as our property & garden is not oriented towards it) but I'd still like to know plus I'm concerned how they would access it ie, where the right of way it as in case they put a road at the back of our garden. WHo do I speak with about this sort of thing and what else shouldI be looking out for?

We don't live anywhere near there at the moment so I can't jsut ask the neighbours. I asked the EA and he claimed not to know anything about it.

Many thanks for any help you can give.

this is where you really do need to find out from the local grapevine. Unless plans are actually submitted they don't come up on searches. Consult your solicitor as to right of way possibilities, see if anything has been submitted in the past, try some googling on nearby addresses.

the EA works for the seller. :-)

Get your solicitor to put a question in writing asking the sellers if they are aware of any plans to build on it even if informally discussed.

Thanks fo ryour replies - so is that normal procedure lala? Is it something the survey would pick up on as well (we're getting a full survey)?

No, the surveyor would not pick up on plans for attached land. It may just give you a bit of protection if you ask a direct question via your solicitor, get a reply in writing stating that the vendors have never heard of any such plans and later find out the owners of the land have been planning to build on it for ages and it is common knowledge around the neighbourhood. You could, in theory, then sue the vendors.

If it bothers you - and you've got the stomach for it - you could always knock on the door of the owners' house and say: "We're thinking about buying the house behind yours, we've been told you're planning to build on the land at the back [white lie], is this the case?"

Our solicitor is going to investigate and find out for definite who owns it, which will be a start. Unfortunately we don't currently live anywhere near the new place so it's difficult to speak to the neighbours and I'm a wuss.

Thanks again.