New builds, feeling sad

[Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

Hi all, sorry this might be a long post (hopefully will make sense).
We moved into our new house beginning of December (first time buyers, all very exciting for us and kids). The house is in the perfect location, and ticked most of the boxes. Overall, very happy with the house. It itself is about 18 years old.
The houses were built on land purchased from the local farmer (outskirts of town), the farmer still resides and owns the surrounding land (people said cows and horses have come up their fences- all sounded perfect). However, some of the land has been purchased for another 200 houses (in 3 phases), the work has begun (means we can’t take long scenic walks and get close to the sheep). This land and house builds was common knowledge and as it’s not directly in front of our house it didn’t bother me too much.

Our garden backs onto the farmers garden, with the house visible to our right. If we look left from the bedroom windows we have lovely views, the houses at a good distance are lower level so it all looks beautiful. Recently though (after we purchased the house), the land has come up for sale with planing permission for new houses.
I feel extremely dismayed by all this. They won’t back onto our garden, but it will mean we will be overlooked and the views gone.
I’ve never lived near open spaces before so am used to close houses etc but this felt perfect and now it feels like it’s not near perfect.
I’m also now worried, as I believe the farmer is coming to a point where he will stop his work, what if he sells his house and we end up with new houses directly in line with our gardens?

Sadly we can’t sell straight away, with current work situations and the need to stay in this area it most likely won’t work. We also managed to find this house at a good price, sellers previous sale fell through and they wanted a quick sale so kept price at pre lockdown price whilst all the others shot up.

Sorry for the waffle, I’m after some positive thoughts and feedback, and maybe some experiences of living in new builds where they are closer together.

I don’t know whether I’m feeling this way because it still doesn’t quite feel like home yet; and part of me is still missing ‘home’.

The land that’s recently come up for sale with pp should have come to light in your searches, I’m surprised your solicitor didn’t point it out to you. However unfortunately it is the way of the world at the moment, any house backing onto open fields or countryside is fair game, my house backs in to beautiful countryside and was protected, we have lived here for 20 years but now planning laws have changed and my view is now in the local plan for development at some point. It is gutting but honestly I wouldn’t stress over something you can’t control especially as it’s only the view from your bedroom window. Most houses have houses behind them, try not to worry the reality won’t be so bad. Enjoy your new home!

@ZaraCarmichaelshighheels

The land that’s recently come up for sale with pp should have come to light in your searches, I’m surprised your solicitor didn’t point it out to you. However unfortunately it is the way of the world at the moment, any house backing onto open fields or countryside is fair game, my house backs in to beautiful countryside and was protected, we have lived here for 20 years but now planning laws have changed and my view is now in the local plan for development at some point. It is gutting but honestly I wouldn’t stress over something you can’t control especially as it’s only the view from your bedroom window. Most houses have houses behind them, try not to worry the reality won’t be so bad. Enjoy your new home!

200 houses if it’s a premium redrow or similar development isn’t so bad. You may attract a better community vibe / facilities and your house price will go up because of them once all built and people moved in, especially if your house is bigger, so you may be able to move earlier than planned.

Out of interest is there any scope for you to buy some or all of the farmer’s garden that backs to yours?

I’m sorry that you feel sad about your house, it’s surprising how soon new developments blend into the environment. I live in what was a small village 30 years ago. Each decade has seen developments of housing and its still going on. It has brought new life into the village, albeit at a cost to open fields.
There is an old saying in the property world ‘You can’t buy a view’.
I expect 18 years ago someone had the same sentiments about the development you live on.

Thank you all so much for the replies, definitely has made me feel better.
As a child I grew up in terraced house, and then moved along to semi detached, but I’ve always lived ‘amongst’ close neighbours, so it’s not something I’ve never done, so was shocked at feeling so odd about it.

I didn’t think of the value added side (through new builds), and that definitely makes me feel better.

I am also going to keep an eye out to see what the farmer does, as I think it would be an idea to see if we can add some of that land to the garden when the time comes.

Once again thank you all so much, I definitely feel so much better, and have to remind myself we didn’t buy the house based on views (and honestly on viewings didn’t really pay attention to outside except garden). The house is the house I loved, so need to stop stressing

Nowdays , if you live near any open ground( even people with large gardens ) there is always the chance that someone will build on it .

Somebody was probably upset when your house was built too. I'm sat in my new build so I'm not anti development, but it's obvious a new development with space around it would be built on.

When we bought our house 4 years ago we were told that the neighbours over the fence had applied for planning to build 14 houses, been refused but had recently applied for permission to build one house and it was granted. We naively thought that one house would be fine so went ahead and purchased.
Of course, the application for one house was just testing the council to see if any building would be allowed. They never built the one house but have applied five further times since we have lived here for multiple house developments. It keeps getting turned down but it is anxiety inducing knowing that they keep applying and may eventually get approval.

It is true, this area would have been beautiful fields and open land before this development, and I can imagine people who lived locally weren’t best pleased when all these houses were built.
I do need to remind myself any open land is potential development area, and with the need for houses, and high demand for houses there isn’t much anyone else can do.

Thank you everyone for helping me put it into perspective (and feeling better about it).
@Felyne that sounds stressful, but with it being refused constantly do you think they’ll get the permission? Hopefully not, and if that was me I would have given up by now.

When we bought our first house, most houses on that row had sold within the previous three years. We thought it was strange so we asked questions.

We were told that, Prior to this, they had each had a view of the Pennines, farmers fields, village church. When the farmer sold his fields to a developer, the residents were really upset at their loss of view, they all moved.

It didn’t bother us, we had never seen the view - however it did make me very wary of buying a house with any ‘farmers fields’ at the back in future. It’s a real shame to lose your view but ultimately there will be nothing you can do about it; houses built on somebody’s view 18 years ago have provided you with a place to live - I do think we should build on more brownfield sites, though.

I have a friend who joined together with her neighbours to buy some farmland at the back of their houses. The farmer had said he planned to retire in a couple of years so they decided to approach him about buying it so it couldn't be built on.

They had to buy it in one lot and they then parcelled it up so each neighbour has a specific part - it definitely requires a good lawyer. I think they effectively formed a company to buy it and then resold the smaller parts to each participating neighbour. And put some legal covenant on it that it cannot be used for development. One neighbour uses it for their kids' ponies and put a couple of stables up which was fine. Another planted loads of trees on it (they got some govt funding I believe) and another barely uses it for anything so turned it into a wild flower meadow. My friend uses it as a place for her boys to play football mostly.

It's not cheap though - they doubt adding the land will add the same value to their homes when they come to sell but they were all very settled there and comfortably off so it wasn't an economic decision

It's a shame - I understand why you feel upset. I'd feel the same.

Someone told me about 10 years ago when I was buying my first flat "you buy the house, not the view". It's good advice,although obviously doesn't help you now

I'm surprised your searches with your solicitor didn't mention this PP when you were in the process of buying. Check your documents again. It would have given you time to think about whether to go ahead with the purchase or not.

Unfortunately OP there's not much you can do. It sucks; happened to some friends of ours. But new houses have to be built somewhere.

Try & see it as a learning experience for your next purchase, whenever that is. The council (well ours at least) publishes maps which have currently rural zones around towns that are earmarked for possible future development. You can also view all planning applications online in a map view.

If PP was in place for the new houses that overlook you when you purchased, that should have been picked up by the solicitor.

No. Not all open land can be built on. Land identified for development in local or district plans can and will be built on. Green belt, AONB and conservation areas are protected, to varying degrees. The land near you must have had pp and you should have been advised of this. Anyone can look up local plans or district plans and if they buy near fields, they should do some checking themselves.

You could sell and buy one of the new houses on the edge of the new development that will still look over those open fields.

Recently though (after we purchased the house), the land has come up for sale with planing permission for new houses

So it wouldn't have necessarily come up in the solicitors searches if it's only recently been applied for. Also generally local searches will only show planning permissions for the actual property not for the surrounding land.

The local plans show development sites. If land has pp and is for sale with pp, it’s not a very recent pp. its had it for a while and was probably going through the planning process. Either way, it’s likely not to be sudden decision to include it for development or obtain power for it. It’s got pp and often this takes forever to get.

Thank you all for your replies.

Sorry I wasn’t clear in my op (late night post ), I knew about the 200 houses to be built, and the other part of land that is closer as a potential site for new builds. I think I’m more annoyed with myself for not thinking how I’d feel about that when in this house, whilst viewing etc I didn’t think ‘deeply’ about this- but at the same time I’m hoping with time it’ll start to feel more homely in this house and I won’t try to find negatives .

There will still be land to take walks by, due to the reservoir we have been told there won’t be any developments there. So that’s a positive I should focus on.

If the farmer decides in the future to sell his house, and the house is knocked down and used for more builds (along with the grounds), that would make it more overlooked, but that hasn’t happened yet, and there is no talk of him selling, so no point focussing on that just yet.

Thank you for all the replies, I’ve been feeling odd about the house altogether, and believe it’s just taking so much longer to settle in. Almost a love hate relationship - exactly what I was looking for but not happy all at the same time

@PresentingPercy
Unless it’s HS2 or the Oxford Express

Well I know all about HS2 and Oxford Express (too close to the former) but they are not housing developments. Carnage in the green belt and AONB though!

Selling land isn’t an indication of its development potential. Usually land and farm buildings will get pp before sale. You should sign up to planning alerts from your local council.