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Original poster

Opportunity to buy land next to our house

34 replies

MumToBe1980 · 25/06/2022 08:13

We live at the end of a street on a small newbuild estate, with a field of about 2 acres adjacent to us and our neighbours opposite. There is an entrance to the field and it used by dogwalkers (noticed about 10 different dogwalkers over the years). We have a tiny garden so would love to be able to have a little more outside space to grow veg, and put a swing /slide up for our children. Personally I'd love to buy about 10 x 15 m (I think about a fifth of the field) however I'm also aware that this may cause some friction with the neighbours and dogwalkers who use the field. Do we buy a smaller area say 5m by 10m so not to impact other users too much? If we don't buy this land there is a good chance others may as had a few people asking us who owns the land as they would be interested in buying with the aim to build a house on there. There is a covenant on land at the moment preventing this, but I've heard of covenant removals before.

Would love to hear others views as to what is reasonable in this situation.

OP posts:
Cluckycluck · 25/06/2022 08:16

I'd buy as much as you can afford to buy.
Dog walkers will just have to find a different route.

KosherDill · 25/06/2022 08:19

Buy as much as you can and fence it. Extra property will enhance your home's value.

Dog walkers will survive. I wouldn't let that be even a tiny factor.

Mumblechum0 · 25/06/2022 08:20

Absolutely buy it. All of it.
we’ve bought 3 acres in 2 lots over the last few years to protect it against development, and turned them into wildflower meadows.
we’re next door to a pub and when the beer garden gets noisy we can just take a cool box of wine into the meadow for some peace.

the dog walkers will find somewhere else

LIZS · 25/06/2022 08:21

Buy as much as you can manage, although there may be restrictions on its future use even as a garden or allotment. Dog walking enclosures (for training, exercising and doggy daycare) are popular around here at the moment so someone else could always buy the rest as a business opportunity. Is there a public right of way across?

Honeyroar · 25/06/2022 08:27

Buy it. As long as there isn’t a public right of way it’s none of the dog walker’s business and they’re cheeky being there.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 25/06/2022 08:30

Absolutely buy it.

berksandbeyond · 25/06/2022 08:31

Is it actually available for sale? I would buy it if I could afford to and it was available

Toddlerteaplease · 25/06/2022 08:31

Will they sell you only part of it?

Threetulips · 25/06/2022 08:34

If you think it will be developed and reduce the value of your house, why not see if any neighbors want to purchase a plot with you? They maybe interested in extra land for the kids or growing vegetables.

Worth asking round. However the owners may not be selling.

Original poster
MumToBe1980 · 25/06/2022 08:34

There's no public right of way, I have considered buying the acre that runs across my side of the street and then just fencing off part of it for garden and allowing continued use of the rest for for walkers as we don't need that much garden space, assume I would need liability insurance and would also pay for grass cutting so not sure husband would agree. I love the idea of planting wildflowers! We live in a very small village, the type of place where people complain if a for sale board is put up on common ground! So I'm sure we'd be shamed on the local Facebook group 🙈

OP posts:
Whinge · 25/06/2022 08:35

OP is the land actually for sale?

If it is, then are you able to buy a part of it, or is it being sold as one plot of land?

Also what's to stop the other interested parties or neighbours from buying the land?

mumda · 25/06/2022 08:36

Buy all of it.
You can control what happens on the land then.

CaptainBeakyandhisband · 25/06/2022 08:37

Is it actually for sale? The title suggests it is but the post isn’t explicit.

I agree that you should extend the garden as much as you can, but with the caveat that gardens that are too big can be off putting to some when you sell. The 10x15 m you are suggesting should be fine. How big is the house?

VegetablesAreMyFriends · 25/06/2022 08:37

Buy the whole thing if you can.. if it's next to a new build, developers will be doing there best to get it and will keep trying to get the covenant lifted.
If you have the opportunity, stretch and buy what you can.

DorotheaFrazil · 25/06/2022 08:40

Buy it definitely, but be aware that it might be more complex than you think if the land is currently classified as agricultural land. This looks a useful read www.fsp-law.com/buying-agricultural-land-to-extend-your-garden/

B0ssAssB1tch · 25/06/2022 08:40

Id buy as much of it as i could afford.

Original poster
MumToBe1980 · 25/06/2022 08:41

The owner has asked me how much I would be interested in buying, so not confirmed yet, just trying to decide on how much to request to buy.

The neighbours have all bought land behind their gardens so have extended their gardens substantially. However definately worth speaking with them.

I'm not sure how much the owner wants, we are still at a very early stage in the discussions, this is why I originally thought 5m x 15m as can offer a higher price and owner still owns the majority of the land.

OP posts:
Reallybadidea · 25/06/2022 08:42

If it's currently agricultural then you may need to apply for change of use. A group of our neighbours recently bought a strip of land behind their gardens to enlarge them. They weren't given permission to change it from agricultural, so are not allowed to encorporate it into their gardens.

Tbh I'd be surprised if the landowner would sell a small section of their land because they might plan to sell the whole thing for more houses.

carefullycourageous · 25/06/2022 08:48

Buy it and fence it.

But you need proper legal advice as you've posted a couple of things that suggest you have limited knowledge:
-this is not common land, it is private land, and everyone would rightly be up in arms of common land were sold
-very foolish to allow continued access to your land if you bought it

Your solicitor needs to check what access rights there are and why the public are currently using private land to walk their dogs, have any rights been established.

That aside, buy what you can/wish, the dog walkers can go elsewhere.

LunaLoveFood · 25/06/2022 08:57

But it before someone else does and builds houses on it.

Original poster
MumToBe1980 · 25/06/2022 09:02

The land is not in the development plan and with the developer only buying up to this field I believe there are covenants on it preventing development in the foreseeable future.

The land owner is not actively marketing the land but has already sold land to our neighbours (to extend their gardens) and is happy some land to sell to me, he initially wants to know how much I'm interested in buying. I'm going to speak with him on Monday regarding how much he'd like to sell, and take it from there. To be honest any land is fantastic, although will need to look at restrictions for use.

Thanks everyone for your input, I think the general consensus is buy as much as you can afford!

OP posts:
Mumblechum0 · 25/06/2022 09:03

You are unlikely to be able to use it as a garden, but you can keep it mown short/grow veg/plant trees.

SweetSakura · 25/06/2022 09:05

I would buy it so I could control its use.

But- you would need planning permission to convert it to garden land and I would imagine you would be unlikely to get that.

Mumblechum0 · 25/06/2022 09:05

Absolutely buy as much as you can afford. We paid £170,000 for our 3 acres but it’s usually less than that.
get a surveyor to give you a steer

ivykaty44 · 25/06/2022 10:00

Dog walkers will just have to find a different route.

not if it’s a bridleways or footpath then you can’t block the access or path