Due to exchange / complete on a property this month - just found out a house away from where we’ll be moving to, the farmers field adjacent to that has been purchased by developer

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Don’t need advice on if it should have come back on searches. As they were done back in Sept. This new developer purchase didn’t come up on searches.
I’d been following the local community pages of the village to the area we would be moving to as anyone would avidly ever since the offer was accepted and they conveyancing and coming up to this month.

Knew of A potential development being put forward earlier last year, further up the village, that’s finally got approved this week. This didn’t matter to me as it wasn’t near the property.

BUT As far as I can see, not the same development company. But another one. Has literally just purchased before Christmas the farmers Field Next to the property adjacent to us. At this property, I meant to be exchanging and completing on this month.

It’s hit and miss if they will get planning permission. Because of where it’s situated and the fact there are more of the village that would be affected and I can see a lot of of them are attending meetings in the coming weeks to oppose it on the local community pages etc.

My situation is, I have to move. I’m in temporary rental situation and I don’t have time to be looking for another place to buy. Like I literally don’t have the option to re start a search.

This is also a home move to a new area for us. A few hours away from where we are now, waiting for the purchase to go through.

What the property itself has to offer means a lot to me. This is why my immediate reaction is hesitant to pull out like others could potentially.

The fact I can convert its garage, convert a stable structure at the end of the garden at this property later on as a home office or gym or whatever. But the property also very uniquely comes with half acre paddock beyond the garden. Something that was super important to me as I am predominantly home based with my young daughter and have two large dogs, a solo parents. It just made my life a lot easier to have this extended outdoor space to be able to exercise both the dogs my daughter and to enjoy some external extra space for us to enjoy. For the price the property you just would not find a property that has this much extra external space which is super important to me and us in the now and long term.

Also the amenities in the local area and town tick all the boxes for us.

The house is a three bed semi detached. Just with the added bonus of such a great private overlooked garden on all sides, and like I said the paddock beyond that. I’ll try to post Some images later when my daughter’s gone down to bed to give a better insight as to how the house is situated in relation to what could be potential future housing development adjacent to our neighbour, the farmers field adjacent to them.

Our semi detached house and the garden would luckily be shielded to what I feel a good certain extent from this potential (if they ever get it approved) development as the garden etc is very shielded. And of course we have them being adjacent to us who sadly for them I know would bear the brunt of this potential development.

Their property has views over this farmers field, so I do feel for them. Our property doesn’t have used over the farmers field, So it wouldn’t totally affect us in that way. But of course it was an attraction to the property that there were farmers fields that I could extend our dog walks onto. But at the end of the day, we all know, Agricultural land is being built on more and more, so you can’t expect that to be there forever. Luckily, there are further farmers fields beyond this particular one which would still provide a nice countryside disposition and walking routes. Which a few of them will likely never be built on As I know one or two of the neighbours in the village I’ve actually purchased some of them to stop them ever being developed on. Good thinking on them!

I’m fully aware and totally comprehending what a potential housing development would mean noise and dust wise. In my times gone past I used to live in central London in my younger adulthood. Not far from Westfield in west London. And had to endure a long tenancy Working from home with a whole apartment block being built with an eyesight from our windows. So I’m prepared for what commiting to a property like this could entail.

But I’m looking at the long-term with this decision. And the fact that yes there could be a development we’d have to live through being built nearby. But we will still have the great property and garden and amenities nearby that I really desired and are hard to find elsewhere.
So part of me doesn’t want to pull out at all. And the fact, I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place that I don’t have the time at such a crucial time in mine and my daughter‘s life To carry on renting anywhere and restart a property buying search. When I have searched high and low and there really isn’t anything else that offers what this property offers for the price it is.

My question is; What type of price reduction would you go to the agents about in regard to this news that has now come about. The vendors are 100% wanting to move and would not want to put the property back on the market, especially Nownow. It would come up as buyers beware with this potential development being proposed.

The offer accepted price was 715k

I’ve spoken to the agents and voiced to my concern, They’re speaking to the vendors. The agent asked me did I have a price reduction Amount in mind. I said I was seeking advice. I said to them to speak to the vendors and get back to me on what they would consider if they would.

I don’t want to take the mick on this, As I really do want to move to this property and need to (They don’t know this, As far as they know I have options and could just carry on a search for a property that doesn’t have a potential development in the pipeline nearby).

So what would you go back with on a price reduction suggestion?

I feel it it’s fair to have some sort of price reduction to compensate for how this might interrupt our life for a period of time if it does get accepted (The potential property development). As I’m sure anyone in my position would do the same. If not Many would probably walk away. But as for my reasons noted above, I don’t want to walk away as I’m looking at the long-term For our life at this property.

There is also the bonus (a surveyor friend I spoke to) after taking the sacrifice of potentially having to deal with a development being built nearby and all that entails. That if I ever wanted to put a structure on the paddock at the end of the property boundary (Which meets a boundary of the farmers field that may get development). We would very likely get planning permission for that because of Said development. And later on as a long-term investment or just a long-term option This could mean we could build something for ourselves in paddock area. Or when we decide to move, which would be a long time away (As I want this to be a good long Home for us and my daughter’s childhood) But that we could potentially sell the property one day with the selling points that the paddock could have or I could apply for or would’ve already done; Permission permissions for a structure in the paddock. So if I think of the long-term there is that silver lining Maybe later on.

Sorry, this was very long-winded! Trying to type this with a toddler in tow 🥴

It was foreseeable that nearby land could be developed and built on. It wouldn’t be reasonable IMO to reduce your offer. Weigh up the pros & cons and proceed or walk away.

Hopefully this gives better idea of property outline and proximity

Remember the property adjacent to you could sell to the developer, then you are even more vulnerable

If you’ve never lived near a new site development then I assure you the noise, vibrations, dust and disruption is unbearable

In terms of whether they get planning it’s highly likely with the current Labour Govn and their new policies new housing will be passed unless you’re a SSSI.

Local views can be overridden
and Developers are very good at getting whatever they want

I wouldn’t buy. It will be years and years of stress

Never buy a house because of the view.
If the developer offered you a good deal for that bit of land, would you sell it? You could get two or three houses on there.

The thing is, the sellers know everyone locally and also the farmer who owns the fields adjacent to/ surrounding. (They 20yrs ago purchased that paddock section of land from the farmer to create the paddock at end of property). So I’ve been informed by someone locally. The owner would have known about this was going to be happening in the pipeline before it became official news.

And I had a a long meet with them in the summer chatting about the property. And the paddock. I should have sensed his shift in personality when we were in the paddock area as I said this is exactly what I was looking for in a property.

Well the paddock will potentially now be overlooked by a housing estate. Which he would have been fully aware of being a close friend to the farmer.

They will not easily get a new potential buyer for the original asking price with this development in the pipeline affecting day to day life living so close to a potentially new building site (and I offered the asking price, I never offered below originally, which most would have in this current buying climate). This was before this news had come to light in the summer.

So I feel they have not been totally honest. And a small price reduction should be considered.

I've posted an image outline of the property and its proximity to the field due for development. It’s just in process of being approved by admin on here, so should show up shortly

Don’t feel you have to pull out just because a development is being built. If it doesn’t bother you there is no point trying to make yourself bothered by it. Your plot looks amazing btw.

If I were selling to you I would be highly unlikely to reduce the price, and I wonder really whether you should just go for “whatever” to test what they’re willing to offer. 10% is a bloody unbelievable amount to ask for off, but wonder if you should in at something like 675?

Btw (i work for a development company) there are lots of problems with the idea of selling your paddock, mainly access. They certainly won’t design in access unless they own it from day 1

oh no, I never buy a house based on the view for the reasons you mentioned. Like I said in original post, there is no view of the Farmer field from our house or garden.

The paddock that is accessed through a gate from the end of the garden of the house does have views over the Farmer field which the developer has purchased and is proposing the development on. That the paddock attraction was for the external extra space, not so much for the views.

When you mean Sell to developer - You mean the paddock?

No, I wouldn’t sell it anytime soon. Not while we lived there. The paddock is for quality of life for my daughter and us to have some further external outdoor space.

I would sell it later to a developer when we would move on many many years down the line potentially. But as it stands the small paddock is what I wanted in a property (and hard to find that comes with any standard semi detached property).

I’ve uploaded an outline of the boundary of the house and the paddock to show where it lies in relation to the field that’s ripe for development, I think admin is approving it shortly so it should show soon on this post to give a better perspective

The paddock has it's own value now. If you negotiate a lower price the paddock might not be included and then it could be sold to the developer. You would be unwise to go down that route in my opinion. If you don't have a problem with the ongoing development don't push too hard on the reduction.

The house adjacent is semidetached to us so I doubt they would Sell to the developer because we are attached to them?

i’ve posted above an image of the outline of our property and the attached property which would be the Neighbour that would be next to the farmers field being developed just for reference

That is one huge development plot OP!

The developer don’t want to buy up every scrap of land around this field 😂 they’ll design a small estate of hoses/ flats, build them and leave. They’re not going to be scrambling around for paddocks and semi detached gardens. They have to build in roads, sewerage, electricity gas etc… it’s not viable for them to extend all those amenities in a few years to stick 2 more houses on a paddock.

Okay, thanks for your input. much appreciated. To be honest, I wasn’t going to go for that much of a price reduction. But will see what they come back with.

You’re right it is a very lucky position to ever get a standard normal semi detached with this benefit of that extra bit of outdoor space which is the paddock. I searched high and low and really couldn’t find anything that compared with outdoor space like that that came with a pretty normal house to be honest. So I don’t want to let this go, but I also do feel the sellers knew about this Due to being close friends with the Farmer and there was a little bit of dishonesty going on. So let’s see, maybe they will do a Small price reduction and we can just move on ahead with this

That’s what I think when the above Poster made that comment. No one’s going to be able to or want to purchase the semi detached house that I would be attached to at this house. Not would said developer want that tiny bit of land, which is the paddock. So I feel we’re safe on that side of things. That are semi touch. Neighbour is for sure not going to be selling up to the developer. And I wouldn’t even want to sell the small paddock to any developer.

I would only myself potentially later try and get planning permission to put a little something on there structurally wise for us. Or if we sell up in the distant future, It may be a selling point to a potential buyer that they could put something on the paddock structurally for multigenerational living on the same plot of land. Who knows.

Either way, the part is just a paddock For us. And like he said no developer who’s developing that farmers field would want our neighbours property For all the reasons you very obviously mad. So I feel we’re safe On that front for sure

I would probably throw in a reduction to £650 and be prepared to walk away.

As farmers ourselves it’s astonishing the way this government is changing the planning rules at present to favour development.

Thanks so much for your input.

I think it was misread I would never sell the paddock to a developer. Like a few of us have mentioned and yourself, it would be of no interest to a developer.

It would only be a potential interest to myself later on many many years down the line to potentially apply for planning to put some sort of self-contained small structure on for my daughter potentially. Or if I ever sell the property in the future It may be a selling point that a future potential buyer might want to do the same for multigenerational living on the same plot of land. With your inside knowledge of these types of things - Do you think something like that would get planning permission?

I spoke to my surveyor friend and they said that could potentially be an option for us later on to do for ourselves. But to be honest, I’m quite happy for it to be a paddock always. As that’s what appealed to me with this property. Just having that extended external space to enjoy a bit of country life for my daughter. Chickens, extra playing space, etc

Thanks for your input.

It’s a shame that myself and the Neighbour or others in the village can’t club together and purchased the field instead (if only)

Apparently a Neighbour or two purchased a field adjacent for no other reason, but they didn’t want to ever developed on. good for them to have the money to do that!

Yes, like you said, it’s such a shame that farmers are having to do this. But such is life And our ridiculous government. Who knows what of the countryside will be left in 50 years..

Hmmmm, I know.

The residence of the local village are up in arms as you can imagine. As really, the village roads don’t have the infrastructure. So who knows maybe they won’t get it approved. But these days with the way the government is they likely will.

I guess the only plus point is it will bring some improved amenities to the area, who knows

I hadn’t seen the plan so agree theyd hardly bother buying up the neighbours in this case

Personally I couldn’t live next to that and I’m an Architect so used to building sites but

If you are happy to put up with the site and new properties overlooking the paddock and potentially the rear of your property ( side on) then suggest offering less money

Most buyers assume a price drop and with this new revelation theyll be struggling to get offers if it goes up for sale again
Why not try for 7% reduction ie min of £50k.

It sounds that by the end of the development your home and huge garden won't be compromised by overlooking, if it even gets approved.

The greater concern is the infrastructure; will your road now become a main road for one. Xx

How old is your daughter?

The reason I ask is we had a similar development locally, and the main issue was that families who had purchased houses to be within catchment of a very good secondary found themselves suddenly outside the catchment area,

The new homes brought new families , some of whom had more than 1 child, which meant their younger child was getting in under a sibling criteria, thus reducing the places available and therefore shrinking the catchment.

A double whammy of a much less desirable school offered and a lowering of the value of their houses which no longer had a catchment premium. I wasnt affected but know several families who were.

If you’re in the green belt OP this is literally happening everywhere. I’m familiar with this issue via family down to the local infrastructure not supporting the number of houses to be built. That will not stand in the way of approval I can almost guarantee it.

It really depends if you can cope with living near a development site for possibly several years. You’ve got nothing to lose by dropping your offer.

Walk away if this is a long term home.

you can negotiate time. Find what is right long term for you

We live in what used to be a lovely quiet village, I grew up here and we moved back once we started a family. In the last 3 years, we've had a 80 home housing estate built and there is now planning for another 4 sites within the village possibly adding another 60 homes in total. The traffic is awful, you can't ever walk the dogs without a lead on the lanes like we used to. As for the building noise and heavy lorries thundering by daily... it was horrific. The roads are badly damaged too, due to the heavy loads.

We're now considering moving, but our home is now worth less as property here was at a premium before as homes were rarely sold. Now there is a constant stream of houses for sale on the new estate and others are selling up near the other development sites.

I would walk away OP, especially at that selling price.

I would walk away, and I'd be clear in the reasons why. Maybe suggest a large reduction, but be prepared to walk away.