Land purchase valuation
Discussion
I have the opportunity to purchase a strip of land from my neighbour.
This is immediately adjacent to my rear garden and backs on to open fields. It has no access (only from my garden if I purchase) and would not be any use for development or agriculture. Essentially its only use would be to extend my garden and I would use it as an orchard.
Size is some 400 square metres.
Asking if anyone has an idea of how much should I pay my neighbour and where I should go to get a valuation that’s not going to cost me the earth!
This is immediately adjacent to my rear garden and backs on to open fields. It has no access (only from my garden if I purchase) and would not be any use for development or agriculture. Essentially its only use would be to extend my garden and I would use it as an orchard.
Size is some 400 square metres.
Asking if anyone has an idea of how much should I pay my neighbour and where I should go to get a valuation that’s not going to cost me the earth!
I am assuming that said neighbour also owns other land ie your strip is part of this or is it literally a pice of his garden he doesn’t want ?
As such it’s what it’s worth to him to sell and to you to buy what the value of said land is.
There will obviously be some legal costs and also presumably the cost of fencing in your new orchard assuming it’s not already self contained as such.
In terms of valuation there will be local to you valuers - estate agents that could probably give you a estimate of what it may cost to acquire.
As such it’s what it’s worth to him to sell and to you to buy what the value of said land is.
There will obviously be some legal costs and also presumably the cost of fencing in your new orchard assuming it’s not already self contained as such.
In terms of valuation there will be local to you valuers - estate agents that could probably give you a estimate of what it may cost to acquire.
No doubt the seller will want you to pay all legal costs on top of the price for the land.
What has the neighbour been using the land for? if it's been gardened then fine, if it's been part of a field you could have problems with the local authority, some don't like gardens being extended into fields.
If I was the seller I would put on overage on the plot, so if you ever tried to sell at a later date for more money, the seller gets some of the profit.
Could be anything up to £25,000 per acre, but could also be a lot more than that. £2,500 or so.
What has the neighbour been using the land for? if it's been gardened then fine, if it's been part of a field you could have problems with the local authority, some don't like gardens being extended into fields.
If I was the seller I would put on overage on the plot, so if you ever tried to sell at a later date for more money, the seller gets some of the profit.
Could be anything up to £25,000 per acre, but could also be a lot more than that. £2,500 or so.
Edited by netherfield on Sunday 11th January 14:45
netherfield said:
No doubt the seller will want you to pay all legal costs on top of the price for the land.
This is very important and needs putting in writing from the off so both parties are clear on it.I went through this in 2019, from the very start the landowner of the woodland behind me made it clear I paid their legal fees whether we proceeded or not.
I did and have never looked back.
Edited by Promised Land on Sunday 11th January 20:07
Rampant Golf said:
I just bought part of a field at the cost of £20 p/sqm. Seems reasonable for what we got and the additional value it has added to the property. I paid for the survey and solicitor fees.
The basics are as blueg set out. Assuming that you have a reasonable size garden so that it won't affect your property value (or not much) then I would say about £10,000 on the basis that it's not usually worth all the hassle for less. Interestingly Ram's rate also comes to about that amount: £8,000.A993LAD said:
is the strip of land currently garden or is it a bit of a field?
I was led to believe you can't just add a bit of field onto a residential garden without applying for change of use.
Which is correct, I’ve kept my fence line still and added a gate.I was led to believe you can't just add a bit of field onto a residential garden without applying for change of use.
Seperste plot on deeds and still looks that way now.
He could apply to change that but I guess a lot just extend without doing it.
Hi everyone.
Many thanks for all your replies. All much along the lines I was thinking.
The strip of land is currently part of my neighbours garden and if you can imaging an inverted ‘L’ with the foot being adjacent to my garden then it would usefully enhance my current situation. As it’s currently a garden there would be no change of use but there would be a need to convey the land onto my property.
I’ve agreed all costs would be laid at my door but I think I need to get it valued really to see if it’s all worth it. It’s my neighbour who offered it on the basis she’s now getting too old to maintain it and doesn’t want to have to pay a gardener to do it. Once I get it valued I’ll make a decisions as to whether it’s worth my while.
If it comes out at about £8k then I’m not interested, too much for a piece of land that’s no use to anyone really.
Thanks again for all your replies.
Many thanks for all your replies. All much along the lines I was thinking.
The strip of land is currently part of my neighbours garden and if you can imaging an inverted ‘L’ with the foot being adjacent to my garden then it would usefully enhance my current situation. As it’s currently a garden there would be no change of use but there would be a need to convey the land onto my property.
I’ve agreed all costs would be laid at my door but I think I need to get it valued really to see if it’s all worth it. It’s my neighbour who offered it on the basis she’s now getting too old to maintain it and doesn’t want to have to pay a gardener to do it. Once I get it valued I’ll make a decisions as to whether it’s worth my while.
If it comes out at about £8k then I’m not interested, too much for a piece of land that’s no use to anyone really.
Thanks again for all your replies.
Pugmitch said:
Hi everyone.
Many thanks for all your replies. All much along the lines I was thinking.
The strip of land is currently part of my neighbours garden and if you can imaging an inverted L with the foot being adjacent to my garden then it would usefully enhance my current situation. As it s currently a garden there would be no change of use but there would be a need to convey the land onto my property.
I ve agreed all costs would be laid at my door but I think I need to get it valued really to see if it s all worth it. It s my neighbour who offered it on the basis she s now getting too old to maintain it and doesn t want to have to pay a gardener to do it. Once I get it valued I ll make a decisions as to whether it s worth my while.
If it comes out at about £8k then I m not interested, too much for a piece of land that s no use to anyone really.
Thanks again for all your replies.
Good luck. Of course as blueg first mentioned, if a valuer and a few PHers think £8K that's just their opinions and the ones that really matter are those of you and your neighbour. Also consider that at low land values fees will become a significant part of your cost.Many thanks for all your replies. All much along the lines I was thinking.
The strip of land is currently part of my neighbours garden and if you can imaging an inverted L with the foot being adjacent to my garden then it would usefully enhance my current situation. As it s currently a garden there would be no change of use but there would be a need to convey the land onto my property.
I ve agreed all costs would be laid at my door but I think I need to get it valued really to see if it s all worth it. It s my neighbour who offered it on the basis she s now getting too old to maintain it and doesn t want to have to pay a gardener to do it. Once I get it valued I ll make a decisions as to whether it s worth my while.
If it comes out at about £8k then I m not interested, too much for a piece of land that s no use to anyone really.
Thanks again for all your replies.
Might be better to try and get your neighbour to give you a rough figure for which she would be happy to sell ?
If she doesn't need the money and doesn't have relatives trying to protect the value of her house (!) she may be more broad minded ?
Obviously if she does and is well aware of things like money and without knowing anything about your existing garden size etc , I reckon you'd be doing well to pick that up for £8k !
If she doesn't need the money and doesn't have relatives trying to protect the value of her house (!) she may be more broad minded ?
Obviously if she does and is well aware of things like money and without knowing anything about your existing garden size etc , I reckon you'd be doing well to pick that up for £8k !
Promised Land said:
A993LAD said:
I was led to believe you can't just add a bit of field onto a residential garden without applying for change of use.
Which is correct, I've kept my fence line still and added a gate.From Google (so it must be true)...
Extending a residential garden into agricultural land almost always requires planning permission from the local council, as it's considered a material change of use from farming to residential, which councils resist to prevent urban sprawl into the countryside, often limiting "garden land" to about an eighth of an acre (0.05 hectares) around a dwelling. You can try applying for planning permission for a larger garden or even building a dwelling within this curtilage, but it's rarely granted, though recent appeal rulings offer some hope, requiring expert advice from planning consultants to navigate specific cases, especially for smaller plots or where land use has already changed.
Why it's Difficult
Planning Policy: Councils protect agricultural land and limit garden sizes to maintain the separation between towns and countryside.
Material Change of Use: Converting a field into a formal garden (lawns, flowerbeds) is a significant change that needs permission, unlike using it for rural purposes like keeping animals or growing crops.
Curtilage Rules: The area considered part of a house's "curtilage" (garden) is usually small, and expanding it significantly into a field is generally refused.
What You Can Do
Consult Planners Early: Before buying or doing anything, speak to your local planning authority to understand their specific policies and get advice.
Seek Expert Help: Engage a specialist planning consultant or lawyer, as rules are complex and individual cases vary greatly.
Explore Options:
Planning Application: Apply for permission to change the land's use to residential garden, though success for large areas is unlikely.
Certificate of Lawful Use (CLEUD): If you've been using the land as a garden uninterrupted for at least 10 years, you can apply for a CLEUD to formalize its use.
Precedent: Look for similar successful applications (precedents) in your area for inspiration, but remember each case is unique.
Consider Alternatives: If a large garden isn't feasible, consider using the land for agricultural purposes like a smallholding or keeping livestock, as this might fall under permitted development rights or require less stringent planning, as per guidance on the GOV.UK website.
Key Takeaway: Don't assume you can simply buy a field and add it to your garden; expect resistance and always get professional planning advice before proceeding.
Extending a residential garden into agricultural land almost always requires planning permission from the local council, as it's considered a material change of use from farming to residential, which councils resist to prevent urban sprawl into the countryside, often limiting "garden land" to about an eighth of an acre (0.05 hectares) around a dwelling. You can try applying for planning permission for a larger garden or even building a dwelling within this curtilage, but it's rarely granted, though recent appeal rulings offer some hope, requiring expert advice from planning consultants to navigate specific cases, especially for smaller plots or where land use has already changed.
Why it's Difficult
Planning Policy: Councils protect agricultural land and limit garden sizes to maintain the separation between towns and countryside.
Material Change of Use: Converting a field into a formal garden (lawns, flowerbeds) is a significant change that needs permission, unlike using it for rural purposes like keeping animals or growing crops.
Curtilage Rules: The area considered part of a house's "curtilage" (garden) is usually small, and expanding it significantly into a field is generally refused.
What You Can Do
Consult Planners Early: Before buying or doing anything, speak to your local planning authority to understand their specific policies and get advice.
Seek Expert Help: Engage a specialist planning consultant or lawyer, as rules are complex and individual cases vary greatly.
Explore Options:
Planning Application: Apply for permission to change the land's use to residential garden, though success for large areas is unlikely.
Certificate of Lawful Use (CLEUD): If you've been using the land as a garden uninterrupted for at least 10 years, you can apply for a CLEUD to formalize its use.
Precedent: Look for similar successful applications (precedents) in your area for inspiration, but remember each case is unique.
Consider Alternatives: If a large garden isn't feasible, consider using the land for agricultural purposes like a smallholding or keeping livestock, as this might fall under permitted development rights or require less stringent planning, as per guidance on the GOV.UK website.
Key Takeaway: Don't assume you can simply buy a field and add it to your garden; expect resistance and always get professional planning advice before proceeding.
also, my wife's uncle bought about a quarter of an acre of field from the local farmer and extended his small garden into the field.
he didn't get change of use, and long story short the local council eventually forced him to move his garden fence back to its original position and return the newly acquired garden to agricultural use.
I never discussed the full details with him but if he could have won the fight I'm sure he would have done as he is a solicitor.
he didn't get change of use, and long story short the local council eventually forced him to move his garden fence back to its original position and return the newly acquired garden to agricultural use.
I never discussed the full details with him but if he could have won the fight I'm sure he would have done as he is a solicitor.
lots of stories on the internet but here is one example...
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/25721240.costessey-ma...
A man's hopes of using farm land he owns as a garden have been quashed after the planning inspectorate threw out his appeal.
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/25721240.costessey-ma...
A man's hopes of using farm land he owns as a garden have been quashed after the planning inspectorate threw out his appeal.
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