How to value overgrown, unused, "garden" land.

[K78]

My neighbours have a unused (for many years),overgrown, heavily littered strip of land at the back of their garden.

 

Their house and garden are elevated 5-6m from the main road. And the overgrown area steeply slopes down to a small dry stone wall next to the road.

 

I was going to ask their permission to cut across a small area of this land to make my sewer connection easier (see below pic). As I have a 2m reinforced concrete, stone faced wall separating me from the main road. 

 

 

Then I started thinking about making an offer for the unused land (or part of it).

It has always bothered me that it is open and used for tipping. It's also a security risk. I'm aware they have been broken into more than once.

My problem is arriving at a value. I've asked the opinion of a surveyor, BCO, my ground workers and a SE (he was on site so I thought I might as well ask his opinion). And they all said the same thing. It would cost more to fence off and landscape than it is actually worth.

 

The surveyor said something along the lines of "if they could have feasibly done anything with it they would of. It would cost more to develop as a site than it would be worth. You can't value it as garden or grazing land because it isn't"

I know it would cost  well into 5 figures to make it into a garden but I have no intention of doing so. I like the wooded area next to my plot. I just want it to be more secure, litter free, generally tidied up and like I said. It would make my sewer connection easier. 

 

The land presently has no use other than to fly tippers and local kids. It can not be used for access hence their unusual driveway access between two houses (yellow arrows). My proposed highlighted in grey and the strip of land is highlighted in green. 

 

 

Here are a few poor phone pics. The last one is the most recent. The others are over a year old. 

 

 

I would appreciate any advice or opinions on the land value and how to approach my neighbours. The last thing I want to do is offend them. 

 

Thanks

Edited October 16, 2016 by K78

[ProDave]

I take it from the pictures that your plot is the last picture that has had extensive ground work and the bit you would like to buy is the overgrown similar strip to the left in the last picture?

 

The fly tipping can be dealt with by a decent fence along the top of the stone wall, and I can see with relatively little work it could provide an interesting shaded bit of garden just be thinning the lower branches of the trees and creating a path through, perhaps to a shed / summerhouse at the end?

 

My guess is, that seeing your house being built by digging into the steep bank, the neighbours may view their bank as another potential building plot.
 

[K78]

2 hours ago, ProDave said:

I take it from the pictures that your plot is the last picture that has had extensive ground work and the bit you would like to buy is the overgrown similar strip to the left in the last picture?

 

The fly tipping can be dealt with by a decent fence along the top of the stone wall, and I can see with relatively little work it could provide an interesting shaded bit of garden just be thinning the lower branches of the trees and creating a path through, perhaps to a shed / summerhouse at the end?

 

My guess is, that seeing your house being built by digging into the steep bank, the neighbours may view their bank as another potential building plot.
 

I can see how it might look that way but it's completely different. Its a steep gradient and you can't even walk through it due to the trees. My site was a well maintained, split level garden when i purchased it. 

 

Ive basically excavated a garage base and 3 drystone terraces. That has cost a small fortune is muck away. A cost I massively underestimated. 

 

To excavate the area would involve 1000's of tons of muck away and a 5m retaining wall. Not to mention all the trees and roots. It really isn't viable in the opinion of anyone who's looked at it. 

 

It wouldn't be safe for kids or dogs to play in the rear garden, as it is just a steep slope towards a busy road. 

 

Id be happy if they develop it, as it would be better than it is in its current state. Or even just fenced it off with chain link fencing. It's a mess of various rubbish and beer cans. 

 

I also bought my site 7 years ago. If they had that idea I think they would have explored it already. They have recently applied to build a small house in place of their garage. 

 

I'd be happy to have it signed into a contract that I never plan to build on it. I'm sure the owner wouldn't be concerned as it wouldn't make financial sense. 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2016 by K78

[Nickfromwales]

Call me old fashioned, but why not just go and ask them if they'll sell and if so how much please? 

[Nickfromwales]

9 minutes ago, K78 said:

I'd be happy to have it signed into a contract that I never plan to build on it.

Say NOTHING of the sort until your asked to do so. Just say that your not interested in developing it, and no more. 

[K78]

11 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Call me old fashioned, but why not just go and ask them if they'll sell and if so how much please? 

 

I'm guessing they would struggle as much as me to come up with a value. 

 

I was thinking if I get a idea of a fair value, then  I could make a proposal. 

 

It would cost a fair amount just to fence off the land from the road and garden. 

 

Its currently not safe or secure. Im sure it's a concern to the owners. 

Edited October 16, 2016 by K78

[Nickfromwales]

What does your gut say? £5k / £10k? 

[K78]

20 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Say NOTHING of the sort until your asked to do so. Just say that your not interested in developing it, and no more. 

 

I can see your point.

 

But I would be happy too if it meant I could purchase at a fair price for what it is. 

 

Its really isn't economically viable to even consider building on. Maybe a small log cabin. 

Edited October 16, 2016 by K78

[Nickfromwales]

Never say never   

[ToughButterCup]

No need to buy, all you need is an agreement to lay the pipe and thereafter to maintain it.

 

As Nick suggests, just ask.

We are in a similar situation: we asked, the permission to cross the land was valued, a sum was agreed;and here's the detail (December)

Or have I missed something?

 

[K78]

1 minute ago, Nickfromwales said:

What does your gut say? £5k / £10k? 

 

Just now, Nickfromwales said:

Never say never   

 

I'm not sure it's worth £5k in its current state. You really would need a machete and a decent pair of boots to even attempt walking through it. It gets steeper the deeper you walk into it. There is not a single clearing. It's very dense. 

 

I was was thinking of offering to pay for a fence to secure their garden, a fence to secure the land from the road (est £2-3k) and pay the legal fees?

 

The surveyor I spoke to said he thought that was too much. But I'd be happier with the area secure. 

 

Id hate to make an offer and offend them. Id rather just ask permission to cut across and tiny piece of their land with my drain. 

 

But it I know once I move in I won't be putting up with rubbish being tipped next to my house and kids drinking beer. Which could lead to disputes. 

[Stones]

I agree with Ian, go and speak to them and ask if you can lay your pipe over the land in question. I'd frame it in terms that you have the alternative route but would rather spend the £2K doing something useful and of benefit, like putting up a new fence on the site boundary to save your neighbours the hassle of constantly having to tidy up after fly tippers. Offer to pick up their legal fees so it's a zero cost / upside only proposal for them.

[K78]

18 minutes ago, recoveringacademic said:

No need to buy, all you need is an agreement to lay the pipe and thereafter to maintain it.

 

As Nick suggests, just ask.

We are in a similar situation: we asked, the permission to cross the land was valued, a sum was agreed;and here's the detail (December)

Or have I missed something?

 

 

I'm thinking that if the owner has no interest in it (which I suspect). And has not got free funds to erect a fence to secure it. They might actually want rid of the headache?

 

it really does need the rubbish clearing out and securing. 

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

Get your arse around there and speak to them. Explain the cost involved in cleaning and securing the site ALONE, and ask if they'd let you adopt it.