Newbie looking for inspiration and ideas for 7 acres of land

[Doug82]

Hi all.

 

Newbie here and really hoping this forum is a best place to come for advice. I've already read some great posts that could help me.

 

I'm about to finalise a house completion in north Buckinghamshire that comes with 7 acres of adjoining land.  My first challenge is understanding what I can do with the land. I'm not clear on it's designation. Weirdly it's not been mentioned in my process of purchase with the solicitor. Definitely not garden/residential. There's a wall (with gate) dividing the formal garden and the land. Whilst the land has a small stables built, it has not been used for horse grazing in some time so I suspect the land is deemed pasture land these days. I'm ideally looking to find a way to officially determine how the land is classified.

 

I'm not looking to extend the garden, but would be good to understand what I can do with the land. What I'm thinking:

• Divide area's off with fence / hedgerow
• Plant a fruit orchard (circa 1 acre)
• Large vegetable patch / raised beds
• possible chicken coops, maybe some goats

 

None of this should be problematic for agricultural, but my concern is that I think if the land is deemed Pasture / Grazing land it may be a little more tricky to do some of this stuff.

 

Hope to hear from the good folk on this website for help.

 

 

 

 

[SteamyTea]

Welcome

 

I am currently sitting in mid Bucks, but used to know North Bucks well.

 

There are a load of new grants available for tree planting.  Worth looking up.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tree-planting-and-woodland-creation-funding-and-advice

 

Or run a camp site on it.  Friend of the family bought some crap land in Wales.  Allowed the Scouts to use it for summer camps, than got permission to build a toilet block, then a 'storage centre'.

Now it is that Barry Island holiday park.

[IanR]

52 minutes ago, Doug82 said:

There's a wall (with gate) dividing the formal garden and the land. Whilst the land has a small stables built, it has not been used for horse grazing in some time so I suspect the land is deemed pasture land these days. 

 

52 minutes ago, Doug82 said:

I'm not looking to extend the garden, but would be good to understand what I can do with the land. What I'm thinking:

• Divide area's off with fence / hedgerow
• Plant a fruit orchard (circa 1 acre)
• Large vegetable patch / raised beds
• possible chicken coops, maybe some goats

 

What's surrounding the plot? Is it "open countryside", with adjoining agricultural fields?

 

There may well be no formal classified use of the land. Sounds like it was likely once agricultural, which has then been used for equestrian. Previous owners may have formalised that equestrian use with a Change of Use application, but often it's not done. If it's not been formalised, then once the new Use has continued for 4 years, without interruption, it becomes immune from enforcement. If the new Use is later abandoned, it goes back to the original agricultural use.

 

While the formal line is that agricultural Use is a Use for an ongoing business, you can generally get away with any agricultural-type uses as a hobbyist. The only Use on your list that may raise an eyebrow is the raised beds. Typically the LPA will want to retain the agricultural scene, and not have residential/domestic paraphernalia encroaching what was ounce agricultural land, however they will generally only act if neighbours complain.

 

When fencing and planting hedgerows, keep it agricultural in nature, ie. post & rail, stock, estate etc. or hawthorn mix (native species) hedgerow. Be warned though, if you put in hedgerows, while they do significantly add to the bio-diversity, they will need regular maintenance.

Edited April 25, 2022 by IanR