A bit off topic.... but DIY of sorts.

[lynd]

For a long time I have tried to get a house with some land. I dont want the land for anything other than to be away from neighbours ( I am an antisocial old s*d). I haven't been able to find anything I want. Ideally I want my current house but in a larger field. I currently have about half an acre around me.

Where I live there is a field to the rear of me. It would give me the distance I want from other people. Its farmland and I know it cant be changed - besides there is an old mine shaft in the middle of it.

Its not up for sale, but I was wondering if it is possible to approach the owner to sell it. The owner doesn't use it at all. Ive lived at the rear of this field for 7 years and all he does with it is let the grass grow and cuts it in the summer.

How would I best go about this? Has anyone done such a thing? can I employ someone to approach for me?

Whats the best way of doing something like this.

[chris French]

In message , lynd writes

Of course it is.

Ask him?

Probably, but I think a personal approach is best. Find out the sort of price for land around there first so you have an idea of what to offer if need be, then go and have a chat. I'd give better reason for wanting the land though.

[Stinkoman]

I wonder if, rather than buying it, you might be able to ask if he will simply let you use the land. If not that then whether he'll rent you the land. Buying it might be tricky - apart from the cost (he holds all the cards), if it is farmland, converting it to domestic use will probably involve getting planning permission too. An informal agreement between the two of you might simply be easier.

However, I'd start by getting some plans of the area and finding out who actually owns it (ie visiting the council). It sounds suspicious to me that he maintains it but doesn't do anything with it. Are you sure he owns it? What permissions does the land have? Maybe he can't use it for keeping livestock/growing crops, for some reason.

Just my thoughts on this :)

[Andrew Mawson]

approach the

If you do manage to acquire the land, that old mine shaft may come with some horrendous liabilites if some 'authority' decides it needs capping / making safe etc. You'll probably find the owner biting your hand off !

AWEM

[Tim Lamb]

In message , lynd writes

Just ask!

Bear in mind that the guy mowing the grass may be a tenant rather than the owner.

Very little agricultural land has been on the market recently because of the uncertainty regarding implementation of the *single farm payment* so prices are unrealistically high.

Small areas of road frontage land with no possibility of planning for houses can fetch 5K/acre. Ask your local land agent for a rough figure.

The downside about owning land is that you then have to manage it. Various bits of legislation, injurious weeds act, harbouring vermin etc. prevent you just leaving nature to take its course.

regards

[lynd]

I dont want to convert the land. I dont want to use it at all. What I want is to be able to go and stand in the middle of the field and know no one else is there.

The field is at the back of me and so I can access it easily. The gate to this field is up the lane next to my house and I own the lane. he doesnt have access rights across it, although I have never stopped anyone using it. All the other farmers use it to access their fields further up.

The farmer doesnt use the lane he accesses the field ( when he comes once a year) through two other fields adjoining it at the bottom of the village. I dont know where this one lives or even who he is. Apparently he is a part time farmer with just this one field seperate from the rest of his land ( or so I have been told). The other farmers farm intensively up the lane. his field is fallow. Of course he could be a bit like me and just wants to own it.

The land is agrecultural only and I cant see it being changed because as I said there is a bl**dy great mineshaft in the middle of it and no access as such.

[lynd]

What reason would you suggest then? I havent got any other reason. I might keep geese or some other livestock, or if the land allowed it put up some fruit trees, but I just want the field to go and stand in. I know that sounds odd but I am an odd person.

[lynd]

nearly every field in the village has a mineshaft in it. Most farmers plough round them. This one is just left. I have never looked at it because I dont own the field and wont trespass. Could that be the reason he doesn't use this field? I estimate the field to be relatively small - about five acres.

[chris French]

In message , lynd writes

Saying I don't like neighbours doesn't come across very well. Saying I'd like more space, /plant an orchard/ plant a wood etc. sounds more positive.

[chris French]

In message , Stinkoman writes

You can still do a lot with agricultural land - plant an orchard, plant a wood, grow vegetables

[markzoom]

Maybe you could get your solicitor or an estate agent to make an anonimous offer for you, that way it's a buyers market. If he knows it's the neighbour to it making the offer, then it's a sellers market. Alternatively you could just say hello to him when he's mowing it and make him a low offer which he may then try to raise you on. Or maybe you could just lease it from him until you snuff it? If he needs the grass for hey, he can keep it trimmed for you. The point of leasing it would be to have control over what happens on it (or rather, what doesn't). M.K.

[Alan]

In message , lynd wrote

Perhaps he makes a living from it by getting a EU set-aside payment.

[Michael Chare]

Make a good offer - verablly! Don't press for a decision, but make it easy for the owner to accept the offer after he/she has had time to think about it. e.g. leave your phone number on a piece of paper.

But:

a) Find out about the mine shaft and its implications.

b) Consider the question of access to the land, particulary if you want to be able to sell it again at some time in the future.

[fred]

In article , chris French writes

Possibly mention some use that wouldn't be worth much money, eg keeping a few sheep, you certainly wouldn't want to give any hint that you are effectively wanting a bigger garden and the trees/orchard suggestion might give that impression, leading to cash register eyes.

[Mark]

Just out of curiosity what does he cut it with?

-- Mark§ This is an automatic signature of unknown origin

[lynd]

A contractor comes round with a tractor and attachment and cuts it for him. I guess he is cutting it to meadow hay.

I know the contractor because he cuts/ bales/ ploughs etc a number of fields for different farmers. I have never met the land owner because he doesn't come up and see the field as far as I am aware.

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Alan writes

Only if it was in arable production in 1991.

regards

>