Hi. Can anyone guide me on how to go about buying council land. Is it simply it can't be done or are there laws that any one knows about that may help me. I am interested in a piece of land in Cramlington, Northumberland which is attached to my house. Thanks.
The first thing to do is contact the Council. If they are willing to sell they have to get it valued by the District Valuer's office (Part of the Inland Revenue) and this will be the open market value. In most circumstances the Council cannot sell for less but there may be exceptional circumstances.
Peter Crosland
contact the council, providing its not common land and its not intended for access for future development it should be pretty easy.
you may find the council has to put it out to tender with at least three places in order to effect the best price, certainly that is how my local council would do it.
mrcheerful
Depending on the land's use you might have problems. Some years ago a group of us approached Blyth Valley council in an attempt to acquire some of the land behind our houses in order to get better sized back gardens, and save the council the cost of mowing it. We were turned down because it had been designated in the development plan as an open green space.
I did exactly the same thing a couple of years ago. Applied for a piece of the green playing area at the back of the alleyway that runs behind our row of terraced houses, which made an `indent` into the alleyway wall.. This was so I could then `accquire` the section of my alleyway and extend my small yard into it, thus making it more square firstly, and also large enough to accommodate my motorbike.
I kept the council fully aware of what I intended to use this purchase for, and as long as I agreed it would not be built upon (its far too small anyway, only about 10x10feet square in total now, if that), they were okay with it. I guess it depends on what they have the land earmarked for and what you intend to use it for.
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