(Garden) Grabbing The Headlines

Did you catch the recent news reports about the Government’s so-called “clampdown on garden grabbing”?

According to the press, garden grabbing – whereby developers build inappropriate developments within the back yards of existing houses – has become “a serious problem”. The Telegraph’s coverage is fairly typical of the way the mainstream press covered the story.

Someone reading the article could be forgiven for assuming that garden developments have effectively been banned. However, if you compare the news article with the official Government statement you’ll realise that nothing could be further from the truth.

But it’s worth looking at the facts of the story because behind the spin some interesting points have come to light…

“Not a problem in the majority of areas…”

It seems the Government commissioned independent research to investigate the issue of inappropriate developments within back gardens. The review’s findings are really interesting…

“Of the 127 [councils] who responded, less than half (50 councils) considered it an issue in their areas. Of those who reported a problem, only 5 per cent (7 councils) had specific, local policies in place.” It’s worth noting that none of the councils who responded asked for a blanket ban on back garden developments.

The Housing and Planning Minister John Healey admits: “it is good news that councils have told our independent experts that it is not a problem in the large majority of areas.”

So, despite what the press would have us believe, the Government isn’t advocating a ban on all garden developments. They’re merely reminding a minority of councils who have been a little lax, that they have the power to prevent inappropriate developments to be built in back gardens.

So what does this mean for land finders, self-builders and developers?

Successful property development relies on appropriate, carefully considered schemes that enhance a neighbourhood. I’ve never been in favour of inappropriate, oversized developments shoe-horned into tight back garden areas and welcome the Government’s efforts to tackle the issue in those few “hot spots” where it’s been allowed to become a problem.

To be honest, these sorts of development are often fraught with problems. I prefer to concentrate on “infill” developments – slotting new housing in between existing properties. It’s usually much easier to get infills through planning and they don’t tend to suffer from the same access issues.

Huge demand for UK developments

The fact is, there’s huge demand for additional housing (and therefore suitable development land) in the UK. The Government has set a target to build 3 million new homes by 2020 and, in the main, it’s down to the local authorities to allocate enough land to meet this ambitious goal.  Most local authorities see garden plots as a suitable and sustainable way of helping them achieve their targets. After all, most of the infrastructure required for a new development – such as roads, utilities and local amenities – are already in place.

It’s hardly surprising therefore that in some areas as much as 94 per cent of residential development is on gardens or other “occupied” land. The Government relies on the redevelopment of this land – known as “brownfield” land – to house the country’s growing population. To suggest that the practice of building on spare garden land could be banned is, frankly, ridiculous!

Due diligence…

So, if you’ve found a back garden with great development potential, none of this need put you off exploring its potential further. The new guidance doesn’t mean that all back garden developments are out of the question. It just means that the planners are less likely to let you get away with a really bad proposal.

As with all development schemes, it’s simply a case of performing your due diligence and checking with your local planners to gauge their reaction to your proposals.

But remember, there are lots of opportunities out there that don’t involve gardens at all! My most profitable deals have involved other types of brownfield sites… pubs, petrol stations, garages, farms. There are opportunities all around us, it just takes a keen eye to spot them!

Unless the Government is willing to release huge swathes of Greenfield or Greenbelt land – which is extremely unlikely – they must rely on industrious land finders and developers to identify alternative uses for existing brownfield sites. It’s the only way they’re going to meet their own targets and house the growing population.

So, as long as there’s a demand for houses there will be opportunities for those people “in-the-know” to make substantial profits from land. And if the press insist on labelling us “garden grabbers” then I guess it’s something we’ll just have to live with!

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