Homeowners tempted to sell their gardens

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by Kay Murchie

Homeowners in London and surrounding areas are being offered large sums of money by property developers to sell their gardens.

Property developers are on the lookout for space to build on and are pursuing homeowners in the hope they will sell off their gardens.

However, this has enraged local communities who are pressuring councils to stop the practice through the planning process.

Furthermore, wildlife experts are warning that vast areas of the capital’s green space are disappearing.

One property owner from Cheshunt in Hertfordshire was offered £125,000 tax-free for her 300ft garden.

John Ennis of Foxtons estate agency said the number of garden sales in the capital has risen in the last 18 months.

Mr Ennis added we are often approached to sell plots of land which may include garden spaces.

Gardens are classed as previously developed and are therefore counted as brownfield sites so property developers are particularly eager to buy them.

However, it is feared that the shortage of grass and soil could make London vulnerable to flooding because rainwater is stopped from absorbing into the ground which can cause subsidence and, therefore, affect an entire street’s property prices.

Figures show that since 2004/05, planning permission has been granted for 3,525 units to be built on back gardens.

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone said he plans to revise his London Plan to prevent new development on back gardens in the suburbs.

In an attempt to safeguard greenbelt land, the Government wants 70% of new homes to be built on brownfield sites, however, the current definition of the term was implemented 20 years ago, before garden building was common.