~5 acres wanted for sale or rent in central Durham (around DH1 area) please

Hello all,

I'm looking for a small piece of land in or very near to DH1 (although I'll consider other postcodes nearby) to begin my market garden and land based business.

I have contacted someone that I think might be the land owner but they may have ignored my letter for whatever reason they have.

I'd be very grateful if someone could offer some land to sub-let from a local farm, or a lease or purchase.

Thank you in advance,
Suzi

 

[livestock 1]

Are you near the prison?

 

[Highland Mule]

I have contacted someone that I think might be the land owner but they may have ignored my letter for whatever reason they have.

Maybe they didn’t want to sell. Landowners get loads of speculative enquiries of that nature, usually from dodgy companies out to exploit naivety over land values. They’re handy for lighting the fire.

If you know where they live and have enough money to convince them to sell, better to make initial introduction in person. But do be prepared for a robust refusal.

 

[SnooziSuzi]

Are you near the prison?

I am! (Low Newton) scarily so, haha. the walls are right next to my house

 

[SnooziSuzi]

Maybe they didn’t want to sell. Landowners get loads of speculative enquiries of that nature, usually from dodgy companies out to exploit naivety over land values. They’re handy for lighting the fire.

If you know where they live and have enough money to convince them to sell, better to make initial introduction in person. But do be prepared for a robust refusal.

Absolutely; and I'm not dissing them for not replying. My letter to them was asking if they knew who did own the land, not asking them to sell some land to me, but totally, they're not beholden to me on any level which is why I've put another call out here to see if anyone else might have some land they'd be willing to let me use.

I didn't think that turning up on his doorstep was a good idea; had stalker-y vibes, haha.

To be honest, even half an acre would get me started, but wouldn't provide enough space for all of my plans.

 

[Highland Mule]

Absolutely; and I'm not dissing them for not replying. My letter to them was asking if they knew who did own the land, not asking them to sell some land to me, but totally, they're not beholden to me on any level which is why I've put another call out here to see if anyone else might have some land they'd be willing to let me use.

I didn't think that turning up on his doorstep was a good idea; had stalker-y vibes, haha.

To be honest, even half an acre would get me started, but wouldn't provide enough space for all of my plans.

If all you need to know is who owns the land, use the land registry and do a search.

I don't know the area, but something of that nature will have a decent value, especially if close to urban. I'm hoping you have a decent budget - if it were mine I'd say you'd need at least six figures to sell a small parcel of that sort.

 

[SnooziSuzi]

If all you need to know is who owns the land, use the land registry and do a search.

I don't know the area, but something of that nature will have a decent value, especially if close to urban. I'm hoping you have a decent budget - if it were mine I'd say you'd need at least six figures to sell a small parcel of that sort.

I've done that. The only information they can give me is that the Church Commissioners for England have registered the land, but when I contacted them they told me that they only own and registered the mineral and mining rights. They don't know who owns the surface land and it isn't registered on LR.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

I was watching the talks at the NSA sheep event on YouTube, and there was a comment during one of the presentations, a farmers wife had said that farming families are hefted to the ground in the same way the sheep are, so that could be one reason why people don't like to sell. The plastering lecturer in college said he'd never met a farmer who didn't want to farm just another 50 acres!

 

[Ffermer Bach]

having said that, I was just reading about the enclosures and how so many people were disenfranchised from the land that they had used before when it was enclosed.

 

[SnooziSuzi]

having said that, I was just reading about the enclosures and how so many people were disenfranchised from the land that they had used before when it was enclosed.

I read something about that recently too. It's true. Too few people have proper access to land, and not just for growing on - for just walking on in England. I know Scotland is different, and that comes with its own problems.

 

[Highland Mule]

I read something about that recently too. It's true. Too few people have proper access to land, and not just for growing on - for just walking on in England. I know Scotland is different, and that comes with its own problems.

Everyone has the same access to land as everyone else - you have plenty public land and if you want more you just need to work hard and earn enough to buy some. I’m sorry, but I don’t agree with taking rights away from those who own private property and giving it to the public.

 

[SnooziSuzi]

Everyone has the same access to land as everyone else - you have plenty public land and if you want more you just need to work hard and earn enough to buy some. I’m sorry, but I don’t agree with taking rights away from those who own private property and giving it to the public.

Are you actually directing your ire at the situation to me?

 

[Highland Mule]

Are you actually directing your ire at the situation to me?

Not at all. No ire here.

 

[SnooziSuzi]

 

[livestock 1]

Is the land Marco’s or his parents?

 

[livestock 1]

I've done that. The only information they can give me is that the Church Commissioners for England have registered the land, but when I contacted them they told me that they only own and registered the mineral and mining rights. They don't know who owns the surface land and it isn't registered on LR.

You need to pay £5 for a search

 

[SnooziSuzi]

You need to pay £5 for a search

£3 for a title search and £3 for a map of the boundaries and I've done that already for several pieces of land near to me but if the owner hasn't registered voluntarily or the land wasn't sold since, I think, 1991 then there's no obligation on the owner to declare.

Probably so that people like me don't keep bugging them

I don't know who Marco is but I've contacted someone who has registered some nearby land, bit there's no guarantee that they also own the piece I'm interested in which might be why they haven't replied (yet - they might just be busy, what with it being harvesting season).

 

[SnooziSuzi]

@livestock 1 , you seem to know a little bit about the area; are you local?

 

[livestock 1]

@livestock 1 , you seem to know a little bit about the area; are you local?

I’m everywhere local to many

 

[Dry Rot]

Just move in and see what happens? What is the worst scenario? Sounds as if the church will do nothing...except maybe open a coal mine (unlikely) or an oil well (even more unlikely) on the same land.