[ANHBUC]

Hopefully the hedge will stay and it won't be built on.

Have you enquired with the local planning authority about the likelyhood of them granting planning on the land.  They will usually give you a verbal indication.  If they are saying no way you could pass this information on to the new buyer and it might put them off buying.  Discuss your hedge at the same time.  Wishing you loads of luck with this.   

Just had a thought, if the seller is selling to protect it from development she can add a covenant to it which forbids development.  Your solicitor should have pointed this out to you.  Don't know why I did not think of it before.   

[compostqueen]

Hopefully she only wants a garden and she's not planning on building a garage or worse.  The hedge should be ok as it's mine but apparently she can build up to the hedge line even though that would mean it couldn't be accessed for maintenance.  It would be daft to do that but folks do it all the time apparently

Plans to develop the gardens in the past have all failed so we're hoping that nothing has changed

[ANHBUC]

Fingers crossed for you that things turn out well.   

[compostqueen]

Thanks 

[Optimistic Gardener]

Hi Compost Queen.  Sorry to hear of your problems.  I am a solicitor but I don't practice in land law.  However, if it is the express intention of your neighbour that the land should not be built on, she should consider including in the contract of sale a covenant that expressly forbids the construction of permanent structures.  That will "flush out" the true intentions of the purchaser.  Also, would the neighbour consider selling you the land by instalment payments?  Just a thought...good luck.

[Swing Swang]

Hope you find the means to buy - I brought a small parcel of land adjoining my property about 4/5 years ago and paid the exhorbatant price of 40GBP per square m which is what yous is working out at. There were restrictive covenants on that too

[compostqueen]

My husband won't buy it    he says we already have more than we need    True but still   I think I might live to regret it but there we are.  I am miffed though as he gave me optimism that he would.  He is being practical though and we do have a whole house to finish renovating

The lady selling the land needs the money or she wouldn't be selling it as she loves the garden very much. It's a wildlife garden, with lots of trees, shrubs, wild areas, meadow bit, high hedgerows filled with birds.  We have foxes and a sparrowhawk.   Just magical really and to see it cleared to make way for flat lawn will do us both in.  I know it's not mine so none of my business but it's hard not to be upset for the loss of habitat.  I heard this morning that the state of the nation's stock of cuckoo and hedgehogs is parlous, which didn't make me feel any better   

[arugula]

That's a shame, its sometimes good when the heart can prevail over common sense. 

[Aunt Sally]

I'm sure you can "persuade" OH that the wild life garden must be saved !!!

[compostqueen]

I doubt it, sadly.  He's more practical than I am and doesn't let his heart rule his head. He sees that we have more than enough garden than we need so don't need this extra bit. It won't bother him greatly that it might be cleared and just turned to lawn. He is with me on the hedgerow though thank goodness

[arugula]

If they don't rip your hedgerow out while you're not looking, I'd still be very concerned that a wall might appear butted right up against it - even of a temporary structure. 

[mumofstig]

nothing you can do about that! as long as it's on their side of the boundary, they can build one.

[arugula]

No, that's right there isn't. 

[compostqueen]

I heard yesterday that their idea of taking out the hedge is no longer on the cards, nor is their planned fence. It seems that the husband wants to retain our hedge and does not want a fence. I expect he found out about all the levelling that would have to be done first before buying 22 m of fencing

Phew

[ANHBUC]

Glad it has turned out alright in the end.  You didn't need the worry and stress but I suppose thats life.