Clearing a back green

Hope it's ok to post this here.

My partner and I are hoping to buy a flat soon - one of the ones we're very interested in has a large communal garden out the back but it's totally overgrown (grass, nettles and ivy) and has lots of icky rubbish (including old fridges and tvs) on it.

To me this is a selling point almost - a challenge!  But how would I go about taming the waist-length plants?  This isn't a plot and is accessed only by a narrow corridor from the Victorian flats so I couldn't bring in any machinery (could probably fit a mower through).

Do you think I'd be out of my depth?  I'd love to get a nice lawn and a veggie patch on the go.

I believe all the flats have an equal right to use the space, which would mean a 1/8 share.  Clearly no-one is taking an interest in it currently but I expect were it to be cleared others in the stair would want to use it.  I know in similar stairs where everyone takes an interest the garden is divided into beds - were we to move in I'd obviously consult with all the neighbours!

We'd definitely be there long enough to make it worthwhile and I have no problem with the effort involved.

The garden faces almost exactly due west, and is on a gentle slope.

Thanks Jay

I suppose what I was really wondering is what equipment I would need?  There is grass, which I would want to keep some of - how do you cut waist-length grass?  With a machete??

If it is not a large area I would use shears.  A strimmer would be forever getting tied up.

Gillie