Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2010 | Page 22

feature

Island Life - August/September 2010

Country Property
WOODLAND - FARMLAND - EQUESTRIAN

Houses with land and
land with houses
Land - why is it valuable? Well the

and the inevitable ménage (" an

country the first acre or two can add a

short answer, as my Dad always says,

all-weather sand school is absolutely

substantial sum to the value.

is that 'they aren't making any more of

essential daaarling, we could not

it'. In fact on the Isle of Wight, as you

possibly exercise Jasper on the road."

however, as some properties in the

look at the cliffs moving ever-closer to

For others, who nightly watch the likes

countryside are subject to occupancy

the Military Road, there seems to be

of Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-

conditions, mostly these Agricultural

somewhat less land than there once

Whittingstall caressing their tomato

Occupancy Conditions (known variously

was!

and aubergine plants in well-tended

as Agricultural Ties or Ag Tags) which

gardens and throwing the peelings of

restrict the occupation (though not the

bucked the trend when house prices

home grown potatoes over the fence to

ownership) of dwellings variously to

were in trouble. Values have been

a couple of russet Tamworth porkers,

farmers, farm workers, forestry workers

helped by the relief from Inheritance

it is a primal yearning for 'the Good

and dependents of the same. Wording

Tax offered by agricultural land and

Life'. Not seen since Felicity Kendal and

(and degree of restriction) varies from

the weaker pound making European

Richard Briers brought mayhem to the

case to case.

imports more expensive thereby

back gardens of Surbiton in the 1970's

assisting home food prices.

has this grow-your-own phenomenon

erected due to a proven agricultural

lead to a surge in demand for houses

need in locations where they would

land attached, however, stems from

with enough land to rear a brace of

not have otherwise been permitted

a cultural change. For equestrians

lambs; save a dozen battery hens and

under Town and Country Planning rules.

it is the need for stables, paddocks

raise a bed or a polytunnel or two.

Exemption was given conditionally upon

Farmland has gone up in value and

The premium paid for houses with

Buyers should take some care

In simple terms these properties were

This demand,

the occupancy being restricted i.e. if

sustained -

the requirement was for a farm workers

albeit at lower

cottage then only farm workers could

levels - through

live there.

the recent

Gatcombe House

Any restriction on occupancy

problems in the

potentially restricts the market for a

housing market,

property with a consequent effect upon

inevitably leads

value and, more obviously, can prevent

to premium

someone living in the property they

prices being

have bought. Enforcement action is rare

paid for

but not unheard of. Restrictions can

properties

sometimes be lifted - but professional

with acres. On

advice needs to be taken.

houses in the

www.creasey-biles-king.co.uk
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