Building Plots, Without Planning Permission
 |
Building plots come in different flavours, with the unconsented plot being the least popular and therefore cheapest. Essentially an unconsented plot is not strictly a building plot because it has no planning permission. Only if you can get permission does it actually become a building plot.
The benefit of an unconsented plot is often the price. However without permission the plot represents a great deal of risk to the purchaser (you), hence the lower price. If you can get planning permission that risk can pay off handsomely, but if you find that you can't, then...
One key question you should ask is why the current owner hasn't tried to get planning permission to build on the plot. Since permission can substantially increase the sale price. Their answer will be enlightening.
Whatever their answer: You will need to weight up the risks very carefully.
Wealth Warning
A number of companies operate in the UK selling unconsented plots with the vague promise that in the future you may be able to get planning permission to build on them. These plots are often offered at apparently very attractive prices. The only problem is that in many cases these plots will never get planning permission or at least not in a reasonable time frame, like the next 50 years.
Typically these companies will buy a suitable field somewhere and get a planner to draw up a nice little scheme with a few roads and some lovely little “building” plots. Then they'll slowly release these plots, often via auction, in the hope of snagging an unsuspecting would be self-builder.
At the time the potential self-builder will think that they've stumbled upon a bargain and how could nobody else at the auction see the potential of this £5000 or £10000 plot. Later however they'll release the truth.
Now there is nothing illegal in what these companies are doing. But if you're not careful, you could end up with an expensive bit of field.
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Google
Yahoo
