Councillor David Snowdon has written to Marcus Jones MP Minister of State for Housing
Dear Minister,
Re: Sales of Small Plots of Green Belt and Protected Land
I am writing to you as Deputy Leader of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council and an East Herts District Councillor.
Over the last couple of years in Bishop’s Stortford, there has been a disturbing trend of green belt land in and around our town being purchased by investors for the sole purpose of breaking them up into smaller plots to sell to individual investors.
In 2020, Meads land off Rye Street and south of Meadowlands was broken up into small parcels marketed to those looking for housing plots despite it being Green Belt, Local Open Space and an Area of Archaeological Significance. There is a general presumption against development on this land, but the land was still sold for far in excess of amenity land prices. When the Town Council attempted to secure the land for public use, a sum closer to development land prices than amenity land prices was requested.
In recent days, Thorley Wood, an area of established mature woodland between Thorley Lane East and Broadleaf Avenue in Bishop’s Stortford has been advertised for sales divided into 12 plots. This wooded area is popular local amenity land used by local walkers and cyclists. It abuts Southern Country Park and provides a continuation of the wildlife habitat provided by the park. Each parcel has a guide price at auction of £40,000 for a c0.3 acre plot. At amenity land prices, each plot would be worth at most £3,000-£5,000.
My concerns are threefold:
- Local amenity land is being broken up into small plots which will make the maintenance of this land more difficult. In years to come we are likely to see multiple semi-abandoned plots of land.
- Green belt land is being sold in a manner which could result in less experienced investors purchasing land thinking planning permission can easily be obtained.
- Local residents – including those owning properties neighbouring the sub-divided plots – are being targeted with sales materials. Many residents feel that development is imminent, and unless they buy a plot or plots the green space near their house will soon have another house built on it.
Would you be able to let me know what legislative or regulatory action can be taken to prevent Green Belt land from being divided up until small parcels and sold off without planning permission at high prices?
Even though I would expect any application for planning permission on the land discussed above to be rejected, the local concern and angst caused by such land sales is very significant.
I, and my local residents, very much look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr David Snowdon
Deputy Leader and Chairman of Finance Committee, Bishop’s Stortford Town Council
East Herts District Councillor
cc: Julie Marson MP, Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford
