Land buying scam (subdivision of fields into small house plots)
Council warning on land near Hesketh Estate
South Northamptonshire Council is advising anyone who is investing in greenfield land near Hesketh Estate in Hulcote, Towcester, that planning applications for residential development on the land are likely to be refused.
The land forms part of an area that was sold off in sections by the Hesketh Estate in 2006. One of these sections has been further subdivided and is now being offered for sale in 125 smaller plots.
In 2006, the Council served an Article 4(1) direction of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order) 1995, which removes permitted development rights on the land.
This means that planning permission would be required to erect any fences, walls or other means of enclosure on the land. Similarly, planning permission would be required to erect any buildings on the land.
The site is owned by Towcester Ultraclass Ltd, and is part of the Tove Valley Special Landscape Area, where development is severely restricted. The site also lies outside the boundary of the built up area of Towcester, where open countryside policies apply.
Councillor John Townsend, Cabinet member for Planning said: “This site is restricted by a number of planning policies, meaning that development opportunities are extremely limited. Even new agricultural buildings would need to be specifically justified and carefully designed.
“We take development in the open country side very seriously, and in particular at this site which is close to Easton Neston, a very attractive, Grade 1 historic park and garden.
“This is the third such scheme we have been made aware of in the district in recent years, and we wish to stress to anyone who intends to purchase any part of the land, that they need to contact the Council first to find out if planning permission for any proposed development is likely to be granted.”