land sales
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The Board is very concerned about the detrimental impacts on the landscape and the environment brought about by speculative land sales. Although this may be a bubble that is about to burst we are left with a very messy legacy.

the problem
The problem of speculative land sales has arisen in several locations in the Chilterns. Property speculators have bought fields which have been divided up into house-sized plots by the use of marker posts. The plots are being sold to private buyers, despite the fact that there is no planning permission for building and little chance of any in the future. In such instances it is widely believed that the land is bought at many times its agricultural value.

Marker posts in fields detract from the rural character of the landscape and the land falls out of agricultural use. Such sites can become untidy and uncared for in appearance. This is likely to attract fly tipping as the land is often easily accessible and there is no interested land owner keeping an eye on it.

The Conservation Board is now aware that this practice is occurring in woodland as well. The main effects of subdivision in woodland are the erosion of ancient boundary features, use of structures for storage and the inconsistency of management. All of these are likely to have detrimental impacts on the AONB.

action
Prompt action has been taken in many cases to restrict development rights on such sites and the Board supports this. The Board will also comment on planning applications made by people who have bought plots.

It is most unlikely that planning permission will be granted for development now or in the future, because sites that are within the Green Belt and AONB are subject to strict controls. Anyone thinking of buying a plot of land as an investment opportunity should contact the local council to check on the development potential of the site before parting with any money.