Find Me a Plot Near York

ABOVE: ©Britainonview (britainonview.co.uk).

Talking to quite large numbers of people at the Homebuilding & Renovating Shows is always easier if there’s some kind of feedback from the audience, and I watch out for responsive individuals with whom I can communicate directly. At the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show, held in Birmingham’s NEC, there was one lady who sat attentively hanging on my every word and, when I’d finished speaking, she approached to ask me about Plotfinder Challenge.

“I hope you don’t mind, but you bear a striking resemblance to Helen Mirren,” I said as Claire Baker approached. “I’ve often been told so,” she responded.

She informed me that she’d sold her home in the Peak District National Park. She’d worked for some time for an international banking corporation and was looking for some sort of outlet for her talents. “I already have some experience with property,” she told me, “as I’ve got a couple of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), and my son, James, is an estate agent in York. And coming to this Show has convinced me that undertaking a series of self-build projects will give me something exciting to do and build up my equity.”

Claire’s first choice was the Peak District National Park where she currently lives. But plots there are as rare as hens’ teeth. Her second choice, which we decided to concentrate on, was the area around York, where she’d be close to her son.

Our Plotfinder

Claire Baker has sold her home in the Peak District National Park and is determined to become a serial self-builder, starting off with a small plot in the York area, where she can build something to live in that will sell quite readily. In doing that, she’ll be able to rely on the help and experience of her son, who’s an estate agent.

Plot One

Wiggington, York, Offers Over £75,000.

"This is an Attractive Plot"

David's View: This plot was once part of the rear garden of a chalet bungalow adjacent to the main road. However, there is a visible ransom strip of approx 2-3m in width between the carriageway and the plot. Apparently a ransom of £12,000 has been agreed and will be paid by the vendor.

A walkway runs around the perimeter of the plot and the entire plot has been surrounded with 2m close-boarded fencing (ABOVE, BOTTOM). Looking over this fence – which was all we could do on the day – we could see that the plot is flat and open, with the exception of a belt of damson trees which stand between it and the property from which it has been calved. They provide a degree of privacy, but will that be the same when the leaves have fallen?

There is a manhole cover in the road by the proposed entrance, another in the footpath just behind and yet another straddling the fence halfway down the plot. If any of these are linked together, they’ll run through the foundations of the self-build that’s proposed. Would a ‘build over’ agreement or, more likely, a diversion of these sewers be acceptable to the authorities?

The neighbours informed us that there has been antipathy towards the idea of the plot obtaining planning permission and it seems likely that this is from the other neighbours who will be prevented from parking their cars at the head of the hammerhead, where the new driveway is proposed. Otherwise, in all respects this is an obvious and attractive plot.

The Plotfinders' View: How on earth are we supposed to get in? We walked around to the bungalow and knocked on the door. The vendors of the plot have moved on, but the new owners were more than happy to help. It still wasn’t possible to access the plot from their garden, but they did lend us a chair to stand on to view the plot, which seemed to consist of flat ground covered by unkept grass.

Plot Two

Wetwang, Nr. Driffield, North Yorkshire, £100,000.

"This Pretty Plot is Near a Noisy Road"

David's View: Wetwang was always on the distance limit for Claire. Yet this is a good-looking plot, surrounded as it is by trees and hedges and adjoining some very nice traditional properties. A well-kept green planted with specimen trees divides the plot from the road. But the road behind, although divorced from the plot by the gardens of another house, is the A166 — one of the main routes to the coast. The plot is at its junction with the B1248, in itself a busy road.

Maybe it’s the distances from the major cities after several cold winters that has put potential buyers off. Maybe it’s a drop in demand for second homes. But it seemed to us that house prices were considerably depressed. At £100,000 for the plot with build costs of at least £150,000, one would only just be getting close to the market value of a four bedroom house on this plot. On the other side of the village, away from the road noise, a three-bed bungalow with fabulous views over open countryside has just sold for £160,000.

Next door to it is a double plot with a builder’s name on the board. We rang him to find out if he’d sell a plot. He quoted about £100,000 for the plot, but insisted that he’d have to build the house. He talked of 10% off the eventual value of £300,000 or a build contract of £175,000. But all of that is based on a resale value of £300,000 and I don’t think that’s achievable here. Perhaps that’s why he hasn’t made any move to start the build?

The Plotfinders' View: This really is a lovely-looking plot and the village itself is quite picturesque. But to be honest, it’s a bit too far out for me and I suspect that is the reason the market prices of the houses and bungalows are so low. But that doesn’t seem to be reflected in the prices being asked for the land. I couldn’t make any money here and that’s what I need to do.

Plot Three

Land off Wistow Road, Selby, £80,000.

"Properties Still Sell Well in This Area"

David's View: This plot has great potential but it also has a few problems, most of which could probably be sorted out, yet all of which would add to the time and the complexity of buying it.

The plot is on a short unmade road (ABOVE, TOP RIGHT) that forks. To one side of the fork, several very attractive mews-style houses have been built. To the other, there is a row of well-maintained cottages whose gardens back onto the lane, and a couple of newish but rather pedestrian white-rendered houses with high walls and ostentatious gates. Could these gates be something to do with the fact that the road seems to be a footpath and gives access to a large area of green (ABOVE, BOTTOM LEFT)? Who owns the road? And who owns the green?

There is regular pedestrian traffic but no sign of any vandalism or graffiti. A locked gate gives access to the green and, as it hasn’t reverted to scrubland, somebody obviously mows it from time to time. The pedestrian access was designed to prohibit motorcycles. Would there be any ransom to pay for the right of access to the plot?

The major drawback was one dumped car. But if there is a road owner, could they require its removal? A public sewer serves the two new houses beyond the plot.

All in all this isn’t a bad plot. It’s of a reasonable size. On the day, it did not appear too overgrown and, although there’s no gate, the old shed-like building (ABOVE, BOTTOM RIGHT) at the rear shows no sign of forced entry.

£80,000 for the plot plus build costs of around £120,000 equates to just £200,000 — to set against a value of £250,000.

The Plotfinders' View: My son James says that this is the good end of town and that properties still sell well in this area — so that certainly puts this plot in the running. The business of the road would need sorting out. If there is a ransom to pay I’d expect the vendors to pay it or provide an indemnity policy. The untidiness of the plot is the only major detraction, but once the house is built everything’s going to look much better.

The Choice

Plot One: Wiggington, £75,000.

"It’s the Easiest and Safest Option"

Why I chose it: I like this village. I like the fact that it’s got pubs and shops with a proper village green and pond — that suggests community. But I also like the fact that James, my son, feels that the new house would be worth at least £250,000 due to its proximity to York. He also feels that a reasonable new home on this plot would find a ready market. If I can buy the plot for £70,000 and spend around £120,000 on the build, that should leave me with a respectable margin and increased equity. But if I can’t solve the problems relating to the sewers, then the Selby plot has some obvious attractions.

David's Final Analysis: The main toss up was always between this plot and the plot at Selby (plot three), but on the day, Claire came down on the side of this one simply because, in most respects, it’s the easiest and safest option.

We were nearly put off it by the obvious hostility of the neighbours who, when they do have to move their cars, will have nowhere on their premises to put them. And I was slightly worried about the construction traffic with this small road being so congested. But the friendliness of the new owners of the chalet bungalow, directly to the rear of the plot, swayed our feelings.

What’s planned is a chalet bungalow that will be situated towards what will be the front of the plot in an obvious effort to mollify the next-door neighbours. But the effect of that is that the sewers will almost certainly clip the front corner of the new house, and that’s more difficult to deal with than if they crossed in its middle. I think Claire should, if she can’t get approval to push the house back slightly, reduce the size so as to miss those sewers — which I don’t think would necessarily impact on the value.

Suggested Design

A chalet bungalow with no habitable windows to the gables is what’s planned and I think that should be stuck with. This similar design is from John Braid for Leslie Hutt Chartered Architect (01463 235566). I would, however, recommend that some redesign is made in order to miss the sewers.
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What Happened Next?

Claire went on holiday the day after Plotfinder Challenge. She’d decided on plot one but, whilst on holiday, her son subsequently found out more about plot three. She’s moving home right now whilst considering which plot to make an offer on.

Want to Take Part?

If you’re looking for a plot and would like our help, email us with ‘Plotfinder Challenge’ as the subject. Unfortunately, we cannot respond to all requests.