RIDDLESDOWN
RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION
GREEN BELT ATTACK AT MITCHLEY HILL
The following is from the April 2007 Riddlesdown Recorder
I am sure it will come as no surprise that the one issue that continues to
dominate Association business is the sale of Mitchley Woods. In the last
edition of the Recorder I mentioned that our initial offer of £25,000 to
buy the ancient woodland was rejected. The Association subsequently
increased its offer in stages to £35,000. This offer was based on
independent advice as to the value of the woodland but was also rejected.
It is at this point that the situation starts to become a little
complicated and somewhat confused. A recent article in the press reported
that ‘the controversial St Albans firm, Property Spy, which sells Green
Belt land as a speculative investment, has been forced into a shake-up by
official regulators. After a probe by the Financial Services Authority (FSA),
the company has decided to stop marketing plots of rural land to the
public’.
However the article suggests that a new enterprise has been set up to
continue the practice. As a result of this information we contacted the
land agent for the woods and the surrounding land – Vantage Land and
Property Spy – only to be told that the woods had been sold. When we made
enquiries in connection with the identity of the new owner we were
informed it was a private individual who wanted it to walk his dog!! We
also enquired as to the price and were informed it was in excess of
£100,000, three times our valuation.
It is interesting to note that the fields above Mitchley Woods backing
onto the school, previously for sale with Vantage Land, are now back on
the market with another company called ‘In Site land’.
One can only speculate but it would not be a surprise if the woods were
also back on the market very soon. We are still very hopeful that we can
buy the woodland and will continue to monitor the situation very closely.
Unfortunately recent announcements by various official bodies have
somewhat muddied the water on Green Belt land. It is not surprising that
Green Belt land speculators are perhaps a little hesitant to put land back
on the market until the Government has made its long term views on the
Green Belt clear. I would like to take this opportunity to personally
thank all those residents who have contributed to the fighting fund and
reiterate that it is the Association’s intention to do all it can to buy
the woodland for the community.
The following
is from the
April 2007 Riddlesdown Recorder:
In the last edition of the Recorder I reported that our initial offer of
£25,000 to buy the ancient woodland was rejected and, before we could
increase our bid, the complete 40-acre site, including the surrounding
fields, was removed from the market.
After a few weeks, the fields next to the school and the one facing
Mitchley Hill marked out with plots returned to the market, but the
seventeen acres of Mitchley Wood did not. This situation remained
unchanged until late February when we were informed that the Woods were
now back on the market. I also mentioned in my last report that Wimpey was
also considering selling land in the area, including the section of
Mitchley Woods that included Dunmail Drive. To date, this land has not yet
been put on the market but we are in discussions with Wimpey’s agent,
Savills, to ensure they fully understand our interests and the needs of
our local partners in the community.
By the time you read this there may well have been further developments.
All I can say now is that the Association will do all it can to buy the
woodland. To this end, we will be in urgent discussion with all our
partners in the community action group – City of London, Croydon Parks,
Whitgift Foundation, Riddlesdown School, local leaseholders and
councillors – to resolve the situation. Finally on this subject I
mentioned in my last report that we had applied for a lottery grant in
partnership with the school. Unfortunately, despite being short-listed for
the £50,000 project to be filmed for a TV programme, we only made it on to
the reserve list. We are hoping to submit another bid in March. This
set-back only emphasises the importance of our Woodland Fighting Fund and,
in reply to the many calls from residents who want to know if the appeal
is still open, the answer is ‘yes’ and we need every penny. Details on how
to donate can be found on the website. Go to the Home Page.
The following is from the October 2006 Riddlesdown Recorder:
In the last edition, I reported the recent purchase of 40 acres of local
woodland and grazing land by a speculative property company called First
Strata. By now, most of you will have seen the field adjacent to Mitchley
Hill which has since been sub-divided into 32 small plots and offered for
sale. Mitchley Wood, mentioned in the Domesday Book and classified as
ancient woodland, lies directly behind this field and, like the rest of
the 40-acre site previously owned by Mitchley Wood Estate Trust, is
classified as Green belt.
Following the sale, the Association felt it could not just sit back and
hopefully rely on government planning legislation to protect the green
belt of Riddlesdown. As a result the Association formed an action group
comprising the City of London, Croydon Parks, Whitgift Foundation,
Riddlesdown School, local leaseholders and councillors, and launched an
appeal fund to buy Mitchley Wood. Should we be successful in our bid, it
is the Association’s intention to gift the wood to the City of London, for
them to preserve as part of Riddlesdown Common for the community to enjoy
forever. Your support and generosity has been tremendous and to-date the
association has around £30,000 in the appeal fund. Donations have come in
from as far afield as Germany, Oxford and the West Country, with many
former residents no longer living in the area contributing to the fund to
protect what they once enjoyed.
Prior to making any bid, we sought advice on the value of the woodland
and, as a result, our initial bid was for £25,000. The offer made via the
owner's agent, Vantage Land, was eventually rejected as too low. Following
a special committee meeting, it was decided to increase our offer to
£30,000. However, before this offer could be made, the complete
40-acre, site including the plots in the field, were removed from the
market. Enquiring as to the reason, we were informed that this was not
unusual and that the land would almost certainly return to the market in
the next few weeks. Before writing this report on
1 September, I checked with the land agent and the land has still not
returned to the market.
We could speculate endlessly as to why the land has been taken off the
market, but I wonder if it might be connected to another possible land
development in the area.
We are reliably informed that Wimpey, who a couple of years ago, took
control of Laings’ considerable land bank in the area, are considering
selling. Their land bank comprises the farm fields opposite the shops in
Mitchley Avenue and the field between Mitchley Hill and Rectory Park. It
also includes Dunmail Drive and land including a further section of
Mitchley Wood immediately adjacent to the Drive. Other areas include land
close to the school and to Honister Heights. The Association, via the
action group, continues to maintain close links with both the school and
the City of London with regard to the possible sale of this land.
We have also recently engaged in direct discussion with both Wimpey and
their land agents, Savills, to ensure they fully understand the interests
and needs of all the partners in the local community. Whilst we have been
reasonably encouraged by initial responses to our enquiries, the situation
due to leasing arrangements remains complex and is unlikely to be resolved
in the short term. Faced with the possibility of a second land sale in the
area, which might also include the key access point of Dunmail Drive, the
importance of our fighting fund cannot be overestimated. In reply to the
many telephone calls from residents who wanted to know if the appeal fund
was still open, the answer is yes and we need every penny. Directions for
contributions are included elsewhere in this edition. I would add, on the
funding front, that we have also applied for a lottery grant in
partnership with the school. We expect a decision in late September,
unfortunately too late for this edition; we are keeping our finger
crossed.
The following articles are from the April 2006 Riddlesdown Recorder:
RRA Chair, Brian Longman writes:
Many of you will be aware by now, that the horse field adjacent to Mitchley Hill has been sold. The new owners, a company called First Strata, have now divided the field into 32 small plots and put them up for sale. The company also purchased 16 acres of Mitchley Wood directly behind the field, and three more fields that run up to and around the school’s playing fields.
Pressure on the Green Belt
The land, described as woodland and grazing land, totals approximately 40 acres and was previously owned by Mitchley Wood Estate Trust. Despite the sale, the land firmly remains green belt and, as such, is protected from certain types of development. However, we must not be complacent; with growing demand for homes in the south east, the government is under increasing pressure to release green belt land for development. Since our formation in 1937, the Association has, on many occasions, needed to defend the open and pleasant aspect of Riddlesdown.
At a public enquiry in 1974, the Association successfully opposed an appeal to the Secretary of State to build hundreds of new houses on the green belt land of Riddlesdown. The lesson is clear and simple: the green belt cannot be taken for granted and, if we value it, we must be prepared to fight for it. So what has been done so far by us and others?
Action so far
A Council enforcement officer has visited the site and issued an Article 4 on the front field. An Article 4 takes away the entitlement to undertake development that would ordinarily not require planning permission. This is particularly useful in safeguarding the visual amenity of a green belt site.
In addition, a tree preservation order (TPO) has been issued on the whole of Mitchley woods. This effectively means there can be no removal of trees and shrubs without permission from Croydon.
I should mention at this point that Mitchley Wood is classified as ancient woodland; this means that the woodland has existed continuously for more than 400 years.
We have also formed an action group of all the interested parties - Corporation of London, Croydon Parks, Whitgift Foundation, Riddlesdown School, local leaseholders, councillors, Croydon Council Planning, Sanderstead Residents’ Association and ourselves. In addition, Richard Ottaway, our local MP, has also raised the issue of speculative property companies and the buying of green belt land with the government. The practice of buying green belt land and selling it on, often to clients abroad, is now widespread. The real problem is that, while we can legally defend the green belt, it can be very difficult with multiple landowners, many unknown or abroad, to ensure the site does not become derelict with fences down and all the inherent problems that this might bring.
Can
we do anything?
We now have a choice. We can sit back and hope the enforcement of an Article 4 and a TPO, combined with the land’s current green belt status will hold the line! Or we can be more proactive and, with other like-minded partners, attempt to buy back some of the land to ensure its green belt status. Of course, buying land, even green belt, does not come cheap and, even with partners, we would need to raise funds. If every household in Riddlesdown gave, for example, £50, we might be in a position to make a difference. With this issue of the Recorder, you will find a leaflet on how you can make a donation. (Click here for an PDF file of the form to down load to your computer). Back in 1974, a leaflet produced by the association said: “Your action can preserve the green belt”. At the time, the action was successful but, 30 years on, the threat is still large and real; perhaps now the time is right for a different type of approach. I hope you agree. Before I leave the subject, a small request: do we have a solicitor or someone with a legal background who might be available to offer the Association advice? If so, perhaps you could give me a ring.
Phil Thomas, RRA Planning Officer, writes:
As the Chairman has reported above, Riddlesdown is under threat to develop the green belt land to the southeast corner of our area. The grazing land in Mitchley Hill, woodland and further grazing land to the south, a total of 42 acres was recently sold to a Company called First Strata and an associated company called PropertySpy plc is now undertaking marketing. The field nearest Mitchley Hill (4.5 acres) has now been pegged out and is for sale in 32 plots and the remaining 37.5 acres of land is for sale in five other batches, being marketed by a Company called Vantage Land.
The subdivision and sale of small plots of agricultural land is a matter of widespread public concern and has affected many other areas, mainly in southeast England. PropertySpy are involved with a number of these sites. The practice being undertaken by PropertySpy is currently legal although some of their marketing is dubious. Prospective purchasers are mainly sought over the internet from Asia, where they advertise heavily.
This issue of sub-division of land was debated in the House of Commons on 8 December 2003 and John Prescott’s officials sent out a subsequent letter in April 2004 to all Local Authorities, advising them on the planning options available to them. There are three main aspects to the problem. Firstly, the plots may be divided up with pegs, stakes or fences, creating an eyesore, which detracts from the open appearance of countryside. Further degradation of amenity may result from the creation of hard-standing or the stationing of caravans. Secondly, when plots are sold and no longer in agricultural use, this can lead to neglect that is especially difficult to put right if plot-owners cannot be traced. Thirdly, the sub-division of fields gives rise to local concern because it can give a false impression that development of the land is bound to occur, regardless of any green belt status, planning guidance or development plan policies for the area. There are a number of planning options available to Councils and, indeed, Croydon Planners are currently working to serve and enforce these options.
Green belt background
The Green Belt (London and Home Counties) Act 1938 was set up to surround London with a huge swathe of land to protect the countryside from urban sprawl and stop towns from merging into one another. Local Authorities were encouraged with Government money at the time, to purchase land to prevent this happening and indeed Coulsdon & Purley UDC, who merged with Croydon Corporation in 1965, did purchase many areas of land around us. This is why the Council and City of London own most of the Common. Laings, who were developing the large housing estate that formed much of Riddlesdown at the time, were forced to stop this development and hence the reason that many acres that Laings (now acquired by Wimpey Homes) owned, remain undeveloped. However it is rumoured that Wimpey’s are looking to sell their land in this area, which is mainly the arable land off Mitchley Avenue and Rectory Park. It obviously remains a concern to us as to who will purchase it. However, the question must be asked: if one of the largest house builders in the country is selling green belt land, do they then consider that there is no possibility whatsoever of any housing development taking place in the foreseeable future?
So why is this happening? The Government says it wants a large increase in the building of new homes, particularly affordable properties in the south and east. This huge increase in house building could sharply raise the rate at which the countryside is built on and will have a knock-on effect on other factors. It will result in more traffic on already congested roads, overcrowded trains, more strain on water resources (where we currently have a water shortage), more strain on schools, hospitals, doctors, dentists and drainage, to name but a few. Critics say that better use of derelict or underused brown field sites should be made before building on green belt land and some of the 750,000 vacant and derelict houses should be renovated first.
The Government’s planning policy on green belts clearly states that this land should be kept permanently open. But green belt land boundaries are continually being moved or threatened and development is being allowed to encroach therein. Croydon Council, in its own way, has recently contributed to this, by selling off 240 acres of green belt farm land at Fairchildes Farm just south of New Addington, and also land in Woodplace Lane, Coulsdon. Albeit there are restrictive covenants on both of these areas of land, they are only for 40 years and at some time they will more than likely be developed, unless successive Governments strictly enforce green belt policies.
Planning authorities are also receiving mixed messages from the Government about green belt protection. Whilst ministers repeat their commitment to the green belt, the Government’s actions are not always consistent with these assurances. Although the Government had the power to stop them, they allowed between May 1997 and March 2004, 162 planning applications for development on green belts.
So what is the solution?
The openness of green belt land needs to be cherished and protected permanently. What makes green belt effective is in their permanence. Their location is more important than simply how much green belt there is. If boundaries are shifted, this encourages developers to believe that they have only to wait for further boundary changes.
Unfortunately this is what is happening in Riddlesdown and we now face a huge challenge if we want to preserve the greenery surrounding us. The government deeds need to match their words and ministers’ actions need to be consistent. There needs to be an end to Government actions which undermine green belt policy. There needs to be a serious crack-down on abuses of planning controls in the countryside.
What can you do?
Unfortunately the Government deadline of 27 February for a review of
planning policy, which includes green belts, will have passed by the time
you read this. However, write to the MP responsible for green belts, John
Prescott and give support to our own MP, Richard Ottaway, and the
Sanderstead Ward Councillors who are lobbying John Prescott about this.
There is also a topic on the message board of our website. Please feel free
to post your own views there.
The future
So what is the future
for the land in Mitchley Hill? It is highly unlikely that any planning
permission will be granted piecemeal to individual plots and applications
will need to be co-ordinated for all plots within any one location.
For any individual purchaser, what guarantee will they have that the
Company which sold the plot will still be there in 15-20 years time to
co-ordinate a planning application for a whole site? This may comprise many
plots and owners, some of whom may not even be traceable. Landowners have
certain duties to maintain their land. Under existing legislation, Local
Authorities can take steps to have land which has become neglected restored.
They can even compulsory purchase the land. Watch this space!!
Phil Thomas
An article dated 5 May 2006 in the local paper on the issue can be read by clicking on the following link.
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