Land Classification
Copyright © 2007 Glen Freeman
Arable Land
Agricultural land falls into two categories: arable land and pasture / grazing land. Arable land is used for the production of crops and requires specific conditions such as physical location, climate, topography and soil content.
The price of arable land varies even within the same region, and you can expect to pay anything from around £1,500 to £5,600 per acre. Agricultural land values across the board have risen by over 130 per cent since 1990.
Brownfield Land
Land that is or was occupied by a permanent structure that has become vacant, underused or derelict and may or may not be contaminated is known as 'brownfield land'.
The government's stated ambition is that over 60% of new homes will be built on recycled brownfield land. Tax breaks and other incentives has meant that the amount of brownfield land available on the market has been falling since the late 90s.
Equestrian Land
Land generally needs to be quality pasture with good hedging and a water supply in order to be considered suitable for horses and as a general rule, you should allocate approximately 1-2 acres per horse.
Increasingly private horse owners are choosing to purchase their own land and stables over housing horses in equestrian yards and paying livery fees for maintenance of the horse or rental on a stable. Competition for quality equestrian land is high and there are agents dedicated to buying and selling this kind of land.
Greebelt Land
First introduced around London and later expanded to other cities the greenbelt was mainly introduced to prevent urban sprawl and preserve the character of historic or picturesque parts of the country.
There are 14 separate greenbelts which cover over 1.5 million hectares which is around 11% of England. To designate a Green Belt, a local authority must prove to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister why normal planning and development control policies would not be adequate.
Green Belt land is protected both by normal planning controls and an additional presumption against 'inappropriate development' within its boundaries.
Greenfield Land
Greenfield land is a term used to describe a piece of undeveloped land, either currently used for agriculture or just left to nature.
Pasture / Grazing Land
Grazing land is farmland used for grazing animals. Different animals have different requirements. To produce good milk cows need lush pasture whilst horses need a loamy soil content to prevent water-logging as an effect of trampling from iron shoes.
Grazing land value is determined by size, quality and location and can sell anywhere from £1500 upwards.
Recreational Land
Recreational land for sale with fishing or shooting rights is a rare commodity in the UK. Most land for fishing or recreational use is difficult to locate as when the land is sold, the fishing rights are retained by the previous owner. Recreational land for shooting requires an open space and woodland.
Woodland
Owning a small wood is a realistic and affordable land investment option. Woodland cannot be left unmanaged for too long and requires steady maintenance, owning woodland also involves an element of responsibility in terms of the wildlife and plant life preservation. Planning permission is rarely granted on woodland but temporary structures such as sheds are often allowed and caravans can be kept in woodland for up to twenty eight days a year.
The demand for attractive, well-located woodland remains very strong, with values underwritten by numerous conservation bodies and wealthy private investors.
