Someone bought my street!

Someone bought my street!

8:48 AM, 8th January 2018, About 6 years ago 2

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A planning application exists for a house on an awkward shaped plot left vacant when the estate was built in 1995. Of more concern to residents is that the applicant has also apparently bought surrounding streets, their pavements and a couple of footpaths, as well as another left-over plot big enough for a couple of houses which has no road access.

A local Councillor is involved. The streets etc. were apparently adopted by the Council as one would expect. We look forward to some actual facts from the Council (Brighton & Hove) but in the meantime, can individuals buy parts of the public highway, and what might the buyers business plan be, as one assumes she would need to cover her outlay?

Might the developer have only sold the two plots on condition that the buyer also took over liability for the streets etc.?

Might this change the current responsibility of the Council to maintain them?

A map showing roads purchased is on page 7 of this Design/Access Statement from the architect. He confirmed to me that the streets have actually been bought.

http://wam.brighton-hove.gov.uk/PlanningWAM/doc/Supporting%20Document(s)-4378395.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=4378395&location=VOLUME5&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1

Some comms. amongst Council staff are to be found in one of the public documents:-

http://wam.brighton-hove.gov.uk/PlanningWAM/doc/Public%20Comment-4413264.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=4413264&location=VOLUME5&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1

I wondered whether anyone had any experience of this sort of situation, and appreciate your taking the time to look at the two links.

Regards – Gunga Din


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Comments

Duncan Horncastle

9:36 AM, 8th January 2018, About 6 years ago

Can not get to the links but the most likely scenario is that when the original houses were sold the individual land boundaries did not include the roads, usually you own the land fronting your property to the centre of the road. If as you say the roads are adopted they are public highway and anyone can use them and the council will maintain them, the council does not always own the land the highway is on, usually on housing estates it is the frontage property. The developer probably now wants to get rid of the land the highway is on as if he has sold the last plots he will want to remove any ties with the site.
If you speak to the local highways registry section at the council they will confirm whether the highway is adopted or not, if it is nothing will change, if not you need to check what your access rights are on your deeds.

Paul Shears

11:59 AM, 8th January 2018, About 6 years ago

I note that the response from the planning officer took no real responsibility to explain the matter in full.
That's slightly better than my local council who simply ignore any contact from residents of matters of this importance, or indeed, from councillors!

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