Searls Land’s Post

At Searls Land, we’re used to overcoming significant obstacles on the path to land development. Turner Court in Godalming provided plenty of these hurdles. The land was plagued by issues including an apparent flood risk and the presence of Japanese knotweed. Firstly, the flood risk. Building on functional floodplains can be a huge turn-off for potential buyers, as mortgage lenders are often reluctant to finance such projects. After two years of work, we successfully had the site removed from the floodplain, utilising sequential testing to demonstrate compliance with regulations. Next, the Japanese knotweed. The responsibility of managing this invasive species falls to the landowner and we worked diligently to implement a mitigation strategy that would ensure the site remained compliant and ready for development. And did we mention the water voles that lived on the site. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, any disruption to their habitat can lead to severe penalties. We co-ordinated with expert consultants to either relocate the voles or prove that their habitats would not be harmed during the development process. Having cleared all these hurdles, Waverley Borough Council still turned down a planning application on the site, citing noise and disturbance to nearby residents. However, our team’s persistence paid off when Reside Developments successfully appealed the decision. Reside employed us to market the site and, after careful vetting and selection, we identified Kidbrook Homes as the ideal buyer and facilitated a successful sale. Today, the site is poised to welcome three new detached homes, a testament to our team’s dedication and expertise in navigating complex land development projects. If you’re facing similar obstacles in your land journey, reach out to Searls Land for support. ☎️ 01372 386250 #SearlsLand #LandAgents #LandManager #LandDevelopment #LandSale #LandDisposition #LandAcquisition #PropertyDevelopment #LandInvestment #LandOwnership #LandSale #LandForSale #VacantLand #LandInvestor #LandDeals #BuyLand #SellLand #LandPurchase

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