SUTTON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 20th July 2021
Report on Progress of Requests to Purchase Garden Extension Allotments in the South Field Garden Allotment Field (Item 4h)
1 Your March 2021 meeting decided to obtain valuations for five plots long cultivated by the adjacent house owners and where there had been interest shown in purchasing. The Council wished to see these valuations before deciding to proceed.
2 Eddisons (formerly Barker Storey Matthews) were instructed accordingly and have produced separate reports for the plots adjoining Nos 2, 4, 6, 10 and 11a Graeme Road. Each value is expressed as a range and the sum of all these could yield an income of £67,500 for the Parish Council.
3 Eddisons have also recommended that if sale proceeds, that Lawful Development Certificates should be obtained to provide a clarified planning position for each plot. The planning fee for each application would be of the order of £230.
4 Solicitors (Hegarty’s) have also been instructed to register the land in the name of Sutton Parish Council. Irrespective of whether the allotment plots are sold this is considered a desirable step to take for the Parish Council as, currently, its only evidence of ownership lies in the original Inclosure documents of 1903.
5 Financial Implications
a) Eddison’s fees for valuation: £1,250 plus VAT
b) Hegarty’s fees for registering with the Land Registry: £1,350-£1,750 plus VAT.
c) Planning fees for Lawful Development Certificates: £1,150 in total.
d) Solicitor’s fee for conveyancing: £750 plus VAT for each plot (but could be less if purchasers all agree to use the same solicitor as each other).
Recommendations
1 That the Council decides, on the basis of the valuations obtained whether or not to proceed to offer the plots for sale to the adjacent owners.
2 That if sale is the chosen course of action, the Parish Council submit applications for Lawful Development Certificates on each plot.
3 That, if necessary, steps be taken to terminate the annual tenancy agreement with No 4 Graeme Road over the land rear of No 2.
4 That, if sales are to proceed, that the costs at 5a, b, and c above be borne by the Parish Council and that the conveyancing fees in 5d be added to the agreed sale price and be met by the purchasers.
5 That should addition expenditure need to be incurred it be in accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations.
Deirdre McCumiskey
Sutton Parish Clerk