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Zoning Loophole Eyes Backyards As Developable Brownfields

Posted by: Nate Berg

14 June 2007 - 1:00pm

A zoning loophole classifying backyard gardens as brownfields has opened the door for developers in England to tear down homes and rebuild flats and apartments, eating up the equivalent of nearly 3,000 soccer fields in the next decade.

"An increasingly solitary population, immigration, wealthy second home-owners and the general mania for house-buying are putting immense pressure on some areas of the country."

"One of the results is 'garden grabbing'. Developers buy a house with a generous garden, apply for planning permission to demolish the house and build either flats, or even a mini-estate in its place."

"This is happening because the law allows gardens to be classified as 'brownfield' sites, in the same category as former industrial and commercial property. Councils have targets to meet for new houses and for brownfield building - thus gardens are being lost."

"For the property developers, the motivations are obvious. Without the need for new roads or services, profit margins might be higher. And a dense development in an established suburb can be a safer bet than a genuine brownfield site."

Full Story: One day all this will be multi-occupancy units
Source: BBC, June 13, 2007
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