Buyers warned off green belt purchases

9:09am Monday 18th July 2005

RESIDENTS interested in buying house plots on a field in Ruislip could find they will never have a house built there.

This warning comes from Hillingdon Council after it was revealed that plots of land are being offered for sale on the internet, but planning permission is extremely unlikely as the site is green belt agricultural land.

The land, at the junction of Fine Bush Lane and Breakspear Road North, has recently been bought and has apparently been divided into building plots for sale.

Jean Palmer, Hillingdon's head of planning and transportation, said: "As the land is within the green belt there is a presumption against inappropriate development, such as housing or commercial uses.

"Policies in the council's Unitary Development Plan underline resistance to residential use of green belt land.

"Moreover the council is strongly committed to the protection of the green belt and has no proposals whatsoever to remove this land from the green belt."

The plans were uncovered when Ruislip residents noticed a lot of activity taking place on this site.

Donald Edwards, of Stowe Crescent, said: "Most disturbingly was that many trees are being felled along the green verge of Breakspear Road North. In the field you will see rows of stakes marking who knows what. There is a lot speculation about the possible use of this field."

The council is now going to serve a legal notice on the land owners taking away certain permitted development rights on the land, which will bring within the control of the council, as local planning authority, the erection of fencing and other means of enclosure, as well as the stationing of caravans.

The public can obtain further advice from the planning and transportation group at Civic Centre, Uxbridge. Contact David Cassells on 01895 250758, or Geoff Elliott on 01895 250556