10 replies to this topic

[barrymoore]

Here I will endeavour to keep a diary of events for others to follow and hopfuly learn from!

So far the land I have found is 2 1/2 acres for the main enterprise to set up base.  The land is slightly sloping south facing here in hampshire, at the moment it is short grass on a chalk base but has a good covering of furtile top soil.  There is a 5 meter x 5 meter field shelter on it and is fenced all the way round with stock fencing which looks newish.  The access is about 5.5 metes by 12 meters deep, coverd in hardcore to enable trafic to drive off the road before opening the gates( all newly constructed).
All seems perfect!!

After talking to the agent and asking direct questions about covenants etc all came back as good and clear of such.

The offer was made and accepted after a little hagling, solicitors instructed and finnance arranged and agreed.  The fun then started at the signing,  I was expecting the planning search to come back with an aplication for the "new entrance" but there was none!  So i requested the solicitor to send off a request for an answer from the sellers solicitor, and obviously held off from signing.
On the way back from the meeting I called the estate agent who said that he knew there was somthing in place but was not sure what.  he then called me back after speaking to the  seller and said the  seller was confident all was ok and would have the answers by the morning.
.................... to be continued

[barrymoore]

Tuesday 23rd March

Had a phone call from Estate agent to say that a letter from the Highways Department is on its way, saying that they have no objection to the entrance!  Spoke to solicitor and agreed that we will await the letter to decide our next step, because obviously there would also need to be planning involved some how? but the letter may or may not include somthing but I doubt it!!

[barrymoore]

Thursday the 25th March 2010

Today had call from estate agent informing me that a letter from Highways had turned up, but was so ambiguous that it was no use at all ! he suggested that the entrace was existing and there was no other paper work to prove it so.
He said that most people would buy the land without any paper work on the entrance, and most people would not be worried about it.

So I am thinking if i buy it and the council ome along and tel me to close it up I would be in trouble and it would make the land usless for following the dream.  Trouble is I am now thinking maybe it is me just being paranoid and if I do go ahead all will be fine!

What do you all think??  has any one here had an access to there land disputed and been made to close it?

Would love to hear back from you

[barrymoore]

Had some great replys,
"I also bought another field recently with a similar problem where the strip of grass land and entrance seemed after much searching to belong to the farm over the lane , so same thing an insurance policy paid for by the person selling the land at a cost of about �300"

I take it this would cover me if the planning department got involved and tried to remove my access? in which case what would it pay out?

Great idea though!

March 26th 2010
Today I have a meeting with land agent and the owner as he found some paper work that will prove the entrace!
I am meeting him today at 12 and I will of course put forward the insurance idea if there is still a problem

thank you all and wish me luck!

[barrymoore]

March 26th 2010 14:48

We had the meeting and met the owner, he is a very nice pleasent chap and means well!  He told me about a friend in the council he had known for years had advised him on the entrance and a letter would be forth coming! In his hand he also had a letter from a land agent he had appointed to sort the mess out, and it turns out that the bit of road that the gated access is on is infact ont a b road but is marked as unclasified!  So if this is the case then he was well within his rights to put the access in without requiring planning permision!!

So I have taken the said paper work to my solisitor to confirm and hopfully all can now go ahead?


to be continued.............

[barrymoore]

Tuesday 30th March

today I am to exchange contracts! this am I will be transfering the deposits over by chaps, because it has to clear instantly to be able to exchange otherwise it would take 6 days for the cheque to clear.

At 4:30 I am to sign the rest of the documentation, morgage etc.. and if all goes to plan we are to complete next Wednesday after the easter break.

Last week end we went to look at Alpacas, we went to 2 farms and met some lovely people, we are in the middle of stricking a deal to enable us to buy 4 as you all know the prices can be huge, so we are probably going to go with 2 pregnant maidens 1 stud,( incase there is blue toung or any other break out, and it wont hold up our breading schedual) and an old aunty.  Negosiations are hard and people do seem to stick to the advertised prices, but if you are clever you can swing added bonusis like free studing and husbandary courses!
so will let you know how we get on..............

[barrymoore]

April 1st 2010

Today we have Exchanged Yay! we are on our way,  We are to complete next Friday the latest.
We are now starting to register the land with the council and the post office, we are also registering with the RPA Rural Payments Agency,(who are acting on behalf of DEFRA) We have registered with our local animal health department and have complete and sent the form to BAS (british alpaca society). and we have also registered with The local Camelid VET. Phew!!

We have now agreed on 3 Alpacas with 2 due in May and August,  We are to pay the deposit next saturday after the vet has given the full health check, checked their pregnancey's and given all the relavent vacinations inc blue toung!

to be continued...........

[barrymoore]

April 7th 2010

Today we are to complete on the land purchase, we have been given the go ahead from the privious owner to allow us to start putting up the fencing for the chickens, caravans and male and felmale alpacas!  just for an idea of prices 8" round, treated, spiked posts we go for �2.88 each plus vat we also got some 25mm wire for �39 for 50 meters which was a bit dearet than i had paid before!  So the fencing is going up as we speak.
We have also to day contacted Southeren Water to have our own supply in who inturn put us over to a company who put us streight back to southern water to fill in a 9 page form just to get an estimate and a fee of �279 just for the privilage! X:?>:? I have never heard of being paid for an estimate! So will be filling in the forms and sending them off, the good news is the 3" galvinsed pipe runs right out side our gate, so should not be to dear.
Not yet heard about the vets visit to the Alpacas we are trying to buy but should have some new by the end of the week.
Well the all of the near by neighbours have all been over to introduce themselfs and ofered thir assitance in keeping an eye on things for us, which is nice and one has some more land to rent or even sale which will be perfect to get us to the 5 hecters!
One of the funiest neighbours was a middle age lady who lives opposit our filed came over to see what we were upto and I told her about the Alpacas and she was over the moon, and in the same sentance said " of course you would never be able to put a house on there!!! no of course not i said with a half smile!
..................

[barrymoore]

April 22nd 2010
Today the first of our Alpacas have arrived 3 Girls Amilia who is prgnant due in June, Narice who is a proven but empty (not for long) and Honey who is a maiden (also not for long) we are very proud of honey as she is Narices daughter and was sired by ATA Centurion and has a fantastic fleece.  Next tuesday the other 3 grils are coming down from Basingstoke Afra a pregnant maiden who is great breading stock, Aimee who is proven and pregnant and due in May, and Calico who is 12 years old and will act as our Weaning Aunty for when the Cria are born.  So by the end of August we should have 9 in our Field! I have also built a fantastic chicken coop for my Light sussex cockeral and my 8 warrens 3 of which are now laying.  We have also has a letter back from the caravan and camping club confirming our aplication!
phew not bad!
The hardest people to deal with was RPA whos phone system is a joke we left a request for a call back which indeed they did 3 days later!
still we are all legal and have our CPH Number for moving / keeping livestock

to be continud........

[barrymoore]

HI All
its been a while since my last post but so much has hapend as follows
The alpacas are due to birth any day infact one Ammie is 2 weeks overdue tomorrow 9th June, she looks huge bless her. Amilia is due on the 10th and Afra is due in August. The chickens have been laying like crazy and we have sucsessfully incubated and hatched 7 eggs and we have 5 light sussex and 2 warren chicks all yellow and fluffy! this was on Saturday, i have also just put another 5 eggs into the incubator, they only take 21 days then 4 weeks on heat then 4 weeks getting acustomed to the outside slowly then laying in 21 weeks or ther abouts.
So are business is now well on its way we have 6 female alpacas and 1 Male stud, oh yes we purchased our own stud "Arunvale Wirracocha's Ayoka" he is 6 years old and well proven, we did this just incase anytime in the future blue toung or TB struck and we would still be able to carry on with out breeding regiem, next year we will have 6 females with Cria.
As regards the land I have paid southern water £275 just to get a Quote and now awaiting there estimate! Ihave also aplied for a quote for the electric, and working out prices for a septic tank! The caravan and camping inspector is coming round on thursday to give his final decision fingers crossed.
What with building all the extra enclosures and topping the field and the constant battle with the weeds it has been great.
The next big thing to tackle is renting the other 4 hectors will keep you informed.................

[barrymoore]

WOW where did the summer go!
quick update, our 3 cria alpacas are here all normal births except one where the vet had to help the last leg over the hill! www.alpacas-hampshire.co.uk (to see pics) the 2 boys are just being weened and the girl is with her mum still. We now have 25 chickens 15 of which are just coming into lay! we have 2 5 week old turkeys (great pets a real laugh) 2 goats, i castrated and 1 female, British Alpine (by the way we are looking for a stud if any one knows)we are expecting 2 female Kune Kune pure breed pigs coming about 30th November. We have 4 further turkeys in the incubator and a further 18 rear breed chickens ready in 2 weeks...
Phew !! we now have water on tap infact 3 taps and 2 small troughs around the land at a cost of £1300 for the connection, the electric is a bit deerer at £2,000 so that will have to wait till the spring. All the 6 female Alpacas are prgnant by our stud Yoke.
with reference to land expansion we have somthing going on at the moment but will tell you about once we have exchanged!!!

Keep you upto date soon
Derek