Residents living next to a bustling main road on the Isle of Sheppey have reacted with horror after a three-meter wide grass verge was listed for auction, prompting fears of travellers moving in.
The grass boundary on Queenborough Road was mysteriously listed for sale on Auction House for £1000 before being withdrawn this week.
The listing attached plans appearing to show two small dwellings on the tiny grass verge much to the amusement of long term residents who were baffled by the audacity of the sale.
The audacious auction is just the latest example of residential green space being offered up to buyers, with some listings explicitly stating they would consider offers from the travelling community.
In February, green space at the centre of a ring of homes within a housing estate in Henlow, Bedforshire, were snatched up by a mystery buyer for £9,000.
In an online for the land auction, the area is described as being suitable for ‘multiple uses’ including a ‘site for (the) Travelling community’.
It comes as residents in Chartham, Kent, were also horrified to find an advert selling the grass verges near their homes and saying they’re also ideal for ‘the travelling community’.
Reacting to the news that their own tiny grass verge was in the crosshairs, Queensborough Road residents were shocked and amused.
John Ball has lived in his property for years and told the sale was ridiculous.
He explained: ‘They’re talking about putting two houses on there, it’s ridiculous – you’d never get planning permission.
‘We weren’t told until it went up for auction. It won’t sell, I’d move if they tried to build anything in front of my house.’
20-year-old Ryan Smart currently lives on the road with his parents and believes any new development would be ugly as well as dangerous.
He said: ‘It’s small enough that its impossible to build on. There are accidents on this road all the time as well so it would be right in the danger zone.
‘You would assume it would be bought by travellers if anyone was to buy it, but even that’s not likely. It’s so tiny, it’s just strange.’
Another neighbour, who preferred to stay anonymous was adamant it would never sell.
They said: ‘It’s been up for about six months and nobody has even given it a sniff. Who the f*** is going to buy it? You could only build one incredibly narrow and pointless house on it.
‘This is happening all over the UK, they seem to be marketing them for travellers, but even they wouldn’t want to live there. If they did all turn up with a bunch of caravans, everyone would be up in arms.’
It is unclear if the verge has now been sold or merely withdrawn from auction, however examples from elsewhere in the UK show that despite their pokiness, grass verges are seen as a good buy by some.
In Henlow, locals were furious they had been left in the dark about the ownership of their green space prior to its sale.
Father-of-two Dean Langton, who has lived on the estate for more than 12 years, told : ‘It’s the worry that anyone can now think they can rock up on to it now.
‘It’s right on our doorstep – so there is the fear we open the door one day and there’s six caravans there.’
Rresidents in Chartham, Kent, were also left horrified after an advert was revealed selling the grass verges outside their homes.
The patches, which the estate agent has since confirmed have sold, were said to be perfect for ‘the travelling community’.
Some locals suggested the purpose of the ‘provocative’ ad, with an asking price of £8,000, could have been to scare locals into buying the land themselves.
Canterbury City Council, however, reassured residents living near the roads that any buyer of the public spaces would be ‘unlikely’ to secure permission to use them for an alternative purpose.
The advert, complete with a map indicating the verges as well as a photo, explained that the ‘1/2 acre’ of land sat on a ‘quiet residential street’ and could be ‘suitable for multiple uses – subject to consent’.
The listing said: ‘[The verges] may be [a] suitable location for a portable home, Bio net Gain Carbon capture, Forest school, Allotments or maybe for the travelling community (subject to investigating & gaining necessary consents).’
The ad led to claims from some locals that it was worded to try and coax them into buying up the land themselves before others had the chance to.
A number of residents living near the scattering of verges received letters asking if they’d like to purchase the land.
Mike Sole, deputy leader of Canterbury City Council, said of the new owners: ‘I feel for them, even if they turned out to be part of the travelling community and thought they could put caravans on it.
‘I feel sorry for them because they obviously can’t. The land itself is a liability – all you’ve got with it is an obligation to keep it maintained. It’s worthless.’
An online ad, which was later removed, marketed the verges – some of which are just a few feet wide – as a single plot.