Need to rant a bot I'm afraid.
In November 07 we bought a block to build our PPOR on. The block was not title for a long time, so gave us plenty of time to plan, raise money etc and get ready for building.
At the time, the block was pretty much rural. Its the last, far corner block on the edge of a new estate with views of acreage properties and trees over the road and an orchard next door. It was also on a small, unsealed road.
We were not naive enough to think it would always be that way. We knew the road was to be sealed, (up to our house anyway), and we knew the orchard was to be developed. However, there were no plans set for the area on the other side of the road which is currently agistment and rural blocks and very pretty.
The new road went in, up to our house as we knew, and basically this road doesn't really lead to anything do gets very little traffic past us. Most of the traffic turns into the estate before it gets to our place.
Now, we also 'knew' that eventually the land opposite would get sold off and developed, it's too close to town and is basically the next prime spot to build on in the area, so again, we didn't go into this thinking we'd have the luxury of views forever. We did think, and were led to believe by council and others that the land would be split up for regular residential estates like ours. No problem.
I find out today that the land has come under the Growth Area Authority and they have just finished their initial assessment of the area. They have proposed a business park at the top end of our road, residential housing opposite us and due to the enormous amounts of traffic expected by the business park our quite road is proposed to be turned into a dual carriageway.
There are no public plans available as yet.
Council told me that there is no additional minimum set back for a dual carriageway to existing properties. We are 4m set back from the footpath, with about a 1m footpath then a regular nature strip then the road. Potentially, that road could become the first two lanes of the dual carriageway so we could literally go from a house on a small lane with views of rolling hills and horses to a house bang on the side of a motorway.
We've only been in the place 3 months, it's pretty much our dream home. We spent a fortune upgrading everything and the place is just about how we want it now. The thought of moving so soon is awful, but so is the alternative of living on a motorway.
I am assuming that changing the road to a main road and adding all the extra housing & traffic is going to affect the value of our property's. If so,do we have any recourse against anyone? I'm by no means looking for an easy buck, or want to bleed someone etc - but it's only right that if a development goes ahead that is detrimental to the existing properties that their should be some sort of recompense?
We just don't know what to do. We're thinking of selling now before it all starts, but don't really want to move until we have at least enjoyed the house we spent 2 years planning and building after only 3 months. On the other hand, if we wait and then works being, who the hell is going to want to buy a house that has a major road construction project progressing on the doorstep?
I'm so gutted. We spent so much time planning this place and put so much of ourselves into, the thought of having to move on so soon is heartbreaking.Not to mentions that fact that we'd be lucky to even break even with it seeing as how we over specked it all as we thought we be there a good long while.
Thanks for listening.
Tone.
In November 07 we bought a block to build our PPOR on. The block was not title for a long time, so gave us plenty of time to plan, raise money etc and get ready for building.
At the time, the block was pretty much rural. Its the last, far corner block on the edge of a new estate with views of acreage properties and trees over the road and an orchard next door. It was also on a small, unsealed road.
We were not naive enough to think it would always be that way. We knew the road was to be sealed, (up to our house anyway), and we knew the orchard was to be developed. However, there were no plans set for the area on the other side of the road which is currently agistment and rural blocks and very pretty.
The new road went in, up to our house as we knew, and basically this road doesn't really lead to anything do gets very little traffic past us. Most of the traffic turns into the estate before it gets to our place.
Now, we also 'knew' that eventually the land opposite would get sold off and developed, it's too close to town and is basically the next prime spot to build on in the area, so again, we didn't go into this thinking we'd have the luxury of views forever. We did think, and were led to believe by council and others that the land would be split up for regular residential estates like ours. No problem.
I find out today that the land has come under the Growth Area Authority and they have just finished their initial assessment of the area. They have proposed a business park at the top end of our road, residential housing opposite us and due to the enormous amounts of traffic expected by the business park our quite road is proposed to be turned into a dual carriageway.
There are no public plans available as yet.
Council told me that there is no additional minimum set back for a dual carriageway to existing properties. We are 4m set back from the footpath, with about a 1m footpath then a regular nature strip then the road. Potentially, that road could become the first two lanes of the dual carriageway so we could literally go from a house on a small lane with views of rolling hills and horses to a house bang on the side of a motorway.
We've only been in the place 3 months, it's pretty much our dream home. We spent a fortune upgrading everything and the place is just about how we want it now. The thought of moving so soon is awful, but so is the alternative of living on a motorway.
I am assuming that changing the road to a main road and adding all the extra housing & traffic is going to affect the value of our property's. If so,do we have any recourse against anyone? I'm by no means looking for an easy buck, or want to bleed someone etc - but it's only right that if a development goes ahead that is detrimental to the existing properties that their should be some sort of recompense?
We just don't know what to do. We're thinking of selling now before it all starts, but don't really want to move until we have at least enjoyed the house we spent 2 years planning and building after only 3 months. On the other hand, if we wait and then works being, who the hell is going to want to buy a house that has a major road construction project progressing on the doorstep?
I'm so gutted. We spent so much time planning this place and put so much of ourselves into, the thought of having to move on so soon is heartbreaking.Not to mentions that fact that we'd be lucky to even break even with it seeing as how we over specked it all as we thought we be there a good long while.
Thanks for listening.
Tone.