ChatterBank2 mins ago
Residents' Parking?
There is a small patch of land near my house which has been Tarmaced and painted with parking bays. The residents of the flats nearby have chipped together to put down parking posts (http://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/pages/produc ts/metal_prod_det.aspx?tpc=CF&fmc=AZ&f nc=AX ). I assume they have paid for this and not the council, as there is no sign regarding the parking there erected by the council, and the parking bollards have been bolted and not riveted into the ground.
I can understand the residents wanting to secure a space, but the rest of the street have the same problem as it's almost impossible to park at any time of the day in the area.
I am curious to find out if the residents had any right to do this. The land may not belong to them, and if this is the case I'll go out with a socket set and take down the stupid posts myself! (OK, just kidding!)
How would I find out if they are allowed to put down these posts / if the ground belongs to the residents?
Thank you in advance! x
(X-posted in Motoring - not sure of right category?)
Answers
No best answer has yet been selected by malaise. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Err...since when has one needed Planning Permission to create a parking space on private land for a private car? (different for parking commercial vehicles, I agree). This is a land ownership issue, and nothing to do with Planning Permission.
In theory, anyone can fence off a piece of land and maintain it. And after a number of years (typically 12) that person can register to claim the land for themself by Adverse Possession, sometimes referred to as Squatters Rights. You can find out whether the land is registered at the Land Registry (England & Wales) by applying to them in writing for a small fee, enclosing a plan of the land in question. But this only works if the land is registered. You could write to the council to see whether they think they own it - it could be council owned but not part of the public highway. Otherwise there is no simple way. There are lots of bits around in corners that no-one owns.
If you want to be included in the 'land grab club', why not ask how you can be a part of it too, as a local resident, showing a willingness to do your bit to maintain it, of course.
Basically, can I just phone my council to see who owns the land, as a starting point? If the land is not their own, presumably it would be illegal to prevent others from parking there? :-/