New build estates - why?

[Richie]

Well the answer would be no, hence why I don't live in a city and I live in the Chiltern AONB.

However, I don't see how these landscaped areas are that beneficial? There's so many houses in one area, with the layout being optimised for # of properties, that you're surrounded by other houses more than greenery.

I don't see housing estates that are saying 30 years old with landscaped open spaces or children's parks in the middle of them. Perhaps councils are forcing these new estates to have mini parks in them as local ones become saturated as population grows.

There is so much contradiction in the above post its hard to know where to start.

You dont want to live in a concrete jungle. I think it would be fair to say that most people would want the same. Yet, in the next sentence you fail to see what benefits that open, landscaped areas within modern developments will have. So which is it? Have them as concrete jungles with no open areas, which people don't want, or have some open areas for people to relax in?

As for housing estates from 30 years ago not having open spaces/children's parks etc - Would it be fair to say that developers have learned that the concrete jungle estates you describe are not ideal hence why they changed to having open spaces within them?


Is it possible that, given you live in an AONB, you may have a bit of a blind spot in this discussion?

 

[Mekrel]

There is so much contradiction in the above post its hard to know where to start.

You dont want to live in a concrete jungle. I think it would be fair to say that most people would want the same. Yet, in the next sentence you fail to see what benefits that open, landscaped areas within modern developments will have. So which is it? Have them as concrete jungles with no open areas, which people don't want, or have some open areas for people to relax in?

As for housing estates from 30 years ago not having open spaces/children's parks etc - Would it be fair to say that developers have learned that the concrete jungle estates you describe are not ideal hence why they changed to having open spaces within them?


Is it possible that, given you live in an AONB, you may have a bit of a blind spot in this discussion?

It's not contradictory at all, because a tiny bit of greenery in the middle of a densely populated housing estate isn't comparable to living in the country side. Especially when you've got to pay an uncapped service charge to maintain it.

I'm not sure why you keep referring to the only choices as open space and concrete jungle? Concrete jungles to me are cities, but there's also urban based houses on B roads that have perfectly adequate front lawns and drive ways that are a far cry from "concrete jungles".

No blind spot here. Intact I used to live on a Taylor Wimpey estate that used to be an old RAF base, but was occupied by the Americans before it closed. As a result, there was plenty of green spaces where the baseball and American football pitches were, and a kids playground and outdoor fitness area (that never opened within the two years I was the after the council u-turned on adopting it) and other spots of green spaces.

So I have experience of living in an urban area, on a new build housing estate and in a hamlet in the countryside. I found living on a 400 home housing was like living on top of other people, no matter if there were patches of greenery here and there.

I had sympathy for those who were annoyed by the council's U-turn and the resulting request to add maintenance of the play/fitness area to the service charge.

For reference:
I don't consider this to be a concrete jungle, it has no open green space near by and you're not packed in like a sardine.

 

[LiE]

The reality is, there isn’t enough good existing house stock for buyers. Massive new build estates offer lots of options for buyers. Some even prefer buying a new house over an older one.

I’m in the process of moving from a 1950s house to a new build. It’s a small developer, the plot has 12 homes. The fee is £35 per month, which I would prefer not to pay but there are quite a few green areas, trees and hedges to maintain.

The appeal for us is £22k of stamp duty paid, all flooring and appliances, turn key. I’ve had my fill of fixing up on the house we have lived in for 10 years.

 

[fez]

It's strange councils are so broke considering the number of these developments. Most seem to be claiming it's due to adult social care being passed onto them from the government? I appreciate there's some individual cases such as bad investments (was it Thurrock that invested in solar farms that were essentially a scam?)

Our council's (Bucks County) state doesn't seem to add up. It's £300m in debt but becoming a Unitary council was supposed to save costs...

People massively underestimate the cost of everything these days. They underestimate how a single bad decision on the councils part can ruin them for years. They underestimate what the council have to try and provide and how little money they have to do it.

Much like healthcare in this country, people have no ******* idea how much their fat asses cost the government because its "free" and "I pay my taxes".

 

[Jim99]

The reality is, there isn’t enough good existing house stock for buyers. Massive new build estates offer lots of options for buyers. Some even prefer buying a new house over an older one.

I’m in the process of moving from a 1950s house to a new build. It’s a small developer, the plot has 12 homes. The fee is £35 per month, which I would prefer not to pay but there are quite a few green areas, trees and hedges to maintain.

The appeal for us is £22k of stamp duty paid, all flooring and appliances, turn key. I’ve had my fill of fixing up on the house we have lived in for 10 years.

Yeah. I live in something like what OP describes, and obviously I don't want to pay an estate charge, but ultimately where I am if you want a house that's big enough they're going to either be new builds or highly desirable old-style houses that are £400k more expensive.

And as much as I don't like paying a couple of hundred per year in charges, I can't float an extra £400k - nor would I unless it was far better than I what I have now.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

I am getting more confused by the OP each post.

If everyone moved to an AONB then they would by default no longer be so.
If we all spread out to not have estates then everywhere would be lightly populated and no real green spaces.

Not only that, all the infrastructure would have to expand as well. Shops, major roads etc.

So maybe a better question should be. Why do we allow a few people to spoil AONB by living in them.
Should we force them to stop being so selfish and move them into urban areas, then rewild these AONB properly from the eyesore of houses?