Residents in the quaint Kentish village of Chartham have been left bewildered by an odd online advertisement vending grass verges adjacent to their homes - with the suggestion that they are perfect for "the travelling community". The now-deleted online listing offered these slender strips of land, hinting they could be a fit for a "portable home" or "forest school".
In what some villagers are calling a "provocative" move, the ad slapped a ￡8,000 price tag on the land, speculating if it was intended to frighten locals into snapping up the plots themselves.
Canterbury City Council was quick to console concerned residents, stating it would be "unlikely" for any prospective buyer to gain consent to utilise the public spaces differently.
The potential sale of the verges came to the attention of the community when the advert surfaced on various property portals. Accompanied by a map pinpointing the exact location and a photograph, the advert described the half-acre as nestled in a "quiet residential street" and being "suitable for multiple uses - subject to consent."
The listing detailed: "[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)."
This sparked contentions among some villagers who interpreted the ad's wording as an attempt to prod them into purchasing the land before someone else possibly intervened.
Chartham residents received unexpected letters offering them a chance to buy local green verges, sparking community concern and leading to an urgent meeting chaired by Dr Timothy Clark of Chartham Parish Council last Monday. "We became aware of this because of social posts regarding the auction," he told villagers who had quickly assembled to address the issue.
Dr. Clark revealed the council's surprise over the sale proposals: "We had not been notified by anybody at all."
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Highlighting the stakes involved, he added: "These are public open spaces with a restrictive covenant from when the estate was built, which should ensure the land remains available for public use."
The Chairman expressed his stance on any changes to the land: "It shouldn't be altered without a significant legal challenge."
He also speculated about the motives behind the property marketing strategy: "I can't say this for definite, but my feeling is that sometimes when people market these sites they do it in a way to stimulate interest to people who might not want any of the alternatives that are being suggested."
Dr. Clark further implied strategic provocation: "It could be seen as deliberately provocative."
Adding to the controversy, a since-deleted online advertisement described the green verges, mere feet in width for some, as one single lot poised for auction this week with an enticing guide price of only ￡8,000.
Kent County Councillor Mike Sole concurred with Cllr Clark's assessment by saying: "It's certainly a credible conclusion to draw."
Reflecting on the initial shock among locals, Cllr Sole observed: "Initially, residents were incredibly fearful, wondering what on earth was going to happen, and rightfully so."
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Cllr Sole has voiced concerns that prospective purchasers may have been deceived into thinking the land could be used for purposes that are simply not feasible.
He expressed his unease by saying, "It may well attract people who will buy it without knowing the full details," and emphasized his disapproval with the claim, "To me, it's completely wrong that anyone should be able to advertise land and suggest that it can be used for things it clearly cannot be used for."
The plot in question was initially under the ownership of Growing Estates Ltd before being sold to Rubislaw Estates, an Aberdeen-based development and investment company. Rubislaw Estates remained silent on the matter despite requests for a statement.
However, in correspondence with Cllr Sole, they mentioned their intention to offload all Chartham holdings and disclosed no obligation to consult or inform the community.
Local residents were taken aback upon receiving propositions to purchase the verges, previously believing such land to be public property.
David Leavesley, a St Augustine's estate resident adjacent to the verges, recounted his surprise, saying, "I'd always felt the spare land around the estate belonged to either the city council, county council or whoever," The 71 year old added, "It came as a shock to most people to find that even just verges along a road were being sold off. It's a strange situation."
Leavesley also speculated on the improbability of obtaining planning permissions for the land, stating, "But, I thought to myself, 'I can't see how they could get anything like planning permission to put anything on there'."
He went on to acknowledge his awareness of legislation protecting open spaces.
Local Parish Councillor Fay Geoghan, who resides on St Augustine's estate, has voiced concerns that the 'inflammatory' language used in a recent advertisement has heightened residents' anxieties. "They've used inflammatory language in the advert, which is where the fears from residents have come from," stated the 50 year old councillor.
"I think that this new company haven't bought it because they want to maintain it, they've bought it because they want to sell it."
Canterbury City Council spokesperson Robert Davies weighed in, suggesting that any bid to alter the use of the grass verges would likely be rejected. He remarked: "This site is protected open space and our Local Plan policies seek to protect it for the enjoyment of the local residents.
"Any application to change this is unlikely to be granted."
A representative for Growing Estates Ltd claimed that before selling to Rubislaw Estates, the company had "consistently managed and maintained" the land for twenty years, with the exception of parts "sold over time."
Rubislaw Estates and Future Property Auctions have not yet responded to requests for comment.