Peterj Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Hi all, Thanks for making such a great forum. I saw some posts about this but they were not just what i was looking for. I would be grateful if you would give some opinion on whether an electricity substation beside your house, for example at distances of 5m, 15m and 25m, would affect your wellbeing and in knock on influence the value of your home. I'm asking as a home owner who has been approached by the electric company who wish to take part of my yard to locate a new roadside substation, they haven't offered very much for the required 4mx5m=20m2 in my opinion, but more importantly I would be worried about the affect on my own house and the rest of the yard. They have a preferred site beside the house, or are willing to locate further away but still in the yard, if I wish. They would also build around it so it wouldn't be in plain sight. I know they have some vesting powers so this is a bit of a tricky matter.. If there are any official evidence of effect on house prices/general health that would also be useful. The sound alone wouldn't bother me. Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Eagle Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 I would be grateful if you would give some opinion on whether an electricity substation beside your house, for example at distances of 5m, 15m and 25m, would affect your wellbeing and in knock on influence the value of your home. I would definitely not live 5m next to one, 25m might be ok but IMHO it will most likely still affect the resale value of your house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eejit Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 As long as you don't have, or ever plan to have any children and also never plan to sell your house, it should be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 So, what have they offered? Will they be buying that land from you, or renting it? What about access? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyracantha Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 I would be grateful if you would give some opinion on whether an electricity substation beside your house, for example at distances of 5m, 15m and 25m, would affect your wellbeing and in knock on influence the value of your home. I'm ex ScottishPower corporate office. What you are suggesting carries some risk. Not all transformers blow up but when they do... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-20915663 And then you have the electric & magnetic fields issue (which even if you don't believe in, plenty of other people do) as well as the reduction in property value due to visual impact etc. How big a unit are they looking to put in? What voltage? I don't think I'd want a substation anywhere near me personally. If the power company have no alternative location but your yard, you could offer to sell them the whole property at say 150% market value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 I have seen quite a few next to houses and I can always hear a low constant hum coming from them - does my head in. At the end of my road the gas board put in a new safety valve on the gas mains a few months ago. They raised the mains up out of the ground with an inverted u-shape pipe and stuck a big valve on it. They then covered it with a small building. Now, 24 hours a day, you can hear a loud constant hissing from the gas flowing through the pipe. I can hear it at the far end of the road and, frankly, I think it has made all the houses in the area unsellable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Wasn't there something about electricity attracting radon charged dust particles some years ago, leading to cancers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquid Goldfish Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 (edited) hmmm Edited April 9, 2014 by oldsport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheBlueCat Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 So long as you wear one of these you'll be fine: If you're planning on having kids at some point, you might want a pair of these too: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Watch out for eddy currents. Also, if you have a Prince Albert, beware of inductive coupling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamLancs Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I (vaguely) knew someone that rented out their garden for one of these, they were chuffed to pieces with the additional regular income. From what I remember it was like free money to them. They did get cancer and die from it but I don't know if it was related, they were retirement age so it could have just been a coincidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterj Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 So, what have they offered? Will they be buying that land from you, or renting it? What about access? Hi, they offered £10,500 for a lease for the ground, haven't asked about yearly rental figure, probably peanuts. It will be roadside so access not a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterj Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 I'm ex ScottishPower corporate office. What you are suggesting carries some risk. Not all transformers blow up but when they do... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-20915663 And then you have the electric & magnetic fields issue (which even if you don't believe in, plenty of other people do) as well as the reduction in property value due to visual impact etc. How big a unit are they looking to put in? What voltage? I don't think I'd want a substation anywhere near me personally. If the power company have no alternative location but your yard, you could offer to sell them the whole property at say 150% market value. Thanks for info, yes very scary but is it enough to legally prevent them from it? Unit would be 3mx2.5m but I don't know voltage. I have been told they can legally take land, is this true? If so I feel it's a total invasion of personal rights. I identified several other options for them, there is even a very large yard for sale nearby for £150,000 they could buy, split and sell on. I wouldn't want to sell my property, I like it here.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterj Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 Wasn't there something about electricity attracting radon charged dust particles some years ago, leading to cancers? Hi, I searched for this, there does seem a link due to the gas, I can't find any legal precedent though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterj Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 Wasn't there something about electricity attracting radon charged dust particles some years ago, leading to cancers? Hi I searched and got some info, don't see any legal precedent though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterj Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 I (vaguely) knew someone that rented out their garden for one of these, they were chuffed to pieces with the additional regular income. From what I remember it was like free money to them. They did get cancer and die from it but I don't know if it was related, they were retirement age so it could have just been a coincidence. Hi, have you any idea how much was the income? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterj Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 Just to add they have 2 electric lines crossing the yard and 2 poles on the yard, I'm not receiving any money for them, I've read somewhere about getting payments retrospectively? I would like these removed if possible but don't know how to go about it. This whole vesting thing has me worried, does anyone have any experience or know of whether people are giving proper representation? Or does money and big guys rule Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 What have your mortgage company said to the deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCountOfNowhere Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 In answer to the original poster...as your a ramping estate agent ( in house joke there )....have you tried goggle, there are lots of references to such a question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sancho Panza Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 (edited) http://www.housepric...ic=170955&st=15 post 22... a classic. I remember being at Lidd down south years ago and coming across a caravan park that was smack bang beneath some electricity pylons that were crackling away.There was nothing for miles but this camp.Random. Edited April 10, 2014 by Sancho Panza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterj Posted April 10, 2014 Author Share Posted April 10, 2014 In answer to the original poster...as your a ramping estate agent ( in house joke there )....have you tried goggle, there are lots of references to such a question. Hi, I've spent many hours searching google, still very confused however. No real guidance only reference to solicitors who can deal with issue, however as much as possible it's always better to do own legal work I find. No mortgage thankfully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCountOfNowhere Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Hi, I've spent many hours searching google, still very confused however. No real guidance only reference to solicitors who can deal with issue, however as much as possible it's always better to do own legal work I find. No mortgage thankfully. I'd avoid pylons/sub stations/phone masts like the plague if I were buying a house. Links to cancer etc may be un-proven but why take the risk when you have a choice and there are millions of house up for sale at government backed affordable mega bubble mania prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gf3 Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 (edited) What are the chances of getting planning permission for that site? Access shouldn't be a problem otherwise they wouldn't be able to put a sub station there. You may not want to have a house built there but your kids could lose out in the long run. Gain £10,000 lose £100,000. Edited April 10, 2014 by gf3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 In the lease, I would insist on a "lift and shift" clause, at their expense - essentially if you want it moved, then you provide another bit of land on your property, and they pay for the move. They normally agree to lift and shift clauses but at your expense, so you provide the land and then you pay for all the re-building. This will put them offbuilding it. If it was me, I would accept the price of my house, or at least start off at that price in any negotiations. I work with these companies on a daily basis, and they don't hesitate to rip off people on land agreements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saving For a Space Ship Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.