There is about an acre of unused land at the rear of my house that is becoming a nuisance – there is overgrown vegetation, which is a breeding ground for foxes. There is no proper access to the land, which, I believe, is owned by an insurance company that tried to obtain planning permission to build houses on the site some years ago. It is managed at present by a local estate agent. I would like to see the land cleared up and, ideally, want to buy or rent it to extend my garden. Where do I start?

JA, Earlsfield, London

You should first seek out the local estate agent who manages the land, to discuss your concerns about its present condition and express your interest in buying or renting the site. If your approach is sympathetically received, you may find you can do a deal to your mutual satisfaction. It is possible, though, that this will rekindle the owner’s interest in trying to obtain planning permission to develop it – which, presumably, would not be the ideal solution from your point of view. The fox problem may go, only to be replaced with a building site.

If your approach is rebuffed, you should arrange a meeting with one of your borough council’s enforcement officers to discuss your concerns about the untidy state of the land. You should also make a formal request to them to serve a notice, under section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, to secure proper maintenance of the land. The power to serve such a notice is discretionary and may be used where a council considers the enjoyment of any part of its land is being adversely affected.

There is an alternative view that the overgrown and unmanaged vegetation on the land provides a wildlife refuge and habitat that is all too rare in a London borough. From your perspective, you may, on reflection, feel the site in its present state has less impact on your house and amenities than any properties that might be built on it.

The foxes, which many people find an urban nuisance, cannot be controlled by shooting or by the use of poisons. They can be trapped and released under supervision, but if one or two are trapped, they will quickly be replaced by others. For further advice about urban fox control, visit the council’s website, www.wandsworth.gov.uk/environmentalservices .

Michael Haslam OBE is a past president of the Royal Town Planning Institute and a director of Michael Haslam Associates; hmhaslam@btopenworld.com

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