Residents of the St Augustine's Estate in Chartham are being pressured to purchase small plots of land and grass verges for thousands of pounds. This anxiety is driven by fears of unauthorized land use following advertisements suggesting the plots are suitable for portable homes.

Rubislaw Estates' rapid Chartham liquidation

Rubislaw Estates, a Scottish property deevlopment and investment firm, has begun an aggressive sale of land holdings within the St Augustine's Estate in Chartham. The firm took over the land after it was previously owned by Growing Estates Ltd.

As the report indicates, the Scottish firm intends to sell all of its holdings in the area and has stated it has no obligation to consult with local residents.. This move has left many villagers feeling vulnerable to the decisions of outside developers who are looking to exit the market quickly.

Marketing "portable homes" and forest schools

The marketing language used to sell these plots has been described as "inflammatory" by local residents. Advertisements for the land suggest that the designated open spaces could be "potentially suitable" for uses such as forest schools, carbon capture, or portable homes.

According to the source, these specific claims have stoked fears among the community regarding potential land grabs by travellers. This fear-based marketing has led some to believe they must buy the land simply to prevent unauthorized occupation of what should be public space.

The Little Copse Close resident's dilemma

A resident living in Little Copse Close reported that she initially did not want to purchase the land outside her property but now feels she has no choice . She noted that while one sale recently fell through, other nearby sites on Beech Avenue have already been fenced off after being sold.

One buyer reportedly purchased a plot with the intention of building a summer home, only to discover they had been "misled" by the initial advertising. This has added to the sense of distrust surrounding the current vendors and the legality of the land's intended use.

How much will Canterbury City Council actually enforce?

Canterbury City Council (CCC) has confirmed that these plots are protected open spaces, meaning that applications for alternative uses are unlikely to be successful.. However, residents remain skeptical of these assurances,doubting the council's ability or willingness to act.

The community is currently left with several unanswered questions regarding the local authority's role.. Specifically, residents want to know how much the council is willing to enforce existing protections,and what specific obligations will be placed on new landowners to ensure the land remains public.

Councillor Mike Sole has described the current situation as a "scandal," arguing that the land should have been placed into a resident-owned management company from the beginning. he has called on the council to order vendors to stop marketing the land for purposes for which it cannot be used.