The value of development land across the UK fell by an average of 50% during the course of 2008, according to the latest figures from the Knight Frank Residential Development Land index.

One of England’s most beautiful stretches of countryside, the South Downs, has been granted National Park status after a 60 year battle to decide on the park’s boundaries.

The value of English farmland increased by 16% last year (from £4129/acre to £4796/acre), according to the Knight Frank farmland index, but the slide in the value of sterling meant that prices actually fell for many overseas buyers after converting their local currency into pounds.

Demand for residential farmland plummeted in the second half of 2008, as life-style buyers all but disappeared, says RICS Rural Market Survey.

British Land: 3Q09 results and another rights issue. British Land announced its 3Q09 results (which were roughly in line with our forecasts) and a rights issue for gross £767m (net £740m).

Bare land prices continued to hold firm in the weakening economic market but the price of equipped farms fell in the fourth quarter of 2008 according to the latest research by Smiths Gore.

Affordable housing remains a critical priority in Cornwall and no more so than in the high value North Coast villages. So Carrick District Council is this week launching a general call for land in the parishes of Perranzabuloe and St Agnes.

There are clearly more important things to think about than flower beds at the moment, with the current economic meltdown continuing to freeze global property prices – but new research has found that a massive one in five Brits is neglecting their gardens…