UK’s ‘strictest housing estate’ where newbies are given a 32-page rule book
A Birmingham neighbourhood has been dubbed the UK’s ‘strictest housing estate’ for issuing residents a 32-page handbook.
There are a fair few dos and don’ts that all residents of Calthorpe Estate, about a mile from the city centre, must remember.
From what colour the gates can be painted (black is ‘preferred’) and only being able to work from home under ‘limited circumstances’ to washing not being allowed to be hung on Sundays.
Don’t worry though, you can keep a ‘couple of chickens’ in your garden.
Those living on the 1,600-acre estate, which stretches through Edgbaston and into Harborne and Quinton, must also pay an annual ‘maintenance fee’.
Howard Scriben, who has lived in Calthorpe for six years, says he’s never bothered to read the rulebook.
What does the Calthorpe Estate handbook say?
On gardens, the Residents’ Handbook says:
- Timber sheds, glazed greenhouses, and other similar garden structures in your rear garden can measure no more than 2m width x 3m length x 2.1m high
- The use of artificial grass is not permitted to the front of your property or public areas
- Railings and/or gates should be painted in one colour (preferably black) and should not contain overly decorative features
On driveways and ‘parking areas’, it states:
- Any driveway and parking area should be proportional to your garden area. Excessive areas of hard standing will not be permitted.
- Commercial vehicles, caravans, and motorhomes may be parked on driveways for short periods and for temporary purposes, although we do encourage that larger vehicles such as motorhomes, trailers, boats and caravans be parked out of sight.
On TV aerials and satellite dishes, it adds:
- Only mini satellite dishes are permitted and they should be sited so they are as inconspicuous as possible, ensuring they are not visible from the road or other public spaces.
- To install a satellite dish you must submit an application to the Scheme of Management, who will provide guidance on permitted locations
On bins, it says:
- We encourage people to be good neighbours by putting their bins out on to the street only on the night/or morning before they are due to be collected.
- Residents should then move the bins to their bin storage area at the rear or side of the property where they are not publicly visible.
- If you are not around, you may wish to ask a neighbour or friend to move the bins for you.
On working from home, the book states:
- The criteria for allowing this is strict and if you are planning to start a business from your home you must be able to demonstrate that:
- No employees of the business will work at the residence (apart from members of the household)
- The business will not advertise from the residential address from which it is operating (NO posters, banners etc).
- No stock will be held on the premises
He said: ‘I know other estates have rules – on one nearby residents have to keep their doors green – but those don’t charge a fee, so that’s more my issue.
‘I’d actually say they don’t enforce them too much as there have been properties recently with skips out front and rubbish left there for months.’
Other rules in the Calthorpe handbook include how commercial vehicles, caravans, and motorhomes can only be parked on the estate for ‘short periods’ or temporarily – preferably ‘out of sight’.
Buildings such as sheds or greenhouses must match the style of the property and be of a pretty specific size: ‘No more than 2m (6ft 6in) width x 3m (9ft 10in) length x 2.1m (6ft 10in) high.’
Speaking of specifics, the pamphlet contains helpful diagrams of the maximum height that fences and hedges can be – 2m. It’s up to residents to keep the trees in check which are the ‘defining character’ of Calthorpe.
But what isn’t up to them is where they can install a satellite dish. They’re only allowed the one – which has to be a satellite mini-dish – in certain ‘inconspicuous’ spots on the property that estate bosses decide on where people can’t see them when walking past.
The maintenance fees, Howard added, are ‘strange’.
The maintenance company boss said: ‘You have no choice about it, either. I remember getting fined for not paying it once.
‘But I’m not sure what we’re paying for. It obviously appears to be about maintenance – but we’re all already paying council tax.
‘It seems to me like they’re just pocketing a bunch of money.’
In a foreword to the rulebook, Calthorpe Estates chief executive Haydn Cooper says the property development can be traced back to the late 18th century.
The ‘Scheme of Management’ was brought in ‘to maintain the quality and character of the environment for the benefit of all those who live on the Estate’.
The estate includes Edgbaston Village, Edgbaston First and Edgbaston Medical Quarter.
‘We hope you will find it useful and support us in upholding the standards of the Estate for the benefit of current and future generations,’ Cooper adds.
Principle Estate Management, which runs Calthorpe, said the rules help the estate maintain its ‘charm’.
Calthorpe Estates has been approached for comment.
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