If you had a 5.5 acre grassy field, what would you do with it?

It’s flat, so MTB use is a no-go.

Rural location, but a few houses dotted about nearby so banger racing may be frowned upon.

Rent out to horsey types? Get some sheep to keep the grass in trim? Host the international watching grass grow extravaganza?

doggingworld theme park

Any buildings? Do you want to invest to make money?

Plant trees for all your carbon offset goodness.

It’s flat, so MTB use is a no-go.

Lack of imagination
Pump Track
http://www.redbull.com/nz/en/bike/stories/1331772269825/how-to-build-your-own-backyard-pump-track
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHi425_sw6A[/video]

If you want a roll in or something a bit faster pop a shipping container as a start ramp, use 3 and you have a BMX track 😉

Get planning permission.

Plant a hay meadow

Any buildings? Do you want to invest to make money?

Don’t want to build on it as it’s next to my house! Wasn’t really looking to invest as such, it’s just sat doing nothing which seems a shame.

Lack of imagination
Pump Track

A few years back there was a pump track locally, it was amazing at first but tbh it got boring pretty quickly.

Those dirt jumps look pretty sweet right enough, not sure I’ve got the equipment/manpower/dedication for that kind of setup though!

Plant trees for all your carbon offset goodness.

Carbon offset appeals, what tyres trees/plants for maximum CO.2 absorption?

Fruit trees, Britain needs orchards, and then you can buy a cider press!.

Bid for Mountain Mayhem 2017 ?

Planning permission on half? 5.5 acres is loads. You’ll make a chunk I’m sure.

Campsite or put up stables and let to horsey types

Fence off an acre or so and rent it out to dog owners to let their mutts have off lead runs

Carpark

Build a housing estate and retire.

Caravan park.

I doubt you’d get permission to build, run a caravan park or anything like that.

Orchard sounds good but would require a lot of time investment. Are you looking to wet up a hobby business?

If it were mine I’d keep a corner for a poly tunnel and try to find horsey tenants

What about getting an ecological survey to find out if there are any interesting plants in it and making some wildlife habitat.

Easy gig a big hole line with clay and you have a large pond to stock with fish , plant a mixed orchard and a wild flower meadow. You now have a productive beautiful private park to relax in and a ready supply of fruit and cider and the occasional trout to catch and barbeque.

PP for secure caravan storage? Big fence with big conifers to hide it, CCTV etc. How many caravans could you get on it, X whatever the going rate is per year….

I’m sure grants are available to plant native species trees.

If you’re not looking to profit from it then I really like the Orchard / pond idea and just use it to relax in and enjoy.

I’d love that much space on my doorstep to chill in…

Buried/semi buried 100metre concrete Pipe rifle range. Kerching.

Plant the rest with short rotation coppice and some screening trees.

Plant some oak trees and sit back wait for the first harvest, you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.

Rorschach blatantly has the right idea. With so many trails under threat some private land is perfect for trails and a pump track even if you don’t recreate Gorge road (above).

Where in the UK is it? I’m sure you could get plenty of help.

Easy gig a big hole line with clay and you have a large pond to stock with fish , plant a mixed orchard and a wild flower meadow. You now have a productive beautiful private park to relax in and a ready supply of fruit and cider and the occasional trout to catch and barbeque.

That sounds ace actually. This is Scotland, so ‘meadow’ might be stretching it a bit, but using it as a sort of massive natural-esque garden is a good idea.

I’m sure grants are available to plant native species trees.

Intriguing.

Invite Parkrun, but then start charging them 😈

My cousin has a field like that in the country. He just bought his wife some horses. He explored trying to get planning and basically it was near impossible. He could get an agricultural building but he would have to be seen to using the land for a purpose that required the building.

Also be careful, changing the use of the land can cause massive changes in the water run off that occurs.

What is it zoned for?

You cannot simply turn agri land into “garden” they are very strict about what you can and cant do with it….

Gravel velodrome – resurrect the path racer (the real ones, not the pretend ones).

Install a badminton net. Bingo, instant nudist camp.

Sheep. Sheep are ace and lambs are awesome.

This will work with the orchard idea too aslong as you fence them off until the trees are mature.

This also works as a garden.

Big fishing lake/pond .

Make airstrip, buy microlight. 🙂

Rachel

I’d build some stables and rescue some donkeys.

You could create a private allotments for the community on part of it?

On the rest, a pond, meadow, Orchard with beehives, poly tunnel and some raised beds for your own veg throughout the year.

Fracking site?

Sculpture trail

A maize maze

(Actually – I’ve seen some good wildflower meadow mazes.)

Honey Badger Sanctuary

Build a temple and start your own death cult.

Build it and they will come