Got some vacant land and not sure what to do with it? The possibilities are practically endless. Below are just some of the most profitable and popular ways to put unused land to use.
Grow produce
One of the most common uses for vacant land is growing produce. This could be food for personal use or produce to sell (i.e. farming). Growing your own crops to sell could be very profitable. Consider the type of land you own and which crops would be most suitable (you only need a small amount of land to harvest foods like mushrooms, garlic or herbs).
Keep livestock
For those that like the option of a farm, another option could be to keep livestock. If you’ve only got a small amount of land, a chicken farm could be ideal. Livestock such as cows and sheep will require more land.
Start a timber farm
You could consider starting a timber farm. This is a forest that is used to harvest timber. Bamboo is one of the most popular trees to farm – bamboo can be ready to harvest in only a few years.
Rent it out as allotment space
Renting out your vacant land as allotment space could be another option. This involves charging other people to use your land for growing plants. Allotments are very popular in cities and heavily urban areas.
Rent it out for events
Vacant land could be rented out for events. This could be anything from an outdoor exercise class to a musical festival depending on the nature of the land. If your land is in a sought after location with a great view, it could be perfect for event use.
Convert it into parking
Parking spaces can be difficult to find in busy urban areas. If you own some land in such an area, you could consider converting it into a car park. This could be a paid car park or a free car park (it depends if you want to make money from it).
Open a campsite
You could consider turning your spare land into campsite pitches. A campsite could be very profitable in the summer. Consider the fact that you’ll likely have to invest in campsite amenities such as toilet blocks and camper van hook-ups.
Sell it to developers
There is currently a housing shortage. To help combat this you could consider selling vacant land to developers. There are companies like NFC Homes that can build housing. Just make sure that your land is suitable for residential use.
Construct buildings to rent out
Instead of selling your home to developers, you could consider building a house or office on your land and then charging to rent it out. This could allow you to receive an ongoing income from the land, however you’ll need to be prepared to take on the responsibilities of being a landlord. Alternatively, you could build a new home to live in yourself and rent out your existing home.
Rewild it
Rewilding is a process that involves encouraging wildlife to grow. Instead of farming crops or maintaining a perfectly manicured lawn, it involves letting plants grow and thrive naturally and not disturbing the wildlife that makes its home there. There’s no money made from it, but it has great environmental benefits.
