Hullistic Experience in the Bushes

What is a view worth?

The true value is probably not known or appreciated until it is under threat or lost.

Take the residents of a river front housing development in my home area. Granted, it is a slow moving and muddy watercourse so not quite the azure infused outlook of the Mediterranean or Caribbean.

The shoreline is flat and in the distance are the flarestacks of a large petro-chemical and industrial complex so the steep mountainous and forested slopes of Canada have little competition.

Passing river traffic is confined to the occasional tramp steamer or a low slung fuel laden barge rather than comprising the ocean going yachts and cruisers of the rich.

If you are lucky you may get a cuppa and a bacon banjo from a mobile catering trailer and not a Michelin star experience from a swanky bistro or one of those pontoon type restaurants built out over the well behaved lapping waves over crystal clear shallows.

If it is fairly typical weather for our part of the UK then all of the aformentioned would not be visible anyway through a damp rolling mist or smog.

Nevertheless, it is regarded as a view, a talking point for any visitors to the residences and no doubt even a bit uplifting to spirit and soul upon seeing it every morning as the first glimpse of a new day.

Unfortunately, the muddy shallows are the proposed site for a large roll on and roll off freight terminal. If actually carried through to completion the only sight to be marvelled at by the residents of the riverfront properties would be the gaping bay doors of a cross channel ferry and with a soundtrack of clanking vehicles as they hit the ramp as they embark and disembark on a regular daily service. Those once rather snooty homeowners may come to hate the liveried trucks and trailers of Willi Betz, Norbert Dentressangle and the multitude of overseas and home based vehicles on the North Sea routes.

I have inherited a view at the new house.

The outlook over a city parkland was a prime motivation for pursuing a purchase for over two years.

Although only in residence now for just over 5 weeks I am constantly delighted and amazed by the view through the horse chestnut trees onto the manicured flower beds, the well frequented criss-cross pathways, the wide open spaces of regularly mown grass and the white painted hot house conservatory.

In this month of October the leaf canopy has thinned out and I can now see right across to the north side housing, comprising large Villas built after the land was left to the good folk of Hull in 1860 by a philanthropic Lord Mayor.

I am, I find,now in direct view of a long wall of sheet metal security barriers and gates across the front boundary of one of the old properties in the course of conversion to flats. To balance up the semi-industrial outlook I can now glimpse the white marble statue of a seated Queen Victoria. I am a bit amused by it. It stands out quite starkly against the mellowing shades of the broad leaved foliage.

Friends and callers to the house, even the parcel delivery guy, have expressed a liking for the view. A couple of them have applied a personal rule of thumb and called it a "million pound view". That is pleasing but it also invokes a bit of guilt in that we got the place for a mere fraction of that fictitious benchmark of the value of a view.

I have had some thoughts on whether I am a beneficiary of a million pound gift of a view.

Take the 12 acre landed area of the park itself. I would attach a figure of £15,000 an acre for public recreational space less £5000 for the insanitary green lake. I have not counted them but I would estimate there to be around 150 trees. Difficult to value other than if felled for lumber but I have put £10 per vertical foot height to be extrapolated across the species. Average height of tree 30 feet. Roadways, a two way, looping 0.7 miles of tarmac but not very smooth surfaced so I would apply, based on that BBC M25b Motorway Special where £1m a mile is an average cost for 8 lanes, a figure of £250,000 less incrementals for potholes and speed bumps. Cafe building, single storey with one serving hatch and an ice lolly fridge, electric kettle and a staff toilet approximately £60,000. Childrens playground, adventure type with bark ground dressing, plus vandal deterrent paint £95,000 ( guesstimate). The Hot house, less George the Iguana and a few hundred tropical fish (non-negotiable civic assets for relocating), £150,000. The services of two part time park keepers/gardeners at £6 per hour for 25 hours per week each. Maintenance of two miles of wrought iron fencing and sculptured privet hedging and two bowling greens, say £25,000 per year. Given the extraordinary amount of discarded beer cans which infest the park most weekends I would credit a sum for these to be recovered and cashed in at the recycling centre, say £10 per week. Re stocking of the rose gardens, painting the commemorative drinks fountain, buffing up the statue of Prince Albert, cleaning down of graffiti, emptying of the waste bins, say £50,000 a year cost.

It appears I am not a view millionaire as the total only comes to £855,475.

I am not one to quibble though because I have already made up my mind and that is that my view is priceless. Ok Then, I suppose we could include George the Iguana.......