For people who own large stretches of land, finding a good way to use that land to the fullest can be a difficult decision. If you’re unsure how to use your spare land, you could consider using it to earn an extra income.
In the below article, we will talk you through some ways you can make money off of your land, and who knows? Perhaps one of these will fit perfectly in with your current lifestyle!
1. Gardens and Allotments
One fairly simple way for you to make use of any spare land you have is to create community gardens and allotments.
With both gardens and allotments, you can rent out small plots of land to people in the community, allowing you a steady income from your spare land.
If the idea of renting the land doesn’t appeal to you, you could also use the gardens to grow and sell flowers.
2. Accommodation
If you’re looking for a more hands-on task, consider adding accommodation to your land. The addition of garden rooms or other rentable buildings to your land gives you space that you can rent out for holidays, retreats, and working holidays.
Typically, the upkeep and maintenance of this will take up more of your free time, but when done right, it can be both rewarding and lucrative.
3. Parks and Playgrounds
One very simple way that landowners can look at utilising their space is by enhancing the space with the addition of parks and playgrounds.
There is no singular design which a park or playground should follow, meaning that there is plenty of room for creative freedom in designing the layout of the space.
Some equipment you may look at including in your park or playground could include:
Swing sets
Climbing Walls
Trampolines
Roundabouts
If you’re interested in adding a playground to your space, but you’re not sure where to start, browse some playground equipment options to liven up your space.
4. Agriculture and Farming
If you have enough land and time to spare, there are multiple forms of farming and agriculture you can use to gain some extra income.
Livestock
A great option for anyone with large stretches of land to spare, there are a variety of livestock you could keep:
Chickens
Cattle
Horses
Sheep
Pigs
Ducks
Goats
Every type of livestock has different requirements for how they are kept, ranging from environmental to dietary factors. If you are interested in using your land to keep livestock, make sure you do plenty of research before fully committing to your decision.
If you are interested in keeping livestock, you should ensure that you have the strongest possible estate fencing available to keep them secure.
Crop Growth
Typically, requiring less commitment than livestock, crop growing is a great way to use spare land. Unlike livestock, there is no minimum requirement for how much, or how little, of your land you dedicate to growing your crops.
Whether it be tomatoes, potatoes, or wheat, there is a vast array of options available to those who are interested.
Vineyards
Very similar to crop growing, anyone who has a spare stretch of land can also lend their space to a vineyard.
Whether it be for selling the crop raw, or for producing wine to sell, a vineyard can be a way for landowners to use both their land and time to make some extra money.
Orchards
Perfect for those with acres of land to use, orchards offer landowners an opportunity to grow produce on their land in a way that can also add to the aesthetic of their property.
5. Events Space
If you have a large enough plot of spare land, then there is an opportunity for you to hire it out as an events space. This could be for community events, such as markets and fairs, or private hire parties like weddings, or birthday parties.
Ultimately, building an event space can make for added work due to the need to upkeep the grounds regularly and treat the land after events have taken place. But, using your land in this way is a rewarding method that can really build an extra income for those who can devote their time to it.
6. Renewable Energy
For landowners looking to reduce their carbon footprint, why not look into using the spare land to contribute to renewable energy efforts? Some ways you can implement this for your land include:
Wind farms
A wind farm is a stretch of land that holds power-generating wind turbines. By building even just one wind turbine on your land, you can contribute to renewable energy efforts. However, for this to be an effective use of your land, you should first assess whether your land gets enough wind to make a good return on investment.
Solar farms
Similar to wind farms, solar farms are an area of land that holds solar panels. Compared to wind farms, solar farms tend to use up less space, meaning that this is a viable option for more landowners. As long as your stretch of land gets enough sun exposure, you can install as many solar panels as you desire.
7. Recreational Space
Another potentially unique and exciting use of your land could be converting the area into a space for recreational activity. These could include:
Off-Road Trails
Well suited for stretches of land that are difficult to traverse, or are heavily wooded, creating winding off-road trails is a great way to make room for activities without changing too much of the land’s original character.
As owner, you can decide who this area will be open to. You can create this space for use by:
Horse riders
Hikers
Mountain bikers
Motocross riders
Quad bike riders
While you don’t necessarily have to pick just one of these demographics to cater to, some of the above listed don’t mix well, so you will have to enforce particular rules for what the space is used for.
Camp Sites
Creating an area that is well-suited to campers shouldn’t be a difficult task for most landowners. The main obstacle that you will encounter with this use of your land is finding the best way to keep the area secure. This applies to both daytime and nighttime security.
Properly securing the perimeter of your area can be costly, depending on the size of your land. It could be beneficial to complete a survey of the land before fully committing to this being the best use of your land moving forward.
Summer Camps
Similar to a basic campsite, using your excess land to create an area suited to summer camps can be a great way to utilise your land during the summer months.
This could include building the classic summer camp accommodation with solid decking for porches and balconies, adrenaline-inducing structures like climbing walls, or larger games such as obstacle courses.
Though this way of using your land can be very rewarding, it can also be relatively costly.
Securing Your Space
No matter what you choose to do with your land, finding the best way to keep your area secure is key. There are many ways to keep the perimeter of your area secure, from a high-quality fence to top-of-the-line home security systems.
If you’re looking at adding any length of the fence to your land, be sure that you’ve fully researched the type of fence you need. The materials need to be durable, so sturdy estate fencing, wooden fencing or composite fencing could be ideal. You should also factor in any planning permissions you may require.
How Can Steel Landscaping Co. Help?
At Steel Landscaping Co., we specialise in creating high-quality steel products to enhance your outdoor space. Whether it be steel edging, steel gates, or steel fencing, Steel Landscaping Co. can provide you with the perfect finishing touches for your outdoor space.
Not sure where to start? Get in touch with our team today for expert advice.