How to secure unoccupied land

Around the Newport area, there are some areas of land that are yet to be developed on and are left unoccupied. Unoccupied land is very much like a vacant property and can be vulnerable to crime, which means that owners should take precautions to ensure the land remains safe and secure.

In Newport and the UK, vandalism is a growing problem where owners aren’t occupying the area. There is also the potential risk of squatters living on your property which can prove to be both time-consuming and expensive issues.

If you have a plot of land that is intended to be developed on or sold at a later date, then it may be worth it to keep reading and understand how you can properly protect and secure your unoccupied land.

Physical Barriers

Concrete blocks

Placing concrete blocks across tracks/lowered pavements/roads will prevent anyone from driving onto your site. As their name suggests concrete blocks are made of concrete and are extremely heavy which means that they cannot be easily lifted or moved by anybody who might want to get onto your land (unless they use machinery to move them)

Fencing

To maximise the security around your unoccupied land, having physical barriers such as fencing will prevent trespassers from getting onto your land.

Although having fencing on your site is not a sure way of keeping everyone out (especially if used on its own) it can add an additional layer of protection.

There are many types of fencing available, including some with anti-climb attributes or those with sharp points at the top. In many situations, the presence of fencing (especially ones that pose a physical threat) can often dissuade criminals from attempting to gain access to your unoccupied site.

Boarding

Boarding is mainly used as a temporary security measure for unoccupied land that may be vacant for a short period of time. Boarding usually entails boarding up doors and windows with solid timber boards. It’s a very cost-effect and simple solution to dissuade people from entering but it shouldn’t be used a long-term measure.

Security doors and windows

If you have a vacant building, then using steel security doors and windows are a great measure for safeguarding against vandalism.

Using heavy-duty security doors and windows offers a higher level of protection compared to standard doors and windows or boarding as they tend to come with anti-tamper fixings, as well as being damage proof.

This means that vandals and squatters and other trespassers are extremely unlikely to be able to gain access to your vacant property without having to use tools or machinery.

Security

CCTV

CCTV remains as one of the best deterrents to trespassers. If criminals feel like they are being watched, they are less likely to enter your premises in which they are not permitted.

CCTV allows the ability to monitor your site 24/7 and can provide detailed footage. This can help those who are monitoring your site and CCTV quickly identify any dangers or threats such as vandalism, thieves or other trespassers and can quickly respond before anything serious happens.

If something does happen on your property, the footage captured can be used as evidence for investigations and prosecution.

Other measures

Property guardians

Although property guardians is a new idea, they are used a temporary measure to help protect empty properties or commercial premises such as warehouses, schools and disused restaurants and pubs.

A property guardians’ role is to act as a ‘house sitter’ and live in unoccupied properties on a short-term basis so that it prevents squatters from moving in or damage taking place.

 Security guards

Although this would be quite an extreme measure for small plots of unoccupied land or properties, large properties such as warehouses and large plots of land can benefit from these services.

Manned guarding is mainly used to protect key access points such as gates and doorways so that no one can gain access. They can also be placed in areas that are deemed as a blind spot for CCTV camera’s and act as an extra set of eyes to ensure that there is no suspicious activity. Manned guards can also be used to monitor CCTV and can quickly notify other security guards or police that there is suspicious activity on your property.

If you have a large property or have multiple sites, then mobile patrols are the best solution. As the name suggests, mobile patrols can patrol the perimeter of your site or patrol the inside of your property, ensuring that key access points are secure and there is no suspicious activity. If there is an alarm sounded at any of your properties or sites then they can quickly respond and professionally deal with any intruders.

We at A&R Security Services can provide a range of professional security solutions from Keyholding and alarm response to manned guarding and mobile patrols across Newport and South Wales. To find out more about our security solutions then visit our website or to arrange a free security quotation then call us on 01656 713950