Rural Hub

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Strutt & Parker Rural Hub

The Rural Hub is the place to find information, advice and latest research on all aspects of estate and farm management.

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At Strutt & Parker, our goal is to help you maximise the potential of your land. Through effective estate management, and expert advice on subjects such as environmental land management, farm management and rural planning, we can help ensure the financial and environmental sustainability of your business.

As you consider your future strategy, having access to the right expertise and information is crucial; the Strutt & Parker Rural Hub gives you access to the most up-to-date guidance and research on topical issues relating to farming, forestry, viticulture, renewable energy and agronomy. Our experienced rural team are here to support you as you transition into your next chapter.

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09.06.2023

Do woodland carbon credit calculations need a review?

Woodland may store significantly more carbon than previously estimated, with potentially long-term implications for landowners considering planting trees to generate woodland carbon credits. A recent study, which involved using a novel 3D scanning technique, found that UK forests could store almost double the amount of carbon than previous calculations suggest. Currently the amount of carbon […]
06.06.2023

Unleashing Rural Opportunity: What’s been promised?

The Government’s charm offensive to win over the countryside continues. Just weeks after it held the Farm to Fork Summit at 10 Downing Street, the Government has unveiled a new rural action plan to deliver housing and jobs, alongside better digital connectivity and transport links, in the countryside. Defra Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey has […]
06.06.2023

English Farming Update | Summer 2023

Welcome to this quarter’s Farming Update, which is produced by our Farming Research Group and reports on market and administrative issues that affect farmers’ business decisions and on which they may need to act. Grain and oilseed prices have been dropping consistently since their peak in April/May 2022 due to a number of contributing factors […]
06.06.2023

Renters’ Reform Bill – a guide for rural landlords

The Renter’s Reform Bill was reintroduced to Parliament in May 2023 after first being promised back in 2019. It aims to deliver a “fairer private rented sector for tenants and landlords”. The contents of the Bill are actually pretty familiar in that they are based around a Conservative Party election manifesto commitment to abolish Section […]
01.06.2023

Defra chooses evolution, not revolution on tenancy reform

The government has published its response to the independent Rock Review which in October 2022 put forward a set of 74 recommendations on measures to support the agricultural tenanted sector. After reviewing the recommendations, the government has announced it will be implementing the following main measures: Plans for a new Farm Tenancy Forum to support the […]
01.06.2023

Land Business Update | Week Commencing 29th May 2023

FARMING AND FOOD New domestic agricultural policy announced at the Farm to Fork Summit The first ever UK Food Summit was held on the 16th May at No.10 Downing Street, bringing together representatives of the whole food supply chain, to discuss how the government and the industry can come together to support a prosperous UK […]
31.05.2023

Defra opens door for farm buyers to claim delinked payments

New guidance from Defra has highlighted that where a farm has recently sold then the reference amount on which delinked payments will be based can be transferred to the new owner. Delinked payments will apply from 2024 and will be calculated based on an average of a farmer’s Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) receipts in 2020, […]
30.05.2023

Get ready for harvest – Summer 2023 health and safety update

Farms and estates are being encouraged to implement a simple five-point plan to help make this year’s harvest safer. Harvest is a high-pressure time of the year, with lots needing to be done in a short amount of time and involving lots of large machinery. It is a time of the year where there are […]
24.05.2023

Defra and the climb towards Net Zero

What is the problem? The UK Government is falling behind on its net zero emissions reductions targets, most strikingly so in the UK agriculture and land use sector. The Word Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has analysed the figures from the Government’s Carbon Budget Delivery Strategy, published alongside a swathe of documents on the re-branded […]
22.05.2023

Briefing on AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently launched its latest report on the climate crisis. The AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023 is significant as it summarises the latest and most important science on climate change, based on five years of reports on global temperature rises, fossil fuel emissions and climate impacts. The report […]
18.05.2023

Land Business Update | Week Commencing 15th May 2023

FARMING AND FOOD Government goes back on Food Strategy promise to produce horticulture sector strategy The government will not produce a strategy for the horticulture sector as it is reported as saying that it is more focused on delivering actions to support the sector.  The UK has exceptionally low self-sufficiency in fruit, vegetables and plant […]
18.05.2023

The lowdown on Class R

In increasingly uncertain times many farmers and landowners have already embarked on diversification projects to provide additional income streams and reduce business risk. Using redundant agricultural buildings has become a popular option to drive alternative enterprises and increase their capital value. Farmers and landowners have long complained about flaws in the 70-year-old planning system, which […]
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15.05.2023

Research on long-term agreements for landscape recovery

Strutt & Parker has been involved in a project which seeks to address some of the challenges around the use of long-term agreements for landscape recovery in productive agricultural areas. Researchers at the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI), based at the University of Gloucestershire, have worked in collaboration with Strutt & Parker to explore […]
11.05.2023

MEES – what’s happening?

The latest update to the future of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations is Bill 50: Minimum Energy Efficiency of Buildings Bill 2022-2023 – to make provision to increase the energy performance of buildings; and for connected purposes. Presented by Sarah Olney, this bill went through its first reading on 24 March and the second […]
03.05.2023

Grants available for farm reservoirs and irrigation equipment

Grants of up to £500,000 are available for arable and horticultural businesses in England to help pay for the construction of a farm reservoir or the purchase of efficient irrigation systems. The second round of the Water Management Grant – part of the Farming Transformation Fund – has recently opened, with applicants invited to check […]
02.05.2023

Land Business Tracker | May 2023

Welcome to our quarterly tracker of key land management, farming, planning and energy regulation and legislation. In this issue we cover: We try to keep our Tracker of regulation and legislation that affects rural property as brief as possible but… it continues to get longer! It feels like there is a lot of new regulation […]
02.05.2023

Land Business Update | Week Commencing 1st May 2023

FORESTRY Join our masterclass on Woodland Creation! John Clegg & Co, in partnership with the Forestry Commission, is running a Masterclass on Woodland Creation on 8th June 2023. Reasons to plant trees are numerous, including the opportunity to generate new income streams and improve business resilience. During the masterclass, our forestry advisers along with representatives […]
28.04.2023

Catchment Sensitive Farming approval reminder for CSS

Farmers looking to apply for any of the capital grants under the Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) which require approval from a Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer (CSFO), should make contact with the CSFO in the next few weeks, if they have not already done so. Valuable capital grants are on offer which will allow farms […]
26.04.2023

Beware of expiring MEES exemptions

Landlords who applied in 2018 for an exemption from Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for let residential property are reminded that their exemption expires this year. It became law on 1 April 2018 that landlords needed an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of at least an E grade to let out residential property, unless they were […]
25.04.2023

5 key points for landowners and farmers facing utility works

Hundreds of miles of new and upgraded infrastructure is needed for the Government to meet its targets for levelling up and for the UK to be net zero by 2050. New housing, commercial development, and the move to renewable energy technologies like solar, battery and vehicle charging points, is increasing the pressure for a new […]
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Our Specialisms

Managing Estates & Land

Strutt & Parker’s national land management team provides strategic business advice and practical management services to clients including private estates, local authorities, charities, institutional investors and utility companies. The priority of our team of experienced rural surveyors is to ensure that each client’s land and property is managed to meet the objectives that matter most to them.

We have a proven track record in supporting landowners to make the most of their rural assets, to fulfil both business and personal objectives. Our input will be tailored according to an individual’s requirements. It can range from strategic business advice, compulsory purchase orders, renewable energy and long-term tax planning, through to hands-on management of the whole estate, handling all the day-to-day decision making.  

Farming

Our experienced and knowledgeable farming team can help make you become more profitable and efficient by offering practical and realistic farm management advice. We have a proven track record of working with the most progressive farmers and landowners.

Our people, who are based in 13 offices around the country, have the experience and local knowledge to help you grow your business including; agronomy, livestock management as well as assisting in solving bigger strategic issues such as succession planning or a change in business structure. Nearly half of our experts are BASIS and FACTS qualified, delivering independent crop management advice across more than 50,000ha.

Forestry & Woodland

John Clegg & Co is the specialist forestry & woodland division of Strutt & Parker. Our specialist forestry and woodland management team advise on everything from large-scale commercial conifer forests through to small-scale mixed amenity woodland blocks. We are able to advise on everything from planting and management of woodlands on estates, to improving timber quality, through to felling and the processing of timber ready for sale.

We can also help secure grant funding for the creation and sustainable management of woodland as well as guide landowners on how to manage their commercial woodland to ensure that they qualify for capital gains and inheritance tax exemptions.

Find out more about John Clegg & Co and the services they offer.

Environmental

Strutt & Parker’s environmental land management advice is delivered with an eye firmly on the bigger picture and with a long-term perspective. We work closely with our clients, who range from farmers and landowners to institutions and corporate bodies, to help them reduce their environmental impact, mitigate climate change and enhance biodiversity. Our teams can offer advice and support on areas such as agri-environment scheme applications, regenerative farming, carbon audits and natural capital accounts.

In addition, we advise clients who want to embrace opportunities to provide ecosystem services through the management of their natural capital assets. This might be through woodland creation, peatland restoration, soil carbon schemes or Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). We have seen significant growth in interest from funds and corporate occupiers who are looking to nature-based solutions as part of their ESG strategies as they plan for successful and sustainable futures for their real estate assets and portfolios. We can provide bespoke solutions through our specialist natural capital team within Strutt & Parker, which complements our dedicated UK sustainability team within the BNP Paribas Group and over 40 specialists across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Energy

Strutt & Parker’s Energy Team is at the forefront of assisting clients to identify opportunities for development, investment and management of energy generating projects, alongside energy conservation and responding to energy efficiency legislation.

Our independent advice can guide you through all aspects of energy with the knowledge that we understand how it fits in with your wider property strategy. We provide services for all types of property and the energy sector. We have experience advising across the UK from the City of London to the Highlands of Scotland.

We also have specialist planning advisers, building surveying experts and agency teams to provide additional support for all your energy needs.

Rural Ambitions

Rural Ambitions provide entrepreneurial consultancy advice to family businesses in the rural community, to help traditional estates and farms develop into resilient and diverse businesses. Drawing on MBA and urban place making talent, we strive to create customer facing, innovative places in the rural landscape that anticipate changing trends in order that they remain relevant and engaging. 

Rural Placemaking is our unique proposition to the market. It is the understanding that we can be editors of the places we own. We can invite the businesses that inspire us and that share our values to become our trading partners. Placemaking is the reinterpretation of footpaths and cycle routes through woods and along river banks to create a natural, energetic footfall from one estate business to the next. In a world where what the market values is changing more rapidly than any of us can remember, placemaking is being alive to the opportunities and threats that this brings, and helping our clients adapt their businesses to thrive in these turbulent times. 

Managing Rural Housing

Our services are tailored to each client and range from advising on the regulations affecting residential tenancies, through to a full residential property management service.

Using research-led insights, we are able to effectively find the right tenants for your property, as well as preparing tenancy agreements, arrange inventories, collect rents and deal with tenancy renewals and ensuring that legislative requirements are met, such as checking gas boilers and smoke alarms.

Viticulture

Strutt & Parker’s viticulture group are the market leaders in identifying and securing land suitable for vines through purchases or rental agreements, using our specialist vineyard mapping software. We have helped buy land for several clients including Champagne Taittinger, Champagne Pommery, Chapel Down and Nyetimber.

We also have specialist planning, development and hospitality teams that can help clients secure planning permission for and build wineries and visitor centres.

Rural Connectivity

Strutt & Parker’s unrivalled telecoms group acts for landowners only and never for telecommunications operators. With dedicated local specialists, we act for a range of corporate clients, local authorities and government departments as well as for private individuals owning a single site.

We oversee new lettings and lease renewals, negotiate rent reviews, advise on-site shares and deal with site upgrade requests. We also deal with assignments and network convergence between operators looking to share antenna systems.

Our work covers rooftop installations as well as greenfield sites. Wayleaves for cabling (including fibre optics) and access agreements form an ever-growing part of our work. We also market and manage individual radio mast sites, as well as extensive portfolios of mobile phone masts.

The team regularly conduct Expert Witness work for court and arbitration purposes, where their wealth of experience can carry substantial weight on behalf of clients.

Client Accounting & Taxation

Our land & property accounting and bookkeeping department works closely with our taxation team, who uniquely combine rural and agricultural tax specialists with both considerable HM Revenue & Customs and private practice experience.

The departments offer a bespoke service in accounting and taxation to include, final accounts, VAT, payroll, bookkeeping and tax compliance, based on decades of working in the rural sector.

Estates Development & Planning

The Planning Team work alongside landowners, institutional clients and the development industry to unlock the planning potential of land and buildings throughout the United Kingdom.

We excel at providing planning advice with a twist of local political knowledge. We have a growing team of experienced planners with practical project management skills to resolve the ever more challenging and complicated planning system.

Our planners work in close partnership with our development teams, who regularly advise landowners on their estate planning including; planning applications, promotion agreements and joint ventures. Their thorough knowledge of the market ensures that the development team are able to advise on the optimum solution for promoting our clients’ landholdings to achieve the best price on sale.

Estates & Farms Agency

Strutt & Parker have been at the forefront of the estates and farms market for over 130 years. We have over 25 specialist local agents located across England and Scotland. All of our agents are experienced and offer a combination of detailed local knowledge of farmland values as well as a national perspective and extensive global connections through our network of 55 UK offices.

Future Trends

Keeping abreast of trends in markets and demographics is key to running successful rural businesses. Whether it is looking for diversification opportunities, investing in the latest technological advances such as vertical farming or considering environmental change and how rural businesses can contribute positively to society.  Our specialist team, called Rural Ambitions, helps businesses convert these trends into valuable knowledge to start or develop successful businesses. 

Research

Our in-house rural research team reviews the latest information and trends and produces briefing papers for clients and for our Rural team, so it is as up-to-date as possible.  It is led by Dr Jason Beedell, who is part of our team of 49 researchers which works across Europe on all major property markets.  We produce a series of rural market reports, on crop yields, returns from contract farming and the farmland markets in England and Scotland, as well as occasional papers.  The team also produces Land Business Update, a free fortnightly e-bulletin on the latest property news and issues. 

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