Welcome to Strutt & Parker Rural Hub

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

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Specialisms

As you consider your future strategy, having access to the right expertise and information is crucial. Our teams cover every service and discipline within the rural sector; grounded in excellent farming and land management fundamentals, we are underpinned by the wider financial and property expertise of the BNP Paribas Group.

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Managing Estates & Land

Strutt & Parker’s national land management team provides strategic business advice and practical management services to clients including private estates,...

Farming

Our experienced and knowledgeable farming team can help make you become more profitable and efficient by offering practical and realistic...

Estates & Farms Agency

Strutt & Parker have been at the forefront of the estates and farms market for over 130 years. We have...

Forestry & Woodland

John Clegg & Co is the specialist forestry & woodland division of Strutt & Parker. Our specialist forestry and woodland...

Environmental

Strutt & Parker’s environmental land management advice is delivered with an eye firmly on the bigger picture and with a...

Energy

Rural Ambitions

Managing Rural Housing

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

Viticulture

Strutt & Parker’s viticulture group are the market leaders in identifying and securing land suitable for vines through purchases or...

Rural Connectivity

Strutt & Parker's unrivalled telecoms group acts for landowners only and never for telecommunications operators. With dedicated local specialists, we...

Client Accounting & Taxation

Our land & property accounting and bookkeeping department works closely with our taxation team, who uniquely combine rural and agricultural...

Estates Development & Planning

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

Future Trends

Keeping abreast of trends in markets and demographics is key to running successful rural businesses. Whether it is looking for...

Research

Our in-house rural research team reviews the latest information and trends and produces briefing papers for clients and for our...

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Latest Articles

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Land Business Update | Week Commencing 3 August 2026

Farming & food Early reports are of a very mixed harvest (England) Reports from a variety of sources are suggesting that: Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (England) Expressions of interest can now be submitted for agroforestry and woodland improvement agreements, as well as new single-focus agreements that cover scheduled monument management and species-rich grassland. Please contact your local farming team if you […]

Research
Land Business Update

05.08.2026

7 mins

Rights of way: Time to review Section 31 (6) deposits

Most landowners have some form of public right of way running across their farm or estate, providing walkers with the opportunity to explore and enjoy the countryside. The warm weather may have led to increased use of these routes, making this a useful time for landowners to take stock and check that paths are being used as intended. Walkers can unintentionally create alternative routes […]

Managing Estates & Land
Public Access

29.07.2026

3 mins

Land Business Update | Week Commencing 20 July 2026

Farming & food Agricultural commodity prices expected to fall over the medium-term (global) The OECD and FAO produce an annual assessment of the ten-year prospects for global agricultural commodity and fish markets. It is always interesting as it provides a comprehensive assessment of how supply, demand and prices might change. The projections are based on […]

Research
Land Business Update

23.07.2026

7 mins

Improving the water resilience of farming businesses

As periods of drought become more common, water security is rising up the agenda for UK farmers. We explore how businesses can improve their water resilience. Water has traditionally been viewed by many farmers as a utility that is simply there. However, with the increasing frequency of extreme weather patterns, resulting in prolonged droughts and flash […]

Farming
Environmental

13.07.2026

2 mins

Land Business Update | Week Commencing 6 July 2026

Farming & food SFI26 update – very strong demand with around 50% of window 1 budget allocated after three days (England) As expected, a lot of applications were submitted as soon as the application window opened. Defra says that demand has now levelled out but our advice remains to submit an application as soon as possible. If you would like any assistance in preparing an application, please contact your local […]

Research
Land Business Update

07.07.2026

10 mins

Farming Roadmap 2050: What comes next for farmers?

It is a rare sight to see a piece of policy that crosses the siloes of different government departments. The Farming Roadmap may be such a unicorn. Following closely on the heels of the Land Use Framework, the Roadmap endeavours to lay out a vision for English agriculture that crosses boundaries from food production to […]

Farming
Environmental

06.07.2026

4 mins

Planning reform update: 7 key changes for rural landowners

The Government’s ambitious targets for 1.5 million homes and economic growth have prompted significant planning reforms over the past two years. A new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was introduced by the Government in December 2024, but the policy landscape continues to evolve, and we await publication of more radical NPPF changes shortly. From a […]

Estates Development & Planning
Planning

26.06.2026

6 mins

Farmers urged to check RPA records well in advance of SFI26 application

Farmers are being encouraged to carry out essential checks on their Rural Payments Agency (RPA) accounts ahead of the launch of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2026 scheme – including anyone looking to apply in September 2026. The SFI26 budget is widely expected to come under significant pressure when the scheme opens to all eligible […]

Farming
Environmental schemes

26.06.2026

2 mins

What the National Scheme of Delegation means for planning decisions

New rules are due to come into force in England on 31 October 2026 with the aim of delivering faster and more consistent local planning decisions. The National Scheme of Delegation of Planning Functions introduces a list of the types of applications which should be determined by planning officers and another list which details applications which can be referred to planning […]

Managing Estates & Land
Environmental schemes

25.06.2026

4 mins

The future of rural estates: Decline or transition?

Rural estates are facing a defining moment that calls for an approach that goes beyond what many may think of as traditional land management. At a time when the UK is focused on strengthening energy and food security, alongside nature recovery and climate mitigation, rural landowners and estate managers find themselves central to some of the nation’s most important policy and investment decisions. The recent Land Use Framework reflects this shift, signalling […]

Managing Estates & Land
Estate & Land Management

25.06.2026

5 mins

Land Business Update | Week Commencing 15 June 2026

Farming & food Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI26) to have £240m funding (England) The funding will be split £60m for Window 1, which opens on 30 June for farmers without an ELM agreement and farms under 50 ha, and £180m for Window 2, when opens in September for all other farmers. Defra has also confirmed that its IT systems are […]

Research
Land Business Update

22.06.2026

8 mins

Careful decision making required on SFI26

SFI26 offers potential in terms of helping farms to reduce risk and deliver a more resilient farming system – but careful analysis is needed to ensure the figures stack up. The scheme is due to open on 18 June for a limited group of farmers and then more widely on 30 June to farmers with […]

Farming
Environmental schemes
Sustainable Farming

12.06.2026

5 mins

In the Know: Agroforestry grants and funding

Agroforestry is gaining momentum across the UK as farmers and landowners look for resilient, profitable systems that work with natural processes rather than against them. Agroforestry essentially integrates trees with crops or livestock to create a more diverse, productive and climate-resilient farmed landscape. This approach is not new, as trees have been a part of […]

Farming
Environmental

12.06.2026

7 mins

Land Business Update | Week Commencing 25 May 2026

Farming & food UK vineyard business survey 2026 – open for responses now (UK) The UK viticulture sector has gone through a period of rapid growth and has had some bumper years recently. We would like produce a picture of the state of the UK vineyard sector by asking viticulture businesses about the factors that […]

Research
Land Business Update

28.05.2026

9 mins

Grants to support sustainable lowland peat management

Funding is currently available to help farmers and other stakeholders explore more sustainable ways of managing lowland peat – to preserve soils, cut emissions and maintain agricultural viability. England’s lowland peatlands, which include the Cambridgeshire Fens, Somerset Levels and Moors, and the Lancashire Mosses, are among the country’s most fertile and historically important landscapes. For […]

Farming
Environmental
Natural Capital

22.05.2026

2 mins

Biodiversity Net Gain reforms – key changes

The Government has recently announced several amendments to Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) policy and procedures which have the potential to increase demand for off-site delivery. While the requirement to deliver a minimum 10% biodiversity uplift remains unchanged, the reforms suggest a shift towards a more flexible system, particularly for smaller development sites, and a reduced […]

Managing Estates & Land
Biodiversity

13.05.2026

5 mins

Land Business Update | Week Commencing 4 May 2026

Farming & food Farmers without an existing ELM agreement should consider applying for SFI26 (England) The government has published some initial guidance for farmers who are eligible to apply in the first application window, which is expected to open in late June. They are farmers who (i) did not have a live, RPA-administered ELM revenue […]

Research
Land Business Update

12.05.2026

5 mins

Letting residential property – what is changing in Scotland?

Landlords in Scotland are facing some important changes this year, as new legislation aimed at strengthening tenant rights and improving standards across the private rented sector begin to take effect. Damp and mould From 6 October 2026, landlords will be subject to new responsibilities around the investigation and repair of damp and mould issues. While Scottish landlords have […]

Managing Rural Housing
Policies and regulations

06.05.2026

4 mins

Land Business Update | Week Commencing 27 April 2026

Farming & food Area of let farmland continues to fall (England) The latest data from Defra on land ownership and tenure shows that the area of land let out (for one year or more) continues to fall (to ~28% of land, from around ~33% in 2010). The data comes from the June Survey of Agriculture, […]

Farming
Land Business Update

27.04.2026

6 mins

Rising fuel and fertiliser costs demand a proactive response

Escalating fuel, fertiliser and energy costs are set to place even greater pressure on farm margins in the months ahead. The conflict in the Middle East has driven sharp increases in oil prices, with red diesel almost doubling from around 72p/litre to almost 140p/litre at peak. Fertiliser spot prices have also increased by around 30-40%, […]

Farming
Farming Update

15.04.2026

3 mins

12 August 2026

English Estates & Farmland Market Review | Summer 2026

Analysis of Strutt & Parker’s Farmland Database showsthat during the first half of this year more farms came to the open market in England than in any comparable period in almost 20 years. However, the total acreage launched publicly remains relatively low at just under 58,500 acres, which is almost identical to the amount seen […]