Our market leading research and articles deliver actionable insights to help our clients make informed business decisions.

Rural economy & property Renters’ Rights Bill – time to prepare (England) The Renters’ Rights Bill aims to ensure a fair balance between strengthening the rights of tenants and preserving landlords’ ability to manage their properties effectively. The proposed legislation has yet to complete its passage through Parliament, but we are not anticipating any significant […]

The Renters’ Rights Bill aims to ensure a fair balance between strengthening the rights of tenants and preserving landlords’ ability to manage their properties effectively. The proposed legislation has yet to complete its passage through Parliament, but we are not anticipating any significant changes to the wording, and it is expected to become law within […]

Spring is here which means the farm and estate market is starting to pick up pace. There is an amazing diversity in the properties currently coming to the market. We bring you a round-up of five of our recent launches: Michaelchurch Estate, Herefordshire The Michaelchurch Estate is one of the most significant rural holdings to […]

Rural economy & property Spring statement – watch the June spending review for changes to Defra’s budget  There were, as far as we can see, no new or unexpected changes that affect farming or rural businesses.  There were some (anticipated) changes to welfare and defence spending but not many tax changes.  The main event for […]

Policy & legislation Land use consultation – starting a national conversation   The Government has issued a 12-week consultation on a Land Use Framework for England which seeks to establish the principles, data and tools which can be used to improve decision-making about the competing pressures for land. It estimates that the total land use […]

Defra has shocked the rural sector with its decision to close the window for applications to the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), but what does this mean for farmers moving forward? The following is a summary of the key details of the announcement along with some thoughts on its far-reaching implications: Defra closed the window for […]

Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) is the system used for grading the quality of agricultural land in England and Wales, with its primary function being to inform decision making about the appropriate sustainable development of land. The planning system is broadly designed to protect the ‘best and most versatile’ (BMV) agricultural land from significant, inappropriate or […]

Farming & food Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme closed with no notice and now being ‘reset’ The government caused a lot of anger and consternation when it closed the scheme on Tuesday 11 March.  It said that more farmers had applied than in previous years and so the budget limit had been reached.  There are […]

Rural economy & property Update on grants and rural policy in England The Secretary of State Steve Reed and his team made a number of positive announcements at the NFU Conference.  Here are the ones we think are most important: ELM capital grants – all 4,000 applications that were held up will be processed and […]

Hedgerows play an important role in the countryside. Traditionally they were used to mark boundaries and contain livestock, but now their wider role is much more recognised. They reduce flooding. They control soil erosion and protecting fields from wind. They act as a barrier to fertilisers and pesticides entering water. And, of course, they are […]

In the Know: The Land Use Framework explained The Government has issued a 12-week consultation on a Land Use Framework for England which seeks to establish the principles, data and tools which can be used to improve decision-making about the competing pressures for land. It is hoped that the framework will help landowners, farmers, local […]

Farming & food EU’s draft ‘Vision for Agriculture & Food’ provides roadmap for farm policy It is always interesting to see what other countries are doing and a leaked draft of the EU’s policy, which is still subject to change before it is officially published and then negotiated, has a number of main themes: Direct […]