Enforcement Action, time limits & planning conditions

tie removal

Last month we looked at the time limits for Enforcement Action. This time Julie Branfield looks in more detail at those time limits and specifically how they relate to planning conditions and in particular Agricultural Occupancy Conditions. What we discovered last time was that there are time limits for council taking enforcement action against breaches of […]

Posted on October 21st, 2015 by

Farm Business Succession – where to start

This week we hosted a joint seminar with Clarke Willmott Solicitors, Hazelwood’s Accountants and NFU focusing on farm succession at Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park. The night was enjoyed by approximately 70 local farmers and landowners where they had the opportunity to discuss the detail of planning succession with a panel of experts. We heard […]

Posted on October 16th, 2015 by

Housing development on my land – what are the options?

As some Local Authorities start to get their houses in order with regard to their local plan policy we take a look at the opportunities that still exist for housing development. Allocated development If your property has been allocated for development in any of the emerging local strategies and plans, the chances are you already […]

Posted on October 12th, 2015 by

Enforcement action and how to avoid it.

When is development immune from enforcement action?  You may remember the case of the farmer who wrapped his house in straw bales. In 2001 Robert Fidler built a new house on greenbelt land in Surrey and hid it behind straw bales www.telegraph.co.uk. In 2006 he removed the straw bales to reveal the house that he had […]

Posted on September 14th, 2015 by

Is rural development going to thrive with the new plan?

One of many promises made by the Conservatives during the run up to the election was to encourage rural development in order to develop the rural economy. Last week George Osbourne and Liz Truss indicated they were delivering their promise in an article in the Telegraph.They have now issued their 10 point plan so Julie Branfield, […]

Posted on August 21st, 2015 by

What else could I do with my farm buildings?

We are often asked what else could I do with my farm buildings, particularly in recent weeks when all agricultural sectors seem to be struggling with low prices and high input costs. Alternative income streams can provide a stable income to level out the undulations of farming activity and either give extra cash to invest […]

Posted on July 27th, 2015 by

Agricultural Ties Removal – Continued Success

Farm succession

Carver Knowles success in removing “Agricultural ties” continues. Carver Knowles have successfully removed an Agricultural Occupancy Condition from a Worcestershire farmhouse, even though the property formed part of a working farm and was occupied by the farmer and his wife. The farmhouse formed part of a 160 acre mixed livestock and arable unit and Carver […]

Posted on July 10th, 2015 by

Conversions of agricultural buildings – is the permitted development clearer?

Barn conversion

It has been a year of uncertainty and frustration for farmers, planners and agents alike, as all tried to steer a course through the new Permitted Development Rights legislation that allowed the conversion of qualifying barns into dwellings. Written legislation was very brief and differed from consultation documents, making life difficult for developers and decision […]

Posted on April 21st, 2015 by

Do I need a valuation of my property?

Farmland valuation

Every property owner in the UK will require a valuation of their assets from time to time for a variety of reasons, not just when they are thinking about selling. Property valuations are a huge part of the work we undertake and form a major part of our training and qualifications, therefore it is always […]

Posted on March 17th, 2015 by

New Basic Payment Scheme is open for registration

Following further updates  the online system for BPS registrations is back up and running. The RPA are drip feeding invitations out to farmers through agents, the NFU, the TFA and the CLA to prevent over subscription and the system crashing (in a similar fashion to the tax disc launch!). All farmers wishing to claim single farm […]

Posted on February 18th, 2015 by