The introduction of a Land Use Framework to address the country’s lack of a mechanism for managing diverse land demands has been a subject for discussion at Government level.

Kate Mason, Associate Partner at Fisher German, advises landowners before the details of the plans are announced by the new Labour Government.

England has a finite supply of land and the patchwork of rules, regulations and other issues associated with it is rather complicated for the new Government to deal with.

The Land Use Framework (LUF) is proposed to integrate decision-making and encourage sustainability to help the Government and local authorities resolve complex problems around food security, environmental schemes, development and more.

The focus and change of Government will have implications for the LUF but while we wait for the details to be announced, there is a great deal which farmers and estate owners can be doing in the meantime.

Farmers and estate owners must understand the opportunities available with their existing assets to help them make informed decisions in the future.

At Fisher German, our Strategic Asset Consultancy experts provide an assessment of an estate’s current land use and identify new opportunities for diversified income and development.

We provide a Land Zoning service which considers a variety of options for the land, including the planning potential, mineral opportunity and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) potential which can be at farm or estate level, with information and opportunities presented visually on a plan.

This straightforward process allows us to classify the land and have a discussion as to whether its current land use could be changed to encourage more sustainability and business resilience in identifying new opportunities. 

Formulating a business property strategy is really important for assessing property portfolios, correctly spreading assets to fully understand any risks and to maximise return on investment across the portfolio. Our strategic property consultants, who have a mix of rural, commercial and residential experience, will achieve all this and enable landowners to make informed decisions.

This is crucial in establishing clear direction of the future of the business and a detailed understanding of the opportunities available, considering short, medium and long-term objectives.

Development opportunity is likely to be more widely available and with Labour’s proposed planning changes strategic planning is key.

A change in management approach could unlock potential and provide a balanced portfolio, with risk spread across the markets. 

Thinking strategically about property and assets will enable landowners to future proof their assets, spread risk and have a resilient approach for the future.

If you would like help in preparing a strategy and/or would like a strategic review or want to understand the opportunities through a Land Zoning Report, get in touch with Fisher German for expert advice.