Dedicated teams

and partners -

our approach is

characterised by

good relationships.

Rural business

Agriculture law involves incredible diversity these days. You may be troubled by issues involving rights of way, you may face a legal situation involving wind farms, or you may simply be looking for suitable equine solicitors. In agriculture, the legal spectrum is vast and our experience is wide. We are proud, for example, to have been selected as a member of the NFU Legal Panel Firms to provide support and professional guidance to farmers.

The rural business team provides and delivers specialist advice, with a gateway to other services of the firm. This gives you the best of both worlds: an integrated approach based on a clear understanding of the way you operate.

Our clients are mainly private individuals running agricultural and rural businesses or using farmland as an investment. Many traditional farms are run as partnerships of family members, while some are sole traders. A minority will be run through companies. Whatever the nature of the ownership, our advice will be timely, relevant and delivered with an understanding of commercial realities.

We also act for a number of charities, including the RSPB, as well as local authorities and public bodies such as HCA.

Specific expertise within the team includes advice on:

• The sale and purchase of farms and farmland, as well as other aspects of the transfer of the farming business; transfer of single payments and any environmental stewardship scheme obligations and any other agri-environmental schemes
• Grant, termination and dealings with all types of tenancies – agricultural tenancies, residential tenancies (e.g. estate of farm cottages) and business leases
• Sales for non-agricultural use particularly the grant of options and sales of farmland to developers acquiring land for residential and commercial development
• Diversification projects where farmers are seeking additional income from new projects
• Renewable energy projects, including wind farms
• Single payments, environmental stewardship schemes, milk and other quotas
• Mineral leases
• Heritage property
• Sales/purchase/letting of estate/farm cottages and other residential property
• Sporting rights

We can draw on expertise from elsewhere in the firm to advise on:

• Taxation, particularly Inheritance Tax advice
• Wills and succession planning
• Trusts and charities
• Employment issues
• Planning and development matters
• Compliance with environmental legislation
• Partnership matters
• Incorporation of businesses
• Pensions

Hewitsons has been recognised as a leader in providing agriculture and rural business services for more than 100 years. Our people have all the experience, knowledge and relevant professional memberships to go on delivering outstanding service in the years to come.

Associated services:

Commercial development
Environment
Heritage property
Planning
Property tax
Residential development

To download our Agriculture & rural business service sheet, please visit our Knowledge Centre.