A Shropshire farmer ‘s daughter, Hollie, 24, joins Berrys as a fully qualified rural practice chartered surveyor having recently passed her Agricultural Valuers’ examinations and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Assessment of Professional Competence.

 Hollie will be working alongside Berrys’ partner Chris Jones and associate Sarah Reece carrying out a range of professional work including agency, valuations, property management, compensation and planning work.

 After graduating from the Rural Enterprise and Land Management course at Harper Adams University College in 2010 Hollie worked as a graduate surveyor with Nock Deighton in Bridgnorth where she gained experience in rural land and property agency and management, valuations, renewable energy and environmental work while training for her professional examinations.

 She also spent a year on work experience placement in her penultimate year at Harper Adams with Exmoor Farmers Livestock Auctions Limited in Somerset where she worked alongside livestock auctioneers as well as rural surveyors.

Hollie lives with her parents and two sisters on the family beef, sheep and arable farm at Hanwood near Shrewsbury and in her spare time is a keen traveller and member of Young Farmers. Last year she had a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience farming first hand in Kenya through a YFC Discovery trip sponsored by Shropshire Chamber of Agriculture and Burwarton and District Agricultural Society.

 “This was a fantastic opportunity for me and I spent a week out in Kenya living with a farming family helping on the farm and visiting schools and hospitals to experience their lifestyle,” said Hollie.

 Now back on home ground, Hollie is keen to further her career in the county and industry she loves: “Although I never wanted to farm I always wanted to work in the industry and I am looking forward to broadening my skills working with the experienced professionals at Berrys and meeting farmers and clients in the industry I have grown up with,” she added.

Chris Jones said he was delighted to welcome Hollie to Berrys: “This is an exciting time for agriculture and food production and we are privileged to be working alongside some of the most forward looking farmers in the region.

“With her farming background, academic achievements and practical experience, I am sure Hollie will bring a lot to our team enabling us to further assist our clients in this ever changing farming world,” he added.

 Hollie can be contacted at Berrys on 01743 267067 or email hollie.savage@berrybros.com

 Defra’s Rural Economy Grants are part of the government’s promised package of measures designed to stimulate sustainable growth in the rural economy following the publication last year of the Rural Economy Growth Review.

“Although full details are yet to be announced, it appears there will be several different measures including using £100m of Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) funding to help rural businesses and a £25m package to support rural tourism,” explained Mandy Seedhouse, grants specialist with Berrys based at Shrewsbury.

“Other measures and areas of funding will include support to boost farm competitiveness, agri-food, rural tourism, forestry, renewable energy and training. The small grant Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme will also continue.

“Although the grants have not yet been launched Defra is putting together ‘pipelines’ of potential projects and Defra (West Midlands) has invited Berrys to send in details of any potential projects we have in the West Midlands area.

“As funding is likely to be quite tight it is important to get ideas in quickly. We are urging farmers with projects that might be suitable for funding to come to us as soon as possible so we can put forward their ideas to Defra,” Mandy said.

“Once the scheme is officially launched, Defra will be asking for potential applicants to send in expressions of interest. A shortlist will then be drawn up of projects which Defra feels merit a full application so it is important that the expression of interest provides all the information required and promotes the project.”

In addition to the funding, the Government is also consulting on more flexible use of farm buildings, making it easier to change the use of rural buildings for business uses. Defra is also looking at reducing regulation on farms.

For more details, or to put forward projects to be considered for the funding pipeline, contact Mandy Seedhouse at Berrys on 01743 267066 or email mandy.seedhouse@berrybros.com

The conference  “2012 and beyond – moving forward” will be  hosted by the IAgSA Shropshire Branch on March 9, 10 and 11,  2012 at the Albrighton Hall Hotel and Spa, near  Shrewsbury.

“Farm secretaries have a vital role to play on farms today and we are delighted to be able support our local network as they host this important conference in Shropshire,” said Sarah Reece, Berrys’ associate based at the Shrewsbury office.

“The institute’s conference is held in a different place in the country each year and is a great chance for farm secretaries from all over the country to get together to discuss topical issues and changing legislation.”

The weekend event provides a wide selection of informative workshops and interesting and stimulating presentations and delegates can book in for all, or part, of the event to suit their needs.

The event could not go ahead without sponsorship and Berrys and Whittingham Riddell are joint main sponsors this year.  Both firms are based on Shrewsbury Business Park. Other national and local firms are providing support too.

The event will be chaired by NFU group secretary Simon Latter and opens on Friday afternoon with two workshops plus a presentation on CAP Reform by Alan Williams and Simon Lunniss of the Rural Payments Agency followed by an update on money laundering regulations by Garry Carter of ICB Global.

On Saturday, pensions are covered by Andrew Gardner of HSBC while Craig Sigley of Barclays Bank tackles the subject of Financing the Future.  Keeping Fit for purpose is the theme of physiotherapist Rachel Kili’s talk before Dr Barry Florey of Harper Adams University College forecasts the Economic Future of Rural Britain.

Two farm visits are available on Saturday afternoon – to Fordhall Organic farm at Market Drayton, where Charlotte Hollins will explain how she and her brother Ben enlisted the help of thousands of people across the world to save this historic farm from development, and to Albrighton Estate and Battlefield 1403 farm shop owned and farmed almost entirely in hand by the Jagger family.

Guest speaker at the gala dinner will be Margaret Thrower, the inspirational daughter of TV gardener Percy Thrower who for many years ran the family’s garden centre in Shrewsbury.

Sunday starts with a Question time panel with Duncan Montgomery, Tax Partner of Whittingham Riddell, Tom Devey of MFG Solicitors and Andrew Connah, regional manager with AMC (Agricultural Mortgage Company).

For more details on the conference visit www.iagsa.co.uk.  Sarah Reece can be contacted at Berrys on 01743 271697 email sarah.reece@berrybros.com

As an agent registered to provide Farm Environment  Plans,  Berrys already works closely with Natural England and now the firm has been invited to discuss potential new Higher Level Stewardship Schemes (HLS) in Shropshire  to determine conservation priorities for the next few years.

“Natural England has produced a draft pipeline of holdings that they consider a priority to be progressed for 2013/14 HLS agreements,” explained Stephen Locke who leads Berrys’ environment team at Shrewsbury.

“If farmers have land that they would like to promote for HLS they need to submit proposals to Natural England now.

“To facilitate the discussion process it is important that land is assessed against county targets, and, as demand for HLS is very high, applicants must stay focused on the highest environmental priorities and habitats,” he explained.

Responses need to be with Natural England by February 10, 2012.  If the Holding is likely to be a priority then Natural England must agree whether the application would be progressed ‘fast track’, ‘standard’ or ‘complex’  as per the three tier application system.

“They also need to agree a timeline for the application, including an application submission date and a start date,” he added.

Anyone with land that could be considered for the HLS pipeline should contact Stephen Locke or Mandy Seedhouse at Berrys as soon as possible for advice before the registration deadline. Telephone  01743 271697 or email stephen.locke@berrybros.com

 By Marcus Blake senior practitioner with Berrys based at Towcester, Northamptonshire

The announcement yesterday (Jan 10)  includes new compensation provisions and details of extra tunnels to help local properties and will be along the previously proposed route.

The goal is to complete construction of phase one between London and Birmingham by 2026 in order to address overcrowding on the existing rail network.

As part of HS2’s own announcement they state that they will now start the next stage of the HS2 environmental and design work in preparation for the Hybrid Bill. It is mostly likely to be late 2013 until details of the legislation is published. The Government’s intention is that HS2 will now be taken forward on a cross-party basis and that MPs will vote on the Bill just before the next election.

Opponents along the route are considering legal action which could delay this process. Such a judicial review is likely to question the way the consultation has handled the environmental impact and compensation packages.

The Transport Secretary’s announcement includes a new package of compensation measures to help those affected by the scheme which includes:

A sale and rent back scheme that allows affected owners to remain in their property until it is needed for construction

• A streamlined property purchasing scheme to simplify the statutory blight process for property owners
• The introduction of a streamlined small claims scheme for construction damage which will allow claimants to be paid compensation more quickly and simply under existing legislation

Importantly, the Exceptional Hardship Scheme remains in place for those property owners with an urgent need to sell but unable to do so due to the announcement of the proposed route. As of 3^rd January 2012 306 applications had been received by HS2 for this scheme, resulting in 59 claims being accepted and 41 properties (totalling over £23 million) being purchased by HS2. It is our prediction that the Exceptional Hardship Scheme will remain in place until safeguarding of the route takes place in autumn 2012.

To further mitigate the impact of HS2 on nearby property Justine Greening confirmed today details of extra tunnelling for sections of the route in response to environmental concerns. The extra or extended tunnels are proposed in such locations as:

• Northamptonshire – Greatworth,  Chipping Warden and Aston le Walls
• Buckinghamshire – Amersham, Turweston and Wendover
• Warwickshire – Long Itchington Wood

According to HS2 the revised route announced today almost halves the number of dwellings at risk from land take and reduces by a third the number experiencing increased noise levels.

As part of the announcement today revised plans have been issued for the entire route. In some places there are no changes, but for other locations there are the additional sections of tunnels plus important changes to the neighbouring road infrastructure. Local property owners are advised to check the Department for Transport website at http://assets.dft.gov.uk/hs2-maps-20120110.htm

With regard to blight, HS2 and the Department for Transport confirm that in Spring 2012 they will conduct a public consultation on proposals to help those who are close to and affected by the route.  The consultation will last 12 weeks and will be used as a tool to formulate what HS2 hope will be a suitable package of compensation measures. Also during 2012 HS2 will commence a comprehensive land referencing exercise to identify and confirm all property interests affected by the route. The aim is for HS2 to collect details of all those affected by the route so that they can make the next phase of HS2 “as pain free as possible”.

HS2 has also confirmed that they will continue to work on proposals for the line of the route to Leeds and Manchester, and in the coming months they will deliver their recommendations on the routes for phase two.

Our advice to property owners who are likely to be blighted by HS2 in the future is to contact us for further advice so that we can see whether they will benefit from the new arrangements announced today. This is particularly important as we move towards HS2 making their first formal contact with property owners.

It’s now time to see whether HS2 will get up to speed?!

Marcus Blake can be contacted at the Towcester office on 01327 356140, Mobile 07789 221559 email marcus.blake@berrybros.com

As agents registered to provide Farm Environment Plans – a structured survey of all environmental features on a farm – Berrys already works closely with Natural England on a regular basis. Now the firm has been invited to discuss potential new Higher Level Stewardship Schemes (HLS) in Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire to determine conservation priorities for 2013/2014.

“Natural England has produced a draft pipeline of holdings that they consider a priority to be progressed for 2013/14 HLS agreements,” explained Stephen Locke who leads Berrys’ environment team at Shrewsbury.

“We have already put forward a number of potential Higher Level Schemes for our clients and if farmers have land that they would like to promote for HLS they need to submit proposals to Natural England now.

“To facilitate the discussion process it is important that land is assessed against county targets, and, as demand for HLS is very high, applicants must stay focused on the highest environmental priorities and habitats,” he explained.

Responses need to be with Natural England by mid February 2012. If the Holding is likely to be a priority then Natural England must agree whether the application would be progressed ‘fast track’, ‘standard’ or ‘complex’ as per the three tier application system.

“They also need to agree a timeline for the application, including an application submission date and a start date. These will need to be adhered to as far as is reasonably possible,” he added.

Farmers and landowners with land that might be suitable for Higher Level Stewardship should contact Stephen Locke or Mandy Seedhouse at Berrys as soon as possible for advice on preparing and submitting a scheme before the deadline. Telephone 01743 271697 or email stephen.locke@berrybros.com

The two six-week trials next year will be evaluated before a panel of experts decides whether the slaughter of badgers is rolled out more widely across England, with up to 10 licences to cull the animals being granted to farmers and landowners each year.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman told the Commons that she wished there was an alternative but a vaccine for the disease would take too long to develop and was difficult to administer to wild badgers which needed to be trapped first. The two areas have yet to be selected but it is expected that the culling will lead to a reduction of 16 per cent in bovine TB.

 Mrs Spelman said the pilot scheme would look to confirm the Government’s assumptions about the “effectiveness, humanness and safety of the controlled shooting” of badgers. In worst affected areas in the west and south-west of England up to 23 per cent of cattle farms were unable to move their livestock because of fear of infection.

 Nearly 25,000 cattle were slaughtered in England last year because of bovine TB, with the cost to the taxpayer set to reach £1 billion over the next 10 years. Testing and removal restrictions were the “foundation” of the Government’s plans to tackle TB but it was now necessary to cull badgers to stop the spread of the disease.

An extra £250,000 would be made available each year for vaccinations but badgers needed to be trapped and caged before a vaccine could be administered by injection. An oral vaccine was “still years away”.

Badger control licences will be issued by Natural England under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 for farmers and landowners to carry out culling at their own expense. Applicants will have to meet strict conditions to ensure the culling is carried out safely and humanely, with each licence covering a minimum area of 150 sq km over at least four years.

 The farming industry will be invited to come forward with a selection of two areas for the pilot and then they will be able to apply for a licence.

The introduction of guaranteed Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) in April 2010 sparked a massive number of projects, with small-scale solar photovoltaic panels accounting for the large majority of registered installations, writes planning consultant Nick Williams.

The scheme, however, has become a victim of its own success. The Government has blamed budget restrictions, substantial uptake and falling technology costs for the drastic proposed FiT cut for Solar PV, sending the industry into turmoil.

 Subsidies for solar panels installed after Monday, December 12, 2011 will fall by as much as 50 per cent from next April, assuming the government adopts proposals set out in the ongoing consultation on its popular Feed-in Tariff scheme.

The consultation on new rates for photovoltaic (PV) systems with capacity of 250kW or below does not conclude until December 23. But the government’s controversial package of reforms suggest the proposed cuts will come into force for installations completed 12 days prior to the closing date of the consultation exercise.

 The lower returns from solar power will mean the technology advantage between wind and solar PV will switch back in favour of wind.

 An appropriately sized and sited Solar PV installation prior to the cuts was able to offer a return on investment of up to 15-16 per cent and a payback of six to seven years, with FiTs guaranteed for 25 years from the date of commissioning.

Whilst the industry still claims to offer returns of 10 per cent, wind is now by far the more attractive investment.

There are still considerable opportunities for wind power, particularly smaller / medium scale but the biggest problem is obtaining planning permission. Small turbines are usually more locally acceptable but larger installations tend to be more cost-effective.

 A six-20kW turbine will cost in the region of £20,000-£80,000 (installed), with a payback of six to ten years depending on site wind speed. Systems from 50-500kW can cost in the region of £150,000-£700,000, with a return on investment of greater than 20 per cent achievable on the right site.

 Berrys has experience in solar, wind power and anaerobic digestion, and we are able to guide a project from feasibility through to achieving planning permission.

Nick Williams is a planning consultant with Berrys based at Shrewsbury. He can be contacted on 01743 271697 email nick.williams@berrybros.com

George, 24, joins the firm with an extensive knowledge of agriculture both practical and academic having worked on farm to help fund his degree in History studied at the University of Wales and MSc in Agriculture and Farm Management gained at Harper Adams University College.

His full time appointment follows a six month internship at Kettering and he will be working alongside Jon Stables and James Fulton, helping to deliver the farm management, agricultural and rural land use consultancy aspects of the business.

George comes from a farming background and has lived in Northamptonshire for the last 16 years. He went to school at Guilsborough Secondary school before moving to Brooke House College in Market Harborough to study his A levels. This international college introduced him to other cultures and inspired him to travel through India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Singapore which helped him to appreciate the environment and fortune enjoyed in the UK.

After gaining a degree in History at The University of Wales, Swansea, he decided to change direction and follow his interest in agriculture and he completed an MSc in Agriculture and Farm Management at Harper Adams University College.

“During the course I became particularly interested in two key areas – crop establishment and commodities trading as a risk management strategy for farmers, the latter becoming the subject of my dissertation within the geographic focus of Northamptonshire and the surrounding counties,” he said.

George is a keen rugby supporter having played at a high level at university before an injury to the right side of his body put paid to his days on the pitch. He also enjoys fly fishing and shooting.

“George brings with him a wealth of practical experience, knowledge and enthusiasm and we look forward to working with him,” said Jon Stables, a corporate partner with Berrys at Kettering.

 For further details contact George on 01536 532394 or email george.stanley@berrybros.com

In his Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced that the government is going to  

‘consult on proposals to allow existing agricultural buildings to be used for other business purposes such as offices, leisure and retail space, to make it easier for rural businesses to find the premises they need to expand’.

Stephen Locke, Berrys’ partner in charge of planning at Shrewsbury said: “Although the full details of this are not yet known, we hope that these proposals will encourage business development in rural areas and enable wider use to be made of redundant farm buildings.

“Although planning policy currently supports office and business re-use, conversion of agricultural buildings for retail space has been frowned upon in the past so this change could be a timely economic boost for our rural areas.”

 For advice on planning issues contact Stephen Locke at Berrys on 01743 267062 or email stephen.locke@berrybros.com

Commencement orders will set the date when these  provisions will come into force. Regulations will need to set out further detail of how the provisions of the Act will operate.

The main changes to the planning system are:

 • Abolition of regional strategies which will allow local planning authorities to determine their own housing figures.

 • Neighbourhood planning which will give communities a new right to draw up a neighbourhood plan identifying the location and design of new development.

• Community right to build which will allow communities to bring forward their own development without requiring a separate planning application where the development is supported by a local referendum.

 • Community right to bid for assets of community value which introduces a moratorium on the disposal of assets of community value such as pubs, village shops and community centres, to allow the community to make an offer to buy.

 • Strengthening enforcement powers to tackle abuses of the planning system such as deliberately concealing new development.

 • Reform of the community infrastructure levy to give local authorities greater freedom to set the rate paid by developers and to allow more flexibility in how the levy is spent while ensuring a proportion goes directly to the neighbourhood where development takes place.

 • Nationally significant infrastructure projects will be decided by government ministers following the abolition of the Infrastructure Planning Commission.

For more information on how these changes may affect you please contact Berrys partner Stephen Locke on 01743  267062 or email stephen.locke@berrybros.com

The proposed delay is to allow further consideration to be given for an extra 1.5 mile tunnel under the Chiltern Hills which could add an extra £500 million to the cost of that section of the line. This is potentially good news for those close to the southern end of the route where the line cuts through the Chiltern Hills to the north-west of Amersham. However, it is not yet clear whether the extra £500 million to pay for the new tunnel will come from additional funding, or whether cut backs will have to be made to planned accommodation works further along the route to pay for the tunnel. It may be that the proposed extra tunnel will bring benefits for those in the Chiltern Hills at the costs for property owners further north.

The fact that the Government is listening even at this late stage to public concern regarding potential damage to the Chiltern Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and considering a costly change to mitigate the impact must be seen as positive action by the Minister. However, for most people along the 100 mile long route a decision by the Government is already long overdue. It has been over twenty months since the proposed route for HS2 was formally announced. Many families now need to know whether the scheme will get the go-ahead, and if so what impact the scheme will have on their homes plus the countryside they enjoy.

Marcus Blake of Berrys Chartered Surveyors comments: “The £500 million needs to come from extra funding rather than result from cutbacks elsewhere on the route. Money should not be taken away from providing a careful design and well considered accommodation works to mitigate the impact of HS2 for affected property owners if it finally gets the go-ahead in January 2012”

In the meantime, many homeowners close to the proposed HS2 route will continue to seek entry into the Exceptional Hardship Scheme which is available to those who can demonstrate an urgent need to sell their property. If Justine Greening gives HS2 the green light and confirms the route in January then the Exceptional Hardship Scheme will give way to the normal compulsory purchase compensation provisions – including Blight.

Let us hope that Ms Greening’s New Year’s resolution is to finally make a decision on HS2.

Marcus Blake can be contacted at the new Towcester office of Berrys on 01327 356140 email marcus.blake@berrybros.com

The new office is located at Oak House, Ashby Road, close to the Porsche Garage. The office is visible from the A43and is in an excellent position to serve commercial and rural business clients. 

The new office is headed by Berrys’ corporate partner Duncan Scott who is joined by Jonathan Carpenter and Andrew Tompson, all previously based at the Northampton office.  They will continue to offer commercial and residential valuations and surveys, commercial agency, landlord and tenant negotiations and specialist charities property work.

Marcus Blake will relocate from the Kettering office where he has been on a temporary basis since joining the firm in the early autumn.

Marcus will undertake rural professional work, planning and development, rural agency, estate management and valuation work. The team will be supported by Jenny Coleman, Maggie Scott and Alex Riley.

“The new office brings our South Northamptonshire team together under one roof in an excellent location on the outskirts of Towcester and completes the amalgamation of our previous Towcester and Northampton offices,” said Duncan Scott.

“We have a sound client base of rural and commercial businesses in the area and with offices now at Kettering and Towcester we have the services and expertise in place to meet their needs for the future in this challenging market place.”

Duncan Scott has been with Berrys since 2009 carrying out traditional valuation and property services as well as overseeing a national specialist charities department advising many of the UK’s leading charities.

Associate Andrew Tompson joined Berrys in 2008 when the firm took over Richard Conn & Co at Northampton, specialising in commercial property negotiations and valuations.  Fellow associate partner Jonathan Carpenter is the residential property expert dealing with valuations, surveys and housing association work.

Marcus Blake joined Berrys as a senior practitioner in October to to enhance the firm’s rural agency and professional practice in the South Northamptonshire/Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire areas and is particularly involved in advising clients on the proposed HS2 railway link.

 HSBC has launched its brand-new Business Growth Grant competition, to support motivated business owners and entrepreneurs across the UK looking to expand. All they need to do is demonstrate how the grant will help them boost their operation, either in the UK or by trading overseas.

A total grant pot of £200,000 is available, and up to four grants worth £50,000 each, will be awarded. Applications are being accepted until 31 December 2011. 

 Up to two of the grants are essentially domestic growth grants that will be awarded to businesses that want to take their UK operations to the next level; this might be because they’ve got a fantastic business model that they want to grow organically, such as opening more outlets or increasing production.

Alternatively, it could be a business with plans to take over another business that could support their supply chain, for example. ]

Up to two grants are for entrepreneurs with overseas ambitions. These will go to businesses that have either been successful in the UK but perhaps now have their eyes on overseas trade for the first time, or businesses that already focus on overseas trade but have aspirations to expand or enter other countries. 

 Businesses that are eligible to enter the competition for the HSBC Business Growth Grant are those that: are UK-based (includes Northern Ireland and excludes the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) have been trading for 12 months or longer have a minimum turnover of £100,000 and a maximum turnover of £2m per annum can provide profit and loss and balance sheet information for 12 months or longer and projected financial information for a minimum of two years.

Visit www.hsbc.co.uk/businessgrant – for full details and terms and conditions.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced that the project will start accepting applications from Monday November 28. This follows the revised RHI Regulations passing through Parliament after the scheme’s compatibility with EU state aid rules was resolved. The original launch planned for September 30 was postponed.

The RHI is intended to revolutionise the way heat is generated and used in Britain and is the first scheme of its type in the world. Many other countries are watching the UK closely to evaluate its success and determine whether it can be replicated elsewhere.

It has been designed to sit alongside incentives for renewable electricity and transport fuels, enabling the UK to meet its European obligations by 2020 under the Renewable Energy Directive. 

Contact your local Berrys office for details.

The charity quiz organised by Northwich-based chartered surveyors Berrys and mosshaselhurst Solicitors raised a total of £358.70 to benefit The Joshua Tree, a Cheshire based charity which aims to provide a holiday house for families who have a child with a life threatening illness.

Eleven teams entered and the winners were ‘Us (Not Them) from accountants PG Hodgkinson of Altrincham. The quiz was held at Cresta Court Hotel, Church Street, Altrincham on November 17.

“We would like to thank everyone who took part in the quiz and helped us raise the money towards this worthy cause,” said Graham Bowcock, partner of Berrys at Northwich who was quiz master on the night.

Quiz master Graham Bowcock, partner of Berrys

 “The Joshua Tree needs to raise £500,000 to fulfill this project and we hope it soon reaches its target.”

The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) has been getting a number of calls from Shropshire and Herefordshire potato growers regarding water storage reservoirs and Defra’s new Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS) may be able to assist with funding.

Stephen Locke, partner with Berrys at Shrewsbury, says there is a growing need for more effective water management on farms to cope with climate change and demands on water resources in the West Midlands.

“Improved water resource management and increased water storage capacity will enable more effective irrigation, resulting in yield and quality improvements and, importantly, help to minimise waste,” Stephen said.

“One of the main aims of the Rural Development Programme for England is to improve the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sectors. Under new grant aid provisions the programme seeks to reduce the reliance of farm and horticultural businesses on mains or borehole water through the harvesting, recycling and reuse of rainwater.

“Purpose built reservoirs are one way of conserving water, although they do need to be designed to safeguard the landscape. They can then help to attract wildlife as well as enhancing the production of high value crops.

“Careful thought about siting, shape, design and landscaping will be of benefit in the planning process,” Stephen advised.

“Other legislation that may affect reservoir project include the Reservoirs Act 1975, the Water Resources Act 1991, the Food and Water Management Act 2010 and the Land Drainage Act 1991.

 “The key is to seek advice early if you are thinking about water management and storage. We at Berrys can advise on planning, design, grants and implementation of farm reservoirs,” he added.

Farmers that have invested in water storage reservoirs and the latest irrigation technology will have seen a good return on their investment this year. All that is needed now is more rain to refill them over the winter.

Contact Stephen Locke at Berrys on 01743 271697 or email stephen.locke@berrybros.com.

The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS) forms part of Defra’s Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and is open to farmers, farming contractors, woodland owners and forestry and horticultural businesses.

Eligible businesses can apply for grants of up to £25,000 for projects that:

     * save energy and reduce carbon emissions;

    * improve soil quality and reduce dependence on artificial fertilisers through better use and storage of manures;

    * improve animal health and welfare;

    * save and recycle water, rainwater harvesting and storage; and

    * promote woodland management by processing timber more efficiently and adding value to woodlands.

 There will be extra help for upland areas with an enhanced grant rate of up to 50 per cent  of costs compared to 40 per cent in non upland areas.  The maximum grant allowable per farm is £25,000, with a minimum grant of £2,500 per project.

“The grant will cover a wide range of capital items such as slurry separators and improving slurry application equipment, heat recovery systems and computer software to improve energy efficiency, rainwater harvesting equipment and roofing clamps to exclude rainwater, water storage facilities such as reservoirs, equipment to improve livestock handling and health, and timber processing machinery and equipment,” explained Mandy Seedhouse, planning and grant specialist with Berrys at Shrewsbury.

“The first round of the scheme is open until January 17, 2012 so we would urge clients to come to us as soon as possible with their ideas so we can guide them through the application process.   As well as completing the application form there are requirements to provide supporting documents and relevant statutory approvals for some items.”

“It is possible that planning permission will be required for certain projects such as the construction of water reservoirs or slurry storage facilities. Some of these items may be covered by permitted development rights but initial advice is recommended.  Berrys has a specialist planning team to submit planning applications where required.”

“The closing date for applications under the first round of funding is  January 17, 2012 however it is intended that the FFIS will re-open every 4 months until the end of 2013.  This means that there is time to obtain any necessary consents such as planning permission before the next round – even if you miss this first deadline.”

Berrys has already received several enquiries about the FISS and also for the Shropshire Rural Challenge Fund which is a further grant for rural business but is only available in Shropshire. 

“This offers capital funding of between £7,500 and £40,000 for projects in rural areas and some of the market towns for projects that keep spend in the local community,” Mandy said.

Projects can include those which can demonstrate long term sustainability, support or provide essential services, activities that directly encourage visitors to an area and community projects.

“Expressions of interest can be submitted from now until the end of November so again we recommend acting quickly if you are interested.”

If you think you may be interested in either of the above grants or would like help in making an application contact Mandy Seedhouse at Berrys on 01743 271697 or email mandy.seedhouse@berrybros.com

The conference  “2012 and beyond – moving forward” will be  hosted by the IAgSA Shropshire Branch on March 9, 10 and 11,  2012 at the Albrighton Hall Hotel and Spa, near  Shrewsbury.

“Farm secretaries have a vital role to play on farms today and we are delighted to be able support our local network as they host this prestigious conference in Shropshire,” said Sarah Reece at Berrys’ Shrewsbury office.

The Committee’s report stated “Of course, we must ensure the appropriate protections for our magnificent countryside”, and recognised that the Department for Transport’s economic case methodology does not put a monetary value on landscape costs.

As a result, the MPs called for a change of approach to acknowledge the value of “natural capital”, which may be much higher than the market value of the land. This is something that farmers and land owners, as custodians of the countryside, have appreciated for centuries – at last this message appears to have filtered through to Whitehall.

However, with so many recommendations for change, substantial criticisms and further investigations required it is questionable why the Committee could tentatively recommend HS2 to proceed, especially when there is so much potential for damage to be done to the British rural landscape and farmland.

Even after the MPs’ own research, and 55,000 responses to the 2011 public consultation, the MPs involved are still not clear on the economic benefits of the scheme. They are, however, confident that the proposed £32 billion scheme represents “a new era of inter-urban travel in Britain”, cutting the travel time from London to Birmingham to 49 minutes.

It is acknowledged by the MPs that the first phase of HS2 will have a “substantial impact” on those along the route, stating that it is “unfortunate” that it crosses the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Committee suggested that the noise impact “may be less than feared” and encouraged the Government to try to build a new line close to existing transport routes if possible. This could cause even more concern and confusion for property occupiers in the region, especially those close to the existing motorway network.

We will now have to wait a few more weeks for the decision by Secretary of State for Transport on the outcome of the consultation. This will lead to the decision – after 18 months of waiting – as to whether HS2 finally gets the go-ahead. For those farmers affected, and the land agents advising them, action plans will be formulated so that they do not get ‘rail-roaded’ by HS2.

In the meantime, the Department for Transport inform us that although it is impossible to eliminate local environmental impact of HS2, it does believe that such impacts could be mitigated by sensitive design. This will not reassure those in the countryside that may one day witness trains travelling at up to 250 miles per hour through “our magnificent countryside”.

We are already providing advice to farmers and land owners who are facing the impact of HS2 on their property. We can form a strategy to maximise the compensation they are rightly entitled to, minimise the impact on any land that they retain, plus ensure that their business has the best chance of operating during and after the construction of HS2.

Marcus Blake can be contacted at the Kettering office of Berrys on 01536 532389 email marcus.blake@berrybros.com

We have an opportunity for a Planning Consultant and are looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious individual to join our friendly planning team, delivering innovative solutions to our rural and urban client base.

The ideal candidate will be ambitious, highly motivated with a strong commercial aptitude, local authority knowledge and ideally MRTPI or RICS qualified.

Remuneration will be subject to qualifications and experience.

To apply please send your CV and covering email to: jon.stables@berrybros.com

If you would like to discuss this post further, please telephone Jon Stables for a confidential discussion on 01536 532382.

Berrys was among 27 businesses to take a stand at the event which offered a one stop shop for people wanting professional advice.

“It was also a chance to network with other professional firms,” said Berrys managing partner Matthew Anwyl who is pictured with practitioner  Rachel Jones and Alex Whittall.

Contact our Shrewsbury office on 01743 271697 for advice on rural business matters

Berrys, which has offices in Cheshire, Shropshire and Northamptonshire, will be charging just five per cent for its residential management service for properties coming onto its books in November and December 2011.

Graham Bowcock, head of property management for Berrys, says there is a tremendous shortage of properties in the market , far too few for the number of tenants needing a home.

“The residential letting market was effectively deregulated in 1989 and has been a buoyant industry ever since. However, the last 12 months has seen a shortage of properties available in the market.

“There are plenty of tenants about but not enough landlords and not enough properties.”

This, he says, is probably due to funding, the banking crisis and job insecurities among many tenants who are staying put and not releasing properties for the market place.

“To help, we at Berrys have decided to offer a half price residential management services for the first  12 months in respect of any property coming onto our books in November and December, 2011. We will also include our letting service in this price.

“One price – five per cent of all rents collected (plus VAT). This is a full service with no compromise,” he said.

The Berrys’ deal includes: marketing and advertising costs, accompanied viewings, preparing the inventory, legal tenancy agreement, deposit protection, regular inspections and dealing with any repairs that come along.

“We are trying to do our bit to stimulate the market so if you have a property near one of our four offices at Northwich, Shrewsbury, Northampton and Kettering please give us a call today,” he added.

Key contacts will be Gary Conaghan in Northamptonshire gary.conaghan@berrybros.com or 01536 412464 , Sarah Reece in Shropshire on 01743 271697 sarah.reece@berrybros.com and Fran Buckley in Cheshire on 01606 49200 frances.buckley@berrybros.com.

Stephen Locke, Forestry and Woodland specialist with Berrys at Shrewsbury, says there has been a surge of interest in woodlands over the past 18 months and there’s no time like the present to bring woodlands to the market.

“Historically, woodlands were seen as the lower value part of an estate but with buoyant timber prices boosted by firewood sales, a shortage of woodland properties on the market and low interest rates, prices are up by around 20 per cent in the last 12 months,” said Stephen.

Woodland as well as farmland is seen as a solid investment with timber, conservation, recreational, landscape and sporting benefits.

“With the increased demand for woodfuel and financial support through the grants regime and the Renewable Heat Incentive we have seen renewed interest in woodlands with a wide range of purchasers from the private hobby purchaser to large scale investment institutions,” he said.

Woodlands currently have a favourable tax treatment with timber income being income tax free and reliefs available for both inheritance and capital gains tax.

“The market will vary depending on a variety of factors including size and past management but in general, prices of all types of woodland have been rising resulting in increased interest,” he said.

“Landowners should note that we are now in a very opportune period to bring woodlands to the market.

“For those landowners who are not immediately looking to bring their woodland to the market, it would be worthwhile considering an independent assessment of the woods for potential improvement as often this can significantly improve capital values,” he added.

For an initial independent assessment of your woodland  contact Stephen Locke at Berrys on 01743 267062 or email stephen.locke@berrybros.com