Agricultural Lawyers

Agricultural Lawyers

We advise and represent farming families, rural landowners, and businesses across the South West. Crucially, we understand the complexities of farming enterprises and speak your language. Whether you are selling an acre of land, purchasing a large estate, negotiating for a telecoms mast, or are a rural tenant facing eviction, our agricultural lawyers can assist you.

Contents

• Agricultural Land Sales and Purchases
• Borrowing against agricultural land
• Rights affecting rural land
• Agricultural lawyers for first registration and adverse possession
• Letting rural land
• Rural land development
• Futureproofing rural land
• Separation and divorce in farming families

Solicitors for Agricultural Land Sales and Purchases

Purchasing and selling rural or agricultural land presents unique challenges that require solicitors with extensive expertise in agricultural law. Each transaction is distinct, and we provide practical, commercial legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances. Our expertise includes:

• Access and service rights
• Boundary issues
• Overage and clawback
• Sporting and fishing rights
• Tax considerations
• Land option and promotion agreements
• Land options, promotion agreements, contracts conditional upon planning permission, and development agreements
• Stamp Duty Land Tax

Our Agricultural Lawyers work closely with our Corporate and Commercial Team in the buying and selling of rural businesses.

Borrowing against agricultural land

Secured agricultural lending plays a crucial role in financing the farming sector. Access to finance secured against assets such as land, equipment, or livestock is vital for growth and sustainability. The collateral provided reduces the lender’s risk, often allowing agribusinesses to secure greater borrowing and more favourable terms.

Rights affecting rural land

A large area of land is inevitably impacted by the rights of others above, below or on it. Among the third party rights we advise on are:

• Deeds of easement
• Deeds of covenant
• Wayleave agreements
• Private water arrangements
• Private and public rights of way
• Telecoms leasing
• Solar leasing

Agricultural lawyers for first registration and adverse possession

As farmland is typically owned by one family or entity for a long period of time it is often the case that a considerabe proportion of rural land remains unregistered compared to other types of land. Unfortunately, this means that defeating claims for adverse possession can be more difficult, particularly if deeds are mislaid or lost. Unregistered land can also be more challenging to sell.

We can assist with voluntary first registration with the Land Registry. Did you know that the Land Registry offer a discount for voluntary first registration?

See also: Adverse Possession of Unregistered Land

Letting rural land

Whether you are granting a grazing licence or letting a small or large parcel of rural land, with or without buildings, there are some very particular considerations, so expert advice is required to ensure your letting arrangements are governed by the correct statutory framework or by common law principles. Our lawyers can advise on both contentious and non-contentious letting arrangements.

Rural land development

Whether it’s a single building plot, a barn conversion, a large-scale new housing development, business units, or a wind or solar farm, rural land frequently presents excellent development opportunities. Our expertise enables you to navigate the legal and practical challenges, ultimately bringing your project to a successful conclusion.

Our expertise includes:

• Overage/clawback agreements
• Promotion agreements
• Development agreements
• Options and conditional contracts

Futureproofing rural land

Never has futureproofing rural land been more critical. Among the advice and guidance offered by our experts is:

• Succession planning
• Tax considerations
• Trusts
• Succession claims

Agricultural lawyers: Separation and divorce in farming families

Marital breakdown in farming families often presents unique challenges, particularly regarding divorce finances. Our expert family lawyers have extensive experience within the farming community and also offer Family Mediation and Resolution Together, both aimed at reducing tension, encouraging discussion and agreement, and minimising costs.