The Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024

The Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 puts the baseline for hedgerow management practices into law.
What do the new Hedgerow regulations mean for you…
The new regulations require:
• a 2-metre buffer strip, measured from the centre of a hedgerow, where a green cover must be established and maintained
• no cultivation or application of pesticides or fertilisers within the 2-metre buffer strip
• a hedgerow cutting and trimming ban from 1 March to 31 August (inclusive)
The cutting and trimming ban will start immediately. This is to protect nesting birds up to the end of August 2024.
The buffer strip rules will begin:
• from 1 July 2024 for land not currently being used for crop production
• from the first harvest after 1 July 2024 for land which is currently being used for crops.
You can find guidance on these rules and exemptions in the buffer strip guidance and the cutting and trimming guidance on GOV.UK

Allocation of Housing & Other Commercial Development Sites within North Yorkshire

Deadline for submission of comments – 30 June 2024

North Yorkshire Council (NYC) has begun the process of preparing a new Local Plan for the authority.  This is the key document used to decide planning applications and it allocates land for development or protects it as open countryside.  It is therefore important how your land is allocated.  The document is expected to be Adopted in 2028 and will replace those Local Plans previously produced by North Yorkshire’s District Authorities such as Craven District Council and Harrogate Borough Council.

As part of that process NYC has begun undertaking a ‘Call for Sites’ and is inviting suggestions on land that could be developed for housing or other commercial uses over the coming years.  Putting your land forward does not guarantee that it will be allocated, but it is the best way to maximise the chances of it being allocated in the future.   If NYC is not made aware of your land, or alternatively if NYC is uncertain whether the landowner wishes to see it developed in the future, the land is very unlikely to be included in the new Local Plan.

NYC has stated that suggested sites should be submitted to them by the end of June and we can undertake this process for you.  If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Ian Swain, Gemma Kennedy, or Cathy Dakin on 01756 692900.

 

 

Join our team – Stewardship Assistant

Job Description:

Stewardship Assistant

The Opportunity

Our team continues to grow and another fantastic opportunity has arisen to join our small and friendly team based in an ideal location on the edge of Skipton.

The Role

The role will involve a range of general and business specific administrative duties, including but not limited to;

  • Liaising regularly with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on our clients’ behalf.
  • Management of interested parties for RPA schemes, the checking and data inputting of our client’s RPA agreements.
  • Payment checking & management for a vast number of high-value agreements.
  • Keeping our in-house database and filing system up to date.
  • Interest in soil management

The Firm

WBW Surveyors are a team of Chartered Surveyors and Town Planners serving a wide range of clients from the rural, commercial, and residential property sectors.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a friendly, hard-working quick learner who can build strong relationships with both our team and client base. The person must be organised, flexible, proficient in IT skills and comfortable prioritising their own workload.

The Package

This role is intended as a long term appointment.

Salary based on experience

Company pension scheme

Regular social functions

Interesting and varied workload

How to Apply

If you think you may be the right person for this role, please send applications with CV to Molly Dakin at molly.dakin@wbwsurveyors.co.uk by Monday 17th July. To discuss the role in further detail please call Jess Austin or Molly Dakin on 01756 692 900.

We are hiring – Rural Practice Chartered Surveyor

Job Description:

The Opportunity

Fancy a change of scenery? Want to work in a fantastic location as an integral part of a young and friendly team? Do you have aspirations towards being a Director with an equity shareholding? Well, we may just be the place for you.

The Job

Due to the impending retirement of two experienced part-time Consultants and an ever-growing caseload,  we need a qualified rural practice Chartered Surveyor to service an existing diverse client base, getting involved in the full range of private client professional work.

The Firm

We are a single office practice of Chartered Surveyors and Town Planners focused mainly on the rural sector but with commercial and residential offerings too, based at Skipton Auction Mart in the gateway to the Dales.

The Candidate

For the right person, we are prepared to be flexible. But ideally we seek someone with RICS and CAAV qualifications, an RICS Registered Valuer and someone who thrives on the variety that private client work offers. Attitude is paramount. We have a friendly relaxed working environment with a business model based on building strong relationships with clients and fellow professionals. We therefore need a team player who is self-motivated and is naturally inclined to go the extra mile for clients and colleagues to ensure that we always do a good job.

The Package

This is intended to be a long-term appointment with fast-track prospects of becoming an equity Director for the right candidate.

However, for starters we offer:

  • Attractive Salary (based on experience)
  • Bi-annual Bonus Scheme
  • Company Pension Scheme
  • Regular social functions
  • Interesting and varied caseload

How to Apply

Please send applications with CV to Lisa Bickerton on lisa.bickerton@wbwsurveyors.co.uk. For a strictly confidential initial discussion please call Adam Winthrop on 07885 243390 or John Akrigg on 07912 668403.

Land To Let

WBW Surveyors are pleased to offer two separate parcels of land to let, see details below.

Land available for cropping off Manchester Road, Padiham 

Grassland available for cropping. A total of approx 20 acres (8 ha). Available to let on a Cropping licence as soon as possible.

All enquiries and offers, please contact Joanna Townley on 01756 692900 or by email joanna.townley@wbwsurveyors.co.uk

Land at Turf Pit Gate, Bracewell

Mowing land totalling circa 116.5 acres (47.14 ha) Available in two lots from the 1st April until 10th September 2023.

Lot one is circa 33.5 acres (13.55 ha)

Lot two is circa 83 acres (33.58 ha)

Offers are invited on either of the lots or as a whole. All enquiries and offers, please contact David Claxton on 01756 692900 or david.claxton@wbwsurveyors.co.uk

Advance Payment of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2022

We have received an update from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) regarding a change they are making to arrangements for this year’s BPS payment, which means you will receive a 50% advance payment from 31st July.

The RPA issued a statement explaining why they have introduced this measure which was as follows;

The price of agricultural commodities has always been closely correlated to energy prices. Manufactured Ammonium Nitrate depends on large quantities of gas and when the gas price spikes, so do fertiliser costs and other input costs such as tractor diesel and electricity. This means that farmers are carrying an increased risk on their profit and loss account, and the RPA recognises that there is an increased pressure on cash flow in the short term.

The RPA have therefore decided to bring forward 50% of this year’s BPS payment as an advance injection of cash to farm businesses from the end of July, to provide you with some confidence. The balance will be paid in the payment window from December.

We understand that the RPA intend to make this a permanent change to the way they pay BPS in future with twice yearly instalments going forward.  We anticipate that the first payment will be based on 50% of the previous year’s claim value, and any adjustments will be made in the balancing payment in December.

You do not need to do anything to access this payment.

THE FARMING COUNTRY PODCAST LAUNCHES THIS FRIDAY

CCM Auction Marts have launched a brand new farming country podcast.  This brand-new initiative is designed to keep customers old and new at the cutting edge of trade and trends at Skipton Auction Mart and out there in the wider agri-sector. With a new episode every three weeks, this series hopes to bring a range of interesting and informative topics to our listeners; from market reports to local businesses and industry news to tales from the Dales.

 

Don’t miss the first episode on Friday 22nd January, featuring Megan Schofield from WBW Surveyors, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and YouTube.

Click here to listen on Youtube

Planning for the Future

The Housing and Communities Minister Robert Jenrick has recently set out proposals to reform the planning system.  The White Paper details three main categories – Planning for Development; Planning for Beautiful and Sustainable Places; Planning for Infrastructure and Connected Places.  Ian Swain, Director of Planning at WBW Surveyors gives his thoughts on the proposed changes in this weeks Craven Herald…

“THE Government’s recently announced proposals for speeding up the Planning System and simplifying the process are broadly welcomed. However, we have been here before. Nearly 10 years ago Eric Pickles, the then Secretary of State with ministerial responsibility for the Planning System, was heralding reforms to a slow and inefficient planning system, that would deliver development in the right places, but at the same time protect those places of most importance and ensure a good standard of design. Boris Johnson and Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick are currently claiming extremely similar improvements will be made as a result of the latest proposed changes.

Outside of the ‘growth’ areas, it is not clear that the changes will be so significant or lead to a faster simpler planning system. It is probable that within a primarily rural area such as ours, there will be limited designated ‘growth’ areas. Development proposals will continue to be considered by the Local Authority and their merits assessed as they always have been.

Firstly, Local Authority resources are likely to be further reduced as a result of Covid-19. Secondly, the initial proposals suggest that the opportunity for community consultation at the planning application stage is to be ‘streamlined’, but opportunity for public participation is going to be strongly encouraged during the preparation of the new style Local Plan. Active participation in the production of plans from local residents, landowners, statutory consultees, developers and other stakeholders will be extremely important, but it is unlikely to make for speedy plan production.

Finally, the future for councils both across North Yorkshire and within East Lancashire is very uncertain. Both areas are facing significant re-organisation over the next few years and the current position seems to be that larger Unitary Authorities will be established. Until decisions are made on this, and the administrative areas of these new authorities are decided, the ability to produce Local Plans is going to be severely hampered and will delay their production.”

https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/

Managing Rainfall and Runoff in the Farmyard

Join Catchment Sensitive Farming at this FREE event
Managing Rainfall and Runoff in the Farmyard

Tuesday 11th February 2020
10:00am – 1:00pm
Crickle Farm, East Marton, Skipton, BD23 3JD
By Kind Permission of Bob Lancaster

This event aims to highlight practical and cost effective steps you can take to better manage rainfall and runoff in the farmyard.
Including:
– Benefits of sustainably managing yard waters
– Separating clean and dirty water
– Updates on latest legislation (NVZ,SSAFO, Farming Rules for Water)
– Grant funding opportunities

PLEASE WEAR SUITABLE CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR FOR A FARM WALK

Please book your FREE place via
Telephone: 08453 713399
Email: bookings@adas.co.uk
When booking please give your name,
address, phone number, CPH & SBI number

For more information about the event please contact your local CSFO Kathryn McKendrick- Smith 07827 552662 or Email: Kathryn.McKendrick-Smith@naturalengland.org.uk

CSF_Rainfall & Runoff Event_Invite

RDPE Growth Programme

A new programme has been launched aimed at providing funding for projects in England which create jobs and growth in the rural economy.

Under the RDPE Growth Programme, there are grants for:
• Food processing – open to food and drinks businesses that process agricultural or horticultural products.
• Business development – open to small businesses and start-ups, including farmers wishing to diversify into non-agricultural activities.
• Rural tourism infrastructure – open to a wide range of organisations. If the project is intended to make a profit however, then only small businesses and farmers who want to diversify can apply.

The minimum grant is £20,000. Commercial, profit-making projects can receive up to 40% grant funding. If the project makes just enough income to offset costs and is not intended to make a profit, then up to 80% grant funding could be available. If the project generates no income, then 100% grants may be awarded.

Projects must meet a minimum of two national priorities:

Food Processing:
1. Creates at least 1 job for every £30,000 of grant funding
2. Increases turnover and profitability
3. Provides benefits to the farmers, growers and suppliers (particularly local)
4. Helps you sell more products nationally or locally
5. Introduces new techniques/equipment to make the business more productive
6. Creates new links between business

Business Development:
1. Creates at least 1 job for every £30,000 of grant funding
2. Increases turnover and profitability
3. Introduces new techniques/equipment to make the business more productive
4. Helps the business to sell goods to new markets
5. Helps the business access export markets

Rural Tourism Infrastructure:
1. Creates at least 1 job for every £30,000 of grant funding
2. Attracts tourists at off-peak times
3. Creates or develops tourist attractions and encourages tourists to stay longer and increase spending
4. Provides benefits to the wider tourist economy in the rural area

Grant funding is only available on eligible costs, these include:
• Constructing or improving buildings
• Buying new equipment and machinery
Architects, engineers and consultant fees, buying or developing computer software, licences and copyrights, energy-saving and resource efficiency equipment may also be eligible if forming part of a larger project.

Application

Initially, an expression of interest (EOI) form must be submitted to the RPA outlining how the applicant will meet the criteria for the scheme i.e. create jobs, grow your business or improve the local economy.

The RPA will aim to respond within 30 days and if deemed eligible, the applicant will be invited to submit a full application.

The full application requires considerably more information including final project costs, supplier details, key dates, proposed project outputs, supporting documents, business accounts for 3 years, relevant planning permissions, three quotes for each item to be purchased and evidence that the applicant can cover the costs.

Funding will only be offered to applications which are deemed to best meet the purposes of the funding and will provide the best value for taxpayer’s money. Each application is scored, and priority is given to those that meet local needs (set out in the LEP Directory).

All projects must be finished with grant claims submitted by 30 September 2021.

Submitting an EOI

Expressions of interest must be submitted to the RPA by midnight on 16th February 2020. If you would like our assistance, then please contact Chloe Dolphin or Karen Shuttleworth 01756 692900 or chloe.dolphin@wbwsurveyors.co.uk, karen.shuttleworth@wbwsurveyors.co.uk .