Fisher German magazine issue 17 Winter 2016

fisher german Winter 2016 | Issue 17

www.fishergerman.co.uk

Holiday hotspot The Point at Polzeath in North Cornwall has been transformed into a thriving leisure destination

Wild and exotic

How brothers Will and Dan Livesey’s mushroom dynasty is shaping the UK market p10

Starter farm

Cubley Estate in Derbyshire is creating new opportunities for young farmers p12

Triple bypass

Replacing three sections of the Elan Valley Aqueduct is no mean feat p08

Welcome

Our ability to identify business opportunities for clients is what sets Fisher German apart and The Point at Polzeath in North Cornwall is a shining example of how our expert teams work with businesses to help them grow. The estate was in danger of falling into disrepair when it was acquired in 2014, but with support from our rural sector team it has now been redeveloped into a thriving holiday and Andrew Jackson, managing partner leisure destination.

Specialist consultancy services played a key role in the success of Severn Trent’s project to bypass worn-out sections of the Elan Valley Aqueduct, which supplies more than 320 million litres of water to the Midlands every day. Turn to page 8 to find out about this monumental task.

On page 10 we meet Dan and Will Livesey, whose farm is the UK’s biggest supplier of Wild and Exotic mushrooms. Now the third generation of their family to be involved in the business, we discover how a move towards exotic mushroom varieties has seen the farm go from strength to strength over the last decade.

We also pay a visit to Cubley Estate in Derbyshire on page 12, where the Legh family’s proactive championing of starter farms is providing opportunities for new entrants into the industry.

Elsewhere, we learn about the trials of tea growing from Susie WalkerMunro, who is unrelenting in her mission to bring artisanal tea to the Scottish Highlands, while on page 20, entrepreneurial farmers George and Nic Snell introduce us to the world’s first kiln dried log business, Certainly Wood. As the diversification debate continues to heat up in the wake of the EU referendum, these guest profiles will undoubtedly provide food for thought.

Land of opportunity Cubley Estate is providing a career path for new entrants to the industry

12 All fired up How Certainly Wood is filling a huge gap in the firewood market

20 Hot property A flavour of our residential and rural properties from around the UK

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The Fisher German magazine is intended to be an informative guide. It should not be relied on as giving all the advice needed to make decisions.

Fisher German LLP has tried to ensure accuracy and cannot accept liability for any errors, fact or opinion. If you no longer wish to receive the Fisher German magazine or any other Fisher German marketing material, please call 0800 1075522 or email marketing@fishergerman.co.uk.

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On point How The Point at Polzeath has been transformed into a luxury holiday destination

News & views Renishaw Hall development; Blunham barn conversion; new homes in Derbyshire

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H2Go The Elan Valley Aqueduct is undergoing a £75m project to bypass worn out pipes

Family affair Livesey Brothers Will and Dan introduce us to their exotic mushroom business

08 Tea trade Susie Walker-Munro is determined to bring artisanal tea to Scotland

10 Square peg, round hole How Southern Water is replacing ageing vacuum sewage systems

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Place of learning Fisher German is working with schools around the UK to help manage and develop their estates

Test of time Trinity Hospital’s latest venture will help the people of Retford for years to come

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24 Partner spotlight Matt Trewartha’s colourful career is the perfect foundation for his role at Fisher German

Office directory Contact details for Fisher German’s national offices

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by Grist, 21 Noel Street, Soho, London W1F 8GP

Publisher Andrew Rogerson Editor Laura Adcock Art director Richard Wise Telephone +44 (0)20 7434 1445 Website www.gristonline.com

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news&views

Agency facts The latest property-related statistical information and market facts*

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%

More room for tea at Renishaw Hall

of surveyors reported an increase in house prices, up from 5% of surveyors previously.

Pick-up in confidence in the UK housing market following a significant drop in activity and price expectations immediately following the EU referendum result.

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or little change is expected in house prices across London over the next 12 months, while prices in the rest of the country may move slightly upwards.

of surveyors feel landlords are more likely to decrease (rather than increase) the size of their portfolio over the next 12 months. They suggest stamp duty changes and scheduled cuts to mortgage interest tax relief have made buy-to-let less attractive as an investment.

%

NEW

buyer demand has fallen slightly, an improvement on the previous position which saw a significant reduction in first-time purchasers.

*RICS Residential Market Survey – August 2016

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F

isher German’s estate management team has been involved in the revamp of the café at Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire. When the estate’s owner decided to take operation of the cafe away from contractors and place it in-house a decision was also made to renew the kitchen and utilise underused space to double capacity from 40 to 80 indoor seats.

As the £200,000 investment required alterations to the Grade II* Listed Stable Court, which dates back to 1795, Fisher German brought in expert associate Tom Barton to prepare a Heritage Assessment to support the application for Listed Building Consent. He says: “We undertook very thorough research, including input from the estate’s archivist, which was required to articulate the significance of the blind openings, not only in the context of Stable Court, but also in the context of the

surrounding Heritage Assets, in particular Grade I Listed Renishaw Hall and the Grade 2* Listed Park and Gardens. Only then could we justify to the satisfaction of the Local Authority that the proposed insertion of the sash windows would not be to the detriment of the numerous heritage assets at Renishaw.”

The new café at Renishaw Hall, which attracts over 20,000 visitors each year, has received favourable reviews and considerably added to the attraction of the Grade 1 listed house.

For further information on heritage assessments please contact Tom Barton on 01530 567469 or tom.barton@fishergerman.co.uk

Agri facts

Barn conversion comes up trumps

The latest farming-related statistical info and market facts from Fisher German

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0.12 acre plot of land with no mains services and containing only dilapidated farm buildings in the village of Blunham, central Bedfordshire, has been sold by Fisher German for £250,000. Working on behalf of the owner, Fisher German completed all of the necessary planning paperwork to allow the land to be sold as a potential barn conversion.

Plans to modify the traditional brick and timber buildings used for storage and stabling at Coach House Farm into a modern three-bedroom home with standalone garage did not require a normal planning application, thanks to current government regulations called Permitted Development Rights, which give landowners a short-cut in certain circumstances, saving them both time and money.

“We don’t know exactly how long these regulations will remain in force,” says Fisher German surveyor Matthew Ayres, “but at present there are amazing opportunities for farmers and other landowners to capitalise on assets they may perceive as having relatively little worth.” The value of Coach House Farm effectively trebled as a result of the decision to convert the buildings to residential use.

For further information on permitted development rights please contact Matthew Ayres on 01234 827113 or matthew.ayres@fishergerman.co.uk

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average annual price of standard liquid milk.

New

regulations simplifying the movement of livestock are being rolled out by DEFRA over the coming year. Farmers may be able to double the distances they move stock, though some conditions will continue to apply.

Hunger for new homes he sale of two major development sites in Derbyshire demonstrates strong demand from housebuilders for plots of land that can provide new homes. Fisher German acted for private landowners and a land promoter on the multi-million pound sale of the two sites in Crich and Linton. They were bought by separate Yorkshire housebuilders who will construct a total of nearly 200 homes.

Fisher German partner Ben Marshalsay says: “There is a real need for homes in

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countryside locations that benefit from good amenities and are commutable to nearby cities, so this is an ideal time for landowners with suitable holdings to take advantage of market conditions.”

For further information on permitted development rights please contact Ben Marshalsay on 01530 567465 or ben.marshalsay@fishergerman.co.uk

13,000 Individual Basic Payment Scheme claims for 2015 are being reviewed by the Rural Payments Agency to resolve outstanding payment queries.

Register for monthly agri-facts bulletins at tinyurl.com/agrifacts

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When The Point at Polzeath in North Cornwall was acquired by a new owner in 2014 its facilities were in danger of falling into disrepair. Now, after two years of careful planning and investment, the whole estate is thriving as a holiday and leisure destination.

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ornwall’s status as a leading UK holiday hotspot makes it a magnet for thousands of surf- and beach-loving visitors every year. But the county also draws landowners who are keen to cater for this steady stream of holidaymakers.

One of these is successful businessman Jeremy Davies, who two years ago took early retirement from his career in finance to focus his energies, together with his wife Eva, on 300 acres at The Point at Polzeath on the North Cornwall coast, two miles north of Rock.

Located just above the Camel Estuary and five miles from Wadebridge, The Point was known principally for its 18-hole golf course with spectacular views out to the sea. But Jeremy was keen to capture a much wider tourist trade by offering a range of accommodation and health facilities, together with a

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top-notch restaurant and bar, voted in The Times as one of the top 30 places in the UK to have fish and chips.

“When I acquired the existing business the facilities were pretty run-down,” recalls Jeremy. “It was obvious to me that I would need to invest in improving the golf course and buildings, including new accommodation and health facilities that now provide a far superior visitor experience. But I was also aware that owning a sizeable area of land involved other issues that I wasn’t necessarily an expert in.”

His solution was to invite Fisher German partner and head of rural

consultancy David Merton to visit the site. “Jeremy had a clear vision of how he wanted his core business to develop,” says David. “We were able to identify additional opportunities.

And, equally as important, spot potential problems and devise solutions for them long before any difficulties became apparent.”

David and his team systematically reviewed the whole site and highlighted where assets were under- or unused, where new assets could be added and how underused assets could be used by others to generate income streams. “This meant developing good working relationships with neighbours

Before work started we suggested that we thoroughly check all of the land ownership, as building the new road would also involve moving telegraph poles.”

THE POINT AT POLZEATH

Tee with a view Set in parkland, the 18-hole course at The Point was designed to take full advantage of the stunning views of Pentire Point, Newlands Island and Polzeath Beach and has undergone a major revamp and investment programme. The course, which plays just short of 6,300 yards off the back tees, is now the proud winner of the Cornwall Golf Mark Club of the Year award.

Most holes have seen significant changes with improvement to fairway definition, bunkers, tees and greens.

But it is not just golfers who will benefit. The revamped course has added important revenue and capital growth to The Point which will help sustain future development of the area.

and ensuring everything related to the land and property was properly documented,” adds David, who was joined on-site by Fisher German associate partner Tom Heathcote.

One major issue at The Point was road access via long, winding lanes, which Jeremy addressed by creating a new entry point and road across the site’s grass airfield. “Before work started we suggested that we thoroughly check all of the land ownership, as building the new road would also involve moving telegraph poles,” says Tom, who, equipped with portable GIS equipment and a golf buggy, scanned the whole site.

Fisher German’s GIS mapping team was then able to create a map based on what was actually on the ground and compare that with the freehold documents. The exercise identified a strip of land at the rear of the site, currently farmed by a tenant farmer, which had no formal ownership

documentation. “We also found that people were occupying land under a gentleman’s agreement – something that just needed to be formalised in case there are any issues in the future,” explains Tom. “Building the new road meant we also looked into wayleave issues relating to the telegraph poles,” adds Tom. “The new access really makes getting to and from The Point much easier and knocks a good 20 minutes off the journey time.”

One downside of the road construction was the temporary closure of the 600-metre grass airstrip, the long-term future of which is under review. Although a novel and trafficbeating way of getting to The Point, the close proximity of the airfield to the fairways means pilots could get more than they bargain for when landing.

“The airfield is actually quite expensive to maintain when in aviation use,” says Tom, “so we have suggested

that in the short term the standing crop of grass is sold or it is mown and baled for sileage. If the decision is made to discontinue use as an airfield the land could either be incorporated into the golf course, or revert to agricultural use, like other areas of the site which are already rented out on short-term grassing licences.”

Fisher German has also advised on forestry around the site, including parcels of semi-mature woodland on the golf course that require thinning.

Other scrub areas that are unsuitable for farming use and can’t be turned into amenity areas would be ideal for new woodland, with grant funding for up to 70% of the capital cost of the tree planting possible.

For further information on rural land management, please contact David Merton on 01530 410806 or david.merton@fishergerman.co.uk

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H2Go

The Elan Valley Aqueduct, which has been supplying the Midlands with a vital water supply for more than a century, is undergoing a £75m project to bypass worn out pipes. We find out about the mammoth task ahead.

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urn on any tap in Birmingham and the water that flows from it will have been collected not in the Midlands, but over 70 miles away in Powys, Wales. Over 320 million litres of water is transported daily by gravity to the UK’s second city via an impressive piece of Victorian engineering, the Elan Valley Aqueduct. Opened in 1904, most of the structure is in remarkably good condition for its age.

However, in three locations – Bleddfa, Nantmel and Knighton – sections of the aqueduct need to be replaced and so Severn Trent, the utility company

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responsible for providing Birmingham’s water, will bore new tunnels. These will bypass the sections that have maintenance issues so that they can eventually be taken out of use.

But before any work could start on site Severn Trent needed to carefully plan the £75m project. “As part of a wider ongoing contract to provide specialist consultancy

services to the water company, we have been closely involved in these bypasses,” says Fisher German senior surveyor Alan Dadswell. “The first stage involved bringing in our planning team, who worked closely with the local planning authority to ensure that these works could be undertaken by Severn Trent using their permitted development rights.” This

We created a win-win situation when we came to special agreements with local landowners.”

SEVERN TRENT

meant that the utility company did not have to undertake time-consuming and costly planning applications.

Minimising impact As formal Environmental Impact Assessments were not required, Severn Trent instead set out clear and detailed environmental and mitigation measures to ensure that impacts on the environment and the local population were limited as far as possible.

“For example,” says Alan, “we created a win-win situation when we came to special agreements with local landowners.

We will distribute around 35,000 tonnes of stone that is extracted from the new tunnels to selected locations on their farms to improve existing farm tracks or create new ones, and extend and improve farmyard areas which already had planning approval.” The other beneficiary is the environment, as keeping the material onsite removes the need for long distance lorry journeys to a licensed waste disposal site and minimises potential carbon dioxide emissions.

“We then worked with Severn Trent to manage issues relating to the land required to launch and recover the tunnel boring machine (TBM) that will cut each of the 3 metre-diameter tunnels in turn,” continues Alan. “Around 10 acres is needed for each launch site and

5 acres at the other end. This is to allow for temporary site offices, storage of top soil and the launch pits where the TBM is fully assembled.” Work started on the first bypass in spring 2016 and is expected to finish by the end of 2018.

Birmingham Resilience Project Severn Trent will be working on another scheme related to the Elan Valley Aqueduct. The Birmingham Resilience Project involves the construction of a new pipeline from Lickhill on the River Severn to the Frankley water treatment works in Birmingham. When operational it will allow Severn Trent to shut down the Elan Valley Aqueduct for an extended period (up to 50 days every other year) to allow vital maintenance work to be carried out without any disruption to Birmingham’s water supply.

“We are providing land management services for this crucial infrastructure project,” says Fisher German partner George Simpson, who has been working on the scheme since 2013. With a total of more than 80 landowners affected by the project, building good relationships with them is critical.

While a TBM will be used to bore a tunnel under major transport routes like railway lines and the M5 motorway, in open countryside the pipeline will be laid in an open cut trench.

Mastermine operation The tunnel boring machine (TBM) that will cut each of the tunnels: • Has been named Mastermine by local primary school children • Costs £5m • Weighs 150 tonnes • Took four days to reach Bleddfa after it was manufactured by specialist tunnelling equipment builder Herrenknecht in Germany

Elan Valley Aqueduct Bypasses in numbers 5 months

time taken for TBM to drill through rock

3 months

time required to rebuild the TBM between each tunnel operation

1.6km

average length of each bypass tunnel

100 metres

depth of new tunnels

3 metres

interior width of new tunnels

27,000

concrete segments required in total for the three bypass tunnels

24-hour

working during tunnelling, for five days each week

“In this case, a 50m wide swathe of land is required for pipe storage, top soil and sub soil preservation, pipeline welding and other related construction work. Although the top soil may be removed quite quickly, it can take several months for the engineers to deal with any individual section, so that land is likely to be out of use for at least a year, until it is reinstated to how it was before,” says George.

For farmland this is likely to mean two seasons of crop loss. Although Severn Trent will construct any necessary fencing and alternative access routes and compensate for any losses, there will inevitably be disruption for landowners.

“Despite this, the vast majority understand the need for such important infrastructure and, along with the contractor, we will be working hard with all landowners and occupiers to minimise the impact as far as we reasonably can,” reports George. Now that planning consent has been granted by all relevant planning authorities, Birmingham’s first alternative fresh water supply for over a century is expected to be ready for action in early 2020.

For further information contact Alan Dadswell on 01785 220044 or alan.dadswell@fishergerman.co.uk

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Family affair

Three generations have worked to make Livesey Brothers the UK’s biggest producer of Wild and Exotic mushrooms.

Here, Dan and Will Livesey tell us where the business is heading next.

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n the heart of rural Leicestershire several million small things are growing in dark places. They are all wild and exotic mushrooms, 17 tonnes of which leave Livesey Brothers farm at Normanton Heath, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, each week. The UK’s biggest producer of Wild and Exotic mushrooms now supplies all of the big supermarkets, bar one, including Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons, plus wholesale markets across the country, where they are resold to thousands of independent retailers.

Dan Livesey, a third generation of the family to be involved in the mushroom business, says the top-selling mushroom types are: Oyster, Shiitake and King Oyster. Other varieties which head out to the stores each week include: Maitake,

LIVESEY BROTHERS MUSHROOM FARMING

Enoki, Shimeji, and the company is continuing to develop new growing technologies to increase the number of species grown on the 15-acre farm.

The business is a far cry from when Dan’s grandfather began growing white mushrooms over 60 years ago. The move to exotic mushrooms came when Dan’s father Tim graduated from agricultural college and returned to the family farm in 1985 to find that there was little farming work for him.

Focused growth “Why don’t you try Oyster mushrooms?” suggested his father, and the mushroom dynasty began in earnest. By 2001 the venture was doing well, but focused on a single variety, the Oyster mushroom.

At this point the business, which now included Tim’s brother Simon, began to add more varieties to create a range.

“Now we are focusing on growing those that are most profitable,” says Dan, who joined the family business in 2012 after completing an agricultural food and marketing degree at Harper Adams University.

He was joined a year later by brother Will, who had also graduated from Harper Adams. The new generation of Liveseys quickly brought the business up to date by building a website dedicated to mushroom recipes. Unlike many modern businesses, however, they found that with a critical mass of suppliers already in place, there was little need to invest further in digital marketing.

“If it’s not bringing in results, why do it?” queries Dan. Instead, money has gone into equipment, including £1.5m spent on a new clean room and incubation facilities.

The company, with an annual turnover of £5m, is keen to keep its supermarket clients happy, so is unlikely to tout for new business from discount operators like Aldi or Lidl. “In any case, the cost price with them would likely be tricky,” notes Dan. The main competition for the firm comes, surprisingly, not from other

The main challenges will be imported mushrooms from the Middle and Far East, increasing labour costs and the everchallenging and changing food market.”

UK growers, who tend to be hobbyists, supplying local pubs and restaurants, but from abroad. “It’s possible to buy Korean mushrooms that have been air freighted here at a similar price, because they are subsidised by the Korean government,” says Dan. The UK’s decision to leave the European Union may have been helpful to the company in pushing up import prices, but it may also cause problems in the future as many of the 80-strong workforce are East European. Dan is already concerned that changes to UK employment legislation have pushed staff costs up by nearly one-third.

Unlike other suppliers, who buy their mushroom compost from abroad, Livesey Brothers makes its own straw and sawdust base, consuming around 60 tonnes each week. “So we’re in total control of the process from start to finish,” says Dan. The spent compost is recycled locally, either being spread as

fertilisers by local farmers or as winter cattle bedding on the Livesey livestock farm next door.

Started as a hobby 12 years ago by Tim, the livestock farm has grown into a successful business in its own right (see box). But the youngest generation of Liveseys is firmly focused on the growth prospects of their mushroom operation.

“The last cycle was tough and the next five to ten years could be difficult.

The main challenges will be imported mushrooms from the Middle and Far East, increasing labour costs and the everchallenging and changing food market,” reckons Dan. He concedes that a fourth generation of mushroom-growing Liveseys is possible, though he and Will are only 27 and 25 respectively. He laughs: “And neither of us are even married yet!”

The Livesey pedigree cattle sideline Having built up the exotic mushroom business Tim Livesey had always hankered after some cattle and in 2001 he started his Normanton herd with a few pedigree Herefords. Just a decade later, Tim walked away with The Hereford Cattle Society’s bull and cow of the year awards and potentially another bull of the year this year, though he suggests that it will take 30 years to build a really great pedigree herd. He is well on the way, however, with the herd now numbering around 160 head.

The herd started out on rented land and buildings, but in 2008 Tim got the opportunity to acquire a neighbouring 125-acre organic

dairy farm. Much of the land had previously been used for open-cast coal mining, so while of little use for crop growing, it was perfect for producing the lush grass that, together with grass silage, forms the mainstay of the Normanton herd’s diet. Tim hasn’t kept his hobby to himself; when not working on the mushroom business, youngest son Will, a breed judge, helps out the professional stockman who looks after the herd. Visitors are always welcome and stock is always for sale.

For further information contact Sam Parton on 01530 410867 or sam.parton@fishergerman.co.uk

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Land of opportunity As a champion of starter farms, Cubley Estate in Derbyshire is providing a career path for new entrants to the industry and ensuring a bright future for the business.

h overlooks the St Andrew’s Churc and site of the nd po fish l va medie ll Ha d ate former mo

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CUBLEY ESTATE

Two success stories from Brookside Farm

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et in the splendid rolling hills and handsome hedges of the Derbyshire Dales, the 2,200-acre Cubley Estate is an archetypal medium-sized UK landholding, with a rich history. The land around the village of Cubley has been farmed for centuries, while the village itself was probably established in Anglo Saxon times.

Although much about the farming in Cubley is traditional, the owners of the estate, the Hon David Legh, a consultant and former Chairman of Fisher German, and his wife the Revd Jane, an Anglican priest, take a progressive view when encouraging new blood into farming.

Matthew Trewartha, partner at Fisher

German, the managing agents, explains: “Brookside Farm, the smallest farm on the estate, became vacant following the promotion of the existing tenant to a larger farm elsewhere on the estate.

Brookside comprises 56 acres including a three-bedroom house. The Leghs were fully aware that by hiving off the farmstead and reallocating the land, rents could be increased two- to three-fold.”

The Legh family has owned the estate for over four decades and in 2010, David published a report for the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester and the RICS, entitled 40 Years Owning a Rural Estate – a retrospective and the challenges ahead (see boxes) for which he

Graham Worsey, the first of two tenants to have graduated from Brookside Farm before the current farmer, was crowned Farmers Guardian Dairy Farmer of the Future in 2010.

One of the judges commented: “Here is a family whose heart and soul is in the job. The cattle looked in great shape and to come from where they were is a true reflection on their passion and very hard work.”

Graham’s arrival at Brookside is recounted in 40 Years Owning a Rural Estate: ‘The shortlist came down to two applicants: the first was the prosperous son of a local owner-occupier farmer, the second was an enthusiastic young entrepreneur who had gathered together a few cattle and a few dispersed fields on the urban fringe in mid Derbyshire. He had a supportive wife and two children and immense energy. We chose the second, Graham Worsey. He came to Brookside, filled the building with milking cows and bolstered his income by working part-time on another holding on the estate.

Within eight years a larger farm became available and he and his wife Justine were the obvious choice for promotion. The business is thriving; apart from cows, Christmas turkeys were introduced for a while as a side-line and now there is a substantial free-range egg business.’

History repeated itself with the Worseys’ successor at Brookside. When it became clear that Brookside was to become vacant the estate offered Rory Woods [the shepherd employed on the Leghs’ own farm business] the tenancy to start his own sheep enterprise – it was no longer appropriate as a dairy farm.

Later we took a further step by encouraging Rory and his wife Kate to buy a share of the Leghs’ own sheep flock and to run the enterprise on a contract farming basis.’

The Woods have now also progressed to a larger farm on the estate, making way for another new starter to begin a farming career on the estate.

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Repairs and maintenance

(Extract from 40 Years Owning a Rural Estate) ‘It was once commonplace on significant estates to employ a maintenance staff; a painter, plumber and general builder were typical. Apart from the ever-mounting bureaucratic hurdles of employing such people, the great danger was that the team would be pulled off a necessary farm or cottage repair in favour of a project in the owner’s big house – often one for which they did not have the requisite skills or equipment. Even the biggest estates are not immune to this action.

‘All that said, it is incredibly useful to have a multi-skilled estate worker even today. From the early 1980s until onset of poor health, retirement, then premature death, Cubley had such a person. Officially the gardener, he could turn his hand to virtually any job. He built our magnificent dog kennels, rearranged the hydraulics for our garden pond, planted trees and hedges, cobbled up the mowers, hung gates and painted the signs for the village fete – and a hundred other tasks.’

There are hundreds of estates around the country, but not many offering this kind of opportunity. It is a real contribution to the industry.” was awarded Fellowship of the RAU 100 Club. “David’s ‘warts and all’ report was written from the dual perspective of an owner who is also a practising land agent,” says Matt, “and Jane’s ordination as a priest undoubtedly influences the ethos of the estate. By retaining Brookside as a starter farm for a new entrant, the Leghs considered the community benefit of such an action. Two significant success stories have come from that farm in the last couple of decades (see box, page 13) and

the estate is keen for there to be more.”

Fisher German issued tender packs for a decade-long Farm Business Tenancy (FBT) to a small number of invited applicants. One of these was from Dan Chadfield, a farmer’s son whose grandfather had been brought up in Cubley before purchasing a farm not far away. Last year, Dan became the latest tenant of Brookside, along with 200 sheep.

By the time the tenancy expires in 2025 he will be expected to move up to his next

farm. Matt says: “The plan is to keep a rolling 10-year FBT in place at Brookside to bring in new entrants.

There are hundreds of estates around the country, but not many offering this kind of opportunity.”

As well as welcoming new families into farming, Cubley is keen to encourage the next generation who are already in the business. Matt points to a recent example of a second-generation tenant farmer who retired and whose son had been working

Starter farms

(Extract from 40 Years Owning a Rural Estate) ‘A mounting concern amongst the farming organisations from the 1970s and 1980s was the lack of farming opportunities for new entrants to agriculture. It is not difficult to see why.

New lettings were increasingly rare; the fiscal regime severely militated against this, the right of statutory succession had been introduced (reducing the mobility of farmers) and there was a growing desire on the part of modern landowners, many of whom had attended agricultural college, to commence farming on their own account. Farming had suddenly become expensive and prospective new entrants had insufficient collateral to buy a herd of cows at £600 per head, let alone re-equip a farm in a labour-saving manner.

‘One solution favoured by large estates was to include in the portfolio ‘starter farms’ rather on the same principle as County Council smallholdings administered by the County Land Agent. These farms were typically around 30-50 acres, had basic but serviceable facilities and ideally young and vigorous tenants.

‘There are those who would regard the concept of starter farms as somewhat condescending. Others would say that on an estate the size of Cubley, they are an uneconomic luxury. My view is that one such farm on the estate is appropriate and the terms of a modern Farm Business Tenancy (FBT) can be agreed which ensure that it is not stuck in the same tenant’s hands for a complete generation.’

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CUBLEY ESTATE

Cubley in the 18th and 19th centuries

(Extract from 40 Years Owning a Rural Estate)

The Cubley Estate lies in the splendid rolling countryside of the Derbyshire Dales

Brookside Farm has provided a first farming opportunity for three young families on 10-year agreements

on the farm. Because of the proven track record of the existing operation the estate agreed a long-term (30-year) FBT with the son, with new investment into the farm, including the purchase of land immediately behind the house to protect it from development.

The number of farming tenancies at Cubley has halved to eight over the past 50 years and there are currently three families with aspirations for continuing into the next generation.

Matt says: “We do encourage the next

generation to come forward – to tell us what they’re doing now and what their plans are for the future – but we insist that they obtain experience and appropriate training elsewhere before making any formal approach.”

To read a full version of David Legh’s report 40 Years Owning a Rural Estate visit http://bit.ly/2clcdvR

‘An interesting record of estate management is revealed from the visit to Cubley of William Strong, chief steward to the 5th Earl of Chesterfield, in August 1793. He had been conducting a tour of the estates and had reached Cubley from Horsley, near Derby.

Such visits would be the equivalent of today’s audits for Quality Assurance purposes. Cubley drew favourable comparison. He considered “the whole in a good state of agriculture and improvement and nearly one-third old pastures, with a kind of marl all over the estate, and many pits opened by tenants for the purposes of trying experiments therewith”. He alludes to the enclosure of commons having taken place in 1785 and the land allotted and let either on 21-year leases or on annual contracts. He added that “leases were granted to those considered as most wealthy and capable of improving their lands, and promised to others when their improvements were made, so as to put them all on an equal footing if they were equally industrious”. It is probable that most of the holdings had been determined well before the final enclosure process and there was no “Act of Enclosure”; one presumes this was unnecessary for an estate of this size having only one owner.

‘By 1821 the village contained 76 houses, 86 families and a population of 439. Sixtyfour families were mainly employed in agriculture, 13 in associated trades and nine “variously”. The population appears to have peaked in 1831 when the census returned some 471 residents. It is clear from the Tithe award map in 1844 and the map derived from the auction catalogue for the estate sale in 1853 that the holdings and names familiar today were largely in place.’

For further information contact Matthew Trewartha on 01530 410678 or matthew.trewartha@fishergerman.co.uk

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If at first you don’t

succeed...

Determined to bring tea cultivation to Scotland, Walker Munro Farm’s Susie Walker-Munro has travelled the world to better understand how to grow her artisanal tea business despite the harsh climate.

F

arm diversification ideas aren’t often inspired by a visit to the dentist. But for Susie WalkerMunro it was a chance read of a magazine while waiting for a regular check-up that led to her lightbulb moment. Captivated by garden director Jonathan Jones’ attempts to cultivate tea at the Tregothnan Estate in Cornwall, she believed that the farm she owned with her husband in the north-east of Scotland would also support the crop.

Susie lost no time in ordering a batch of cuttings from Cornwall and planting them at Kinnettles in Angus, a traditional 500-ha arable farm, around 5 miles south of Forfar. There the free-draining, southfacing soil with an acidity of pH5.5 was,

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in theory at least, ideally placed to grow tea bushes.

“It was a mistake,” admits Susie, who is candid about the obstacles she faced on her mission to create a high-quality artisanal tea business. “Our problem was that the cuttings were shallow-rooted, so found it difficult to establish themselves against the cold Scottish winds.”

Tea bushes take five years to mature to the point where the leaves can be harvested in commercial quantities, but it was clear after just three years that the Cornish plants were not thriving in the outdoors. Susie’s next move was to replant cuttings in poly-tunnels. The plants responded well to their sheltered accommodation, but Susie came to realise

that the assamica bush, indigenous to India, and introduced to the UK as an alternative to Chinese imported tea by her great-great-great grandfather, Charles Alexander Bruce, around 180 years ago, would never be well-suited to the Scottish climate. However, the Chinese varietal camellia sinensis, with a smaller leaf, responds far better.

Far-flung research So Susie travelled to Darjeeling and spent a week at the Makaibari tea garden, where the finest Darjeeling tea is grown from the sinesis bush. While in India, she spent time in the factory learning about processing and picking tea. She returned triumphant. “I thought I knew everything

KINNETTLES TEA

High-end tea Right from the start Susie Walker-Munro was determined that her tea venture should culminate in a viable business, rather than a farmer’s hobby. Tea is a labour-intensive crop that doesn’t respond well to large-scale mechanisation, which lowers the quality of the tea – it needs to be hand plucked for quality. “Unless you go for the top-end of the market, you can’t afford to employ people,” explains Susie, who so far has done much of the labouring herself.

Her first commercial batch of tea, Kinnettles Gold, was released to market last year, exclusively through Edinburgh tea merchant PekoeTea, where the hand-rolled tea tips are presented in an elegant 20g tin that retails for £50. Alternatively, well-heeled shoppers can pop in for a single cup priced at £15. The tasting notes say the drinker can expect sweet notes of apple with a hint of cinnamon spice, a pleasant aftertaste and syrupy mouth feel.

Susie expects much of the demand for her product to come from tea drinkers in London, though she reports interest from overseas, particularly Germany.

Susie Walker-Munro’s first commercial batch of tea, Kinnettles Gold, was released to market in 2015

about making tea – but I found it wasn’t that simple. I wasn’t even pruning the bushes correctly,” she confesses. Lessdetermined farmers might have been tempted to throw in the (tea) towel at this point. For Susie, though, giving up wasn’t an option. Instead she brought in tea consultant Beverly-Claire Wainwright.

It was a masterstroke. Beverly’s philosophy is to match processing methods to suit the terrain, rather than copying methods from other countries.

“She came up with a raft of good ideas about working with the cold climate,”

“As a member of the evergreen camellia family, it actually prefers to be sheltered.”

How Susie’s bushes fare when they are planted out in autumn 2017 remains to be seen. But so far the first seedling-grown tea to be produced in Scotland has got off to a roaring start since it was planted in spring 2016. The first tips will be plucked in 2018, but only for the group of 10 growers that Susie is now part of who will collectively market and merchandise their single estate teas. Consultancy help will allow each garden to create the most suitable tea dictated by their individual

Get consultancy advice from the beginning – otherwise you are wasting your time, and it is so worth it in the early stages.” says Susie. Top of the list was moving away from cuttings to seeds harvested from cold-tolerant varieties from Nepal and the ex-Soviet state of Georgia.

Not only are there fewer issues with importation, pests and diseases, but tea bushes grown from seed develop long tap roots, which mean that they should be hardy enough to be planted outdoors.

“It’s a misconception that tea needs plenty of sunlight,” says Susie.

terrain, aspect, altitude and sunlight availability. These factors have a huge influence on the taste of tea, while correct processing enhances the flavours.

Tea tourism “The idea is that we can create tea tourism, in the same way that people are already familiar with whisky,” says Susie.

Eager tea drinkers will have to wait until 2020 for their first dram, however,

as five grams of green leaf are required for a single gram of finished tea. Susie’s collective expects to eventually produce a total of 100kg from each grower’s half-acre plot, but the group plans to double the area cultivated as the business grows.

In the meantime, Susie will continue to produce tea from her cutting-raised, poly-tunnel-reared bushes. Her first commercial batch of tea last year weighed in at 2kg (see box) and she expects to deliver a similar amount in 2016.

“It’s like an orchard – very expensive at the beginning,” notes Susie, who adds that anyone considering going into the business should be aware that it is unlikely to turn a profit until five or more years.

Nevertheless she encourages others to try their hand at growing tea: “The more people that come into it the better, as long as they do it well. I see tea as complementary to arable farming.

It is ideal for areas where you can’t get machinery into, and doesn’t have to be in one block; rather it can fill up odd spaces.” Susie has just one tip for budding tea growers: “Get consultancy advice from the beginning – otherwise you are wasting your time, and it is so worth it in the early stages.”

www.pekoetea.co.uk

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Square peg, round hole Replacing ageing vacuum sewage systems has been no mean feat for utility company Southern Water. What does the complex project involve?

W

hen a lightbulb blows, the solution is simple: just plug in a new one. But when a sewage system needs replacing, carrying out the necessary works can be much trickier, as utility company Southern Water found out when it embarked on a programme to replace a number of ageing vacuum sewage systems which it owns in southern England.

Standard mains sewage systems rely on gravity to drain effluent away from

properties towards a local treatment plant.

But in flatter areas gravity systems won’t work and in some locations, a vacuum system has been installed instead. This works by linking a series of underground collection chambers (known as pods), each of which is fed by gravity from nearby properties, with a central collection station fed by pipes which are pressurised and move the sewage by the power of vacuum.

In theory, vacuum systems are ‘closed’, meaning that no other water

Solutions for poorly located infrastructure Most vacuum system pods were originally located in relatively accessible places like front gardens.

In Kent, however, a pod was situated too close to a tree that is protected by a Tree Preservation Order. Removing the pod without damaging the tree would be extremely difficult, so a solution was devised to leave the existing pod in the ground as a soakaway and install a new pod nearby.

Near Chichester, several pods had been set into a large amount of concrete, which required a labour-intensive process to drill them out. Careful planning and handling was needed in one location where a pod had been buried between a high voltage power cable and a high pressure water main.

It isn’t just the pods that cause problems. In West Sussex, a communications cable which allows all the pods to communicate with Southern Water was found to have deteriorated over time and up to two miles needed to be replaced. “We quickly drew up plans and communicated with around 20 landowners because the trench runs under private roads, public highways and agricultural land,” says James.

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(e.g. rain) can be collected and sewage cannot escape. However, in Bromley Green Road, near Ashford in Kent, pressure issues in the system have led to it collecting surface water that has overwhelmed the infrastructure – with unpleasant results.

Ongoing issue Fisher German surveyor James Cole, who is part of the team providing the utility company with land management support services, explains: “This has been an ongoing issue in recent years.

When there has been heavy rainfall the system becomes swamped with extra water and causes sewage to erupt into gardens and drives.”

Southern Water has worked hard to find a long-term solution to resolve these issues. Until recently it sent sewage tankers to empty every single pod. Known locally as ‘the milk round’ this could require several visits in times of heavy rainfall. As well as causing disturbance for local residents, the tanker operation was very costly.

SOUTHERN WATER

re-surfaced, and land generally left in no worse a condition than before we started.”

Efficient process

Fisher German consulted with affected parties in order to gain necessary access to residential land

We were involved with identifying and mapping all interested parties and then consulting with them on behalf of Southern Water.”

Southern Water’s ultimate solution is to replace each pod with more up-to-date infrastructure and pods, containing new control equipment. This might sound simple in theory, but each concrete pod can weigh up to two tonnes, measures around eight square feet, and can be buried up to three metres deep. “A manhole cover gives no indication of the chamber below,” says James.

Replacing the pods which are typically (but not always – see box) located under residential front gardens and drives has been a logistical challenge that James has partly been responsible for. “We were involved with mapping the interested parties and producing the necessary access drawings before consulting with the affected parties on behalf of Southern Water,” says James, “which included

serving relevant notices and agreeing access with them.”

Although a total of 36 pods have been replaced, they served a larger number of properties – 47 in all. Some owners were understandably less than delighted at the prospect of disruption in their driveway, but James says issues were swiftly resolved. He adds: “During the construction period we were the first line of contact for the contractors and residents and assisted them with their work programme based on individual property requirements. We also needed to negotiate use of land for a site compound to store pods, materials and for the provision of welfare facilities. Following the works we were responsible for checking that reinstatement work had been done properly – that grass was re-laid, drives

Despite uncovering problems along the way, the two teams of engineers became adept at extracting the old circular pods and replacing them with square ones – literally a case of a square peg in a round hole – and managed to bring the process down from one pod every five days to one in every three. “We needed to be reactive when, as a consequence of the rate of installation, the programme of works was shortened. Excluding final reinstatement work, we were delighted to finish a month ahead of schedule,” comments James.

Replacing the pods has only been the start of the exercise, however. In a second phase of work every property connected to the system has been fitted with a radio transmitter to inform Southern Water’s control centre if there is ever a problem.

Analysis of the data will reveal whether the eight kilometres of connecting pipework requires any refurbishment work in the future. The results of the investment into new technology in Kent are being reviewed carefully by both Southern Water and its investors as they will determine whether a planned multimillion pound programme to roll out the new technology at other sites goes ahead.

Another pilot scheme is taking place near Chichester, West Sussex, where James and his team have attended a number of residents’ committee meetings which represents 110 homeowners connected to a vacuum sewage system installed around a decade ago. A first phase of 15 properties has already had its pods replaced, with the remainder expected to be installed during 2017.

“There is a team on site seven days a week so that Southern Water can very quickly deal with the unexpected,” reports James. “Every day is different – things can change in an instant.

Sometimes we have to drop everything to resolve issues that arise.”

For further information, please contact James Cole on 01227 477872 or email james.cole@fishergerman.co.uk

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All

firedup Firewood suppliers George and Nic Snell founded Certainly Wood after identifying a huge gap in the market for kiln dried logs. Now, the brothers are on a mission to ensure British logs become the norm for homes throughout the UK.

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GUEST PROFILE: CERTAINLY WOOD

All supplies are sourced from within a 100-mile radius

A

s the winter draws in there is nothing more heartening than the warmth and glow from a real log fire or wood stove. For the many who aren’t lucky enough to be able to harvest wood from their own land they will turn to a retailer or specialist supplier for their firewood. But how many think about where that wood is ultimately sourced from? It’s a question brothers George and Nic Snell, the founders and owners of firewood supplier Certainly Wood, would like wood buyers to ask more often.

Based in Herefordshire on the Snell family farm, the company has grown to become the UK’s largest specialist wood fuel supplier, but its founders are concerned that more than 50% of logs bought online are imported from overseas, particularly from eastern European countries like Latvia and Lithuania. In response, Certainly Wood has started a ‘Buy British’ campaign to raise awareness among consumers.

Logs imported from overseas not only have a lengthy supply chain (up to 1,500 miles), but also carry the potential risk of bringing in pests and diseases, and they may not have come from a sustainable source or have been thoroughly dried.

“Our kiln drying process substantially reduces the moisture content of the logs to below 20% and kiln dried logs ensure a cleaner burn which in turn means less soot or tar build up in the chimney or flue, and most importantly they provide a far greater heat output, which means less wood is required,” explains Nic.

Sustainable sources Certainly Wood sources all of its supplies from within a 100-mile radius and the company has been part of the Woodsure

Certainly Wood was one of the first kiln dried firewood companies to receive Grown in Britain accreditation

Woodfuel Quality Assurance Scheme, certified by official industry body HETAS, since its inception.

Recently it became one of the first kiln dried firewood companies to receive accreditation from Grown in Britain, an organisation dedicated to promoting British timber and a greater understanding of the importance of sustainable woodland management.

With a workforce approaching 30 people when in full production, and

capacity for an annual output of 19,000 tonnes of kiln dried logs and 2,500 tonnes of poplar kindling, as well as its fantastic Flamers natural firelighters, the business has come a long way in the 40 years since Nic and George’s father Hugh first began processing poplars grown on the family farm for kindling. That first diversification was quickly followed by an extension of the business when George began selling ash logs, dried in old barns, to local retailers.

I remember Googling the term ‘kiln dried logs’ and there was only ever reference to kiln dried timber, never logs.” fisher german magazine

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At that time the 200-acre arable farm was growing a wide variety of produce.

“We used to have farm shops and sell sprouts, sweetcorn, cauliflower, calabrese … You name it, we did it!” recalls George, who took on the running of the farm after graduating from the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester. While turnover was high, the same wasn’t true for profitability. He says: “It’s so easy to do something because that’s the way it was done before. But I realised that change was necessary and started to simplify the whole operation, a process that has been ongoing over the last 20 years.”

Now the farm concentrates on fruit production, with up to 200 tonnes each year sold to Suntory, destined for Ribena,

Specialised marketing is the secret of this business – you need to put money, effort and energy into getting it right.” and around 1,200 tonnes of cider fruit sold to Bulmers. With the land occupied by permanent crops, farming is likely to continue this way for the foreseeable future, but George estimates that the majority of his time (80%) is dedicated to the wood business.

Unique proposition Certainly Wood was set up as a separate enterprise in 2006 when Nic joined the company. He had previously pursued

How kiln dried logs were invented The quest for a kiln to remove moisture from wood started when George wanted to kiln dry the boards of poplar he was using for kindling to reduce the production time. “I spoke to kiln companies and they didn’t think they could do it,” remembers George. So he set up building his own version. The process was trial and error, but the prototype, using a dieselpowered boiler, was successful, though not cost-effective.

Undeterred, George decided to use a wood-fired boiler with a thermal oil heat exchanger operating at very high temperatures. Unable to find one in the UK, he brought one back from Italy. At around the same time he ran out of barn space for seasoned logs, so put those in the kiln as well. The reduction in processing time was dramatic – a batch of wood could be dried in three days rather than three weeks. Not only was the process faster, but the average moisture content fell below 20%, giving a far cleaner burn when compared to traditional, seasoned wood, which has a much higher moisture content.

The current kiln uses low pressure steam and contains seven chambers, each of which will take 18 tonnes of wood. Around 6 tonnes of water is removed from each chamber in the 45-hour drying cycle.

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a career initially in growing raspberries, then running a local soft fruit co-operative, and finally marketing for a larger co-op. With a post graduate degree in marketing under his belt he felt that the method George had invented for drying wood (see box) presented the business with a unique selling proposition.

“I remember Googling the term ‘kiln dried logs’ and there was only ever reference to kiln dried timber, never logs,” says Nic. “Now it is quite a common term and in recent years it has started to appear in America, too. We are confident to say that we are genuinely the inventors of kiln dried logs.”

Sadly for the Snells the process has been copied across Europe and there are now many other kiln dried log suppliers as the whole market moves away from seasoned wood.

The Herefordshire operation prides itself on the sustainability of its products which come only from forestry thinnings.

The firm also has a tree planting programme and the poplars originally planted by Hugh are now in their fourth generation. The company recycles any wood waste from the processing operation and this is used to fire the two

GUEST PROFILE: CERTAINLY WOOD

Brothers Nic and George Snell are keen to educate British buyers about the downsides of imported kiln dried logs

Flamers catch on About four years ago, on a visit to Italy, the Snell brothers discovered a natural firelighter which was seen as a perfect fit for the Certainly Wood brand and so, initially packed in Europe, the Flamers brand was developed and started to be sold to existing customers.

Demand outstripped supply, so production was brought to the UK, where it now reaches over six million Flamers each year.

Nic reports that Flamers have been incredibly popular because they offer an attractive alternative to the traditional smelly paraffin-based firelighter that dominates the market today. Initially sold by independent retailers, the firm is in discussion with big brand UK retailers to expand sales across the country.

“This is a really exciting development for us, with potential to increase production ten-fold,” says Nic. “Retailers like that it is natural, nicely packed and something different, and for the consumers it’s so easy to use and great for not only all fire lighting but also superb for barbecues and you don’t get that awful paraffin smell.”

Flamers are sold in a range of pack sizes with a new 30-pack launched recently for the forecourt market in a 100% waterproof pouch. flamersfirelighters.co.uk

large kilns and seven chambers. Solar panels provide around 10% of the firm’s electricity consumption.

Although the business operates all year round, it tends to increase production over the summer months to take advantage of the longer daylight hours. And while demand is highest during the winter months, clever marketing has evened out major peaks and troughs. Surprisingly, sales are now at their highest in August, as people stock up early in preparation for the winter.

Building the brand Nic’s marketing expertise has been crucial in taking the business forward, says

George: “Specialised marketing is the secret of this business – you need to put money, effort and energy into selling and marketing, while not rushing, but getting it right at the right time. That’s what farmers [who diversify into other areas] need to understand.”

Local sales and contracts with large outlets like garden centres account for an important share of sales, but online is the biggest growth area for the company, which has an annual turnover of around £5 million. “We originally looked to achieve 50/50 online vs retail outlets, but now realise that’s not possible, as without the big retailers we just can’t sell the volume,” says George.

The Snell brothers have plenty of ideas for refining the business. At present they are looking to mechanise kindling production to make it more competitive and they are pursuing marketing innovations such as special kindling kits for campers, glampers, pizza oven operators and others. And with an estimated 185,000 domestic wood burning stoves installed in the UK burning some 1 million tonnes of fuel, the future for Certainly Wood is literally looking bright.

www.certainlywood.co.uk

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Place of learning Fisher German is working with schools across the UK to help them maintain, manage and develop their estates.

We find out more.

H

ere is a quick challenge for those fond of basic arithmetic: if you divide the total number of pupils enrolled in UK schools (8.4 million) by the total number of schools in the country (24,300), what is the average size (number of pupils) of each educational establishment? Whatever your answer (the solution is at the bottom of the page*) it is clear that there is huge diversity within the education sector, with statefunded schools, free schools, academies, faith schools and independent schools all vying to teach the next generation of young people.

One professional who has a better understanding than many of the fabric of

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these schools is Fisher German associate Tom Barton. “Between 2012 and 2014 we completed over 1,000 property data surveys for the Education Funding Agency, as part of a wider nationwide campaign to inform the government about maintenance deficits in schools,” he explains. The majority of schools were located across the Midlands, with the remainder in the North West and in each case (at a rate of one secondary school or two primary schools per day), Tom’s team carefully assessed the condition of buildings, entering the results into tablet computers as they went.

“That survey experience has helped us to accumulate a sizeable amount of

expertise related to buildings used by the education sector and the methodology preferred by the Education Funding Agency, which has helped us when advising academies directly,” says Tom. Although the government is currently reviewing its policy on the compulsory conversion of state schools to academies, many are still considering the process and Tom’s team has been brought in by governing bodies to provide advice about school estates.

An impressive recent win was for West Park Academy (originally Spondon Park Grammar School) in Derby, where £2m of funding was secured for a new maths block.

Demonstrating shortfalls “The existing building was prefabricated, lacking in modern facilities and not fitfor-purpose, including poor ventilation

BUILDING SURVEYING

Case study: Repton School Around 650 pupils attend the co-educational independent school, founded in the Derbyshire village of Repton in 1557. “We manage part of the school’s residential portfolio,” says Mike Reynolds, associate partner at Fisher German. Although some residential properties are managed by the school itself (typically those which are let to staff via a local letting agent), Mike is responsible for the remainder, which are let to private tenants, including the Royal British Legion. “We monitor the condition of the properties, ensure repairs are carried out, rental agreements are in place and rents are paid on time, as well as providing specific Landlord and Tenant advice when matters arise,” explains Mike, “such as the end of a lease we are currently working on.”

The school’s portfolio doesn’t just include homes. Small pieces of land next to owneroccupied houses are let to the owners as gardens and larger areas (playing fields) are rented to the local education authority, including a primary school. “We review the rents paid on land and advise on the potential acquisition of new land as and when required,” says Mike.

and leaking roofs,” reports Tom. “We carried out a bespoke building survey and presented our report in a clear and logical manner, drawing on knowledge acquired from the Property Data Survey Programme, which made a very strong case for the replacement of the building.

“Previous applications to the Condition Improvement Fund (set aside by the Education Funding Authority for urgent repairs to academies) had been unsuccessful, but West Park School was keen to re-submit and instructed us to prepare our report to support their application,” says Tom. The application

was successful and the school received £2m of funding for a brand new maths block. “I have no doubt that the quality of Fisher German’s condition survey played a major part in this,” says the Bursar at West Park School.

“We don’t just work with academies,” Tom points out. “Much of what we do, including maintenance surveys, project management, design and spatial planning and assistance with compliance requirements (for example, health and safety audits, fire safety and equality act assessments), is relevant to all types of school, up and down the country.”

Applying our core building surveying skills with our knowledge of education buildings was key to the successful application.”

Tom’s colleague, Fisher German associate partner Guy Hemus, adds that other specialist property advice related to planning, development and investment (see boxes) can be invaluable for those, including governing bodies and bursars, who are responsible for school infrastructure, but may not have relevant expertise. He says: “Whilst the challenges facing the education sector are many and varied, we can provide schools with concrete data and detailed strategies related to land and property that can be critical in meeting their objectives.” (*) Answer to the maths question at the start of the article = 346.

For more information, please contact Tom Barton on 01530 567469 or email tom.barton@fishergerman.co.uk

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Standing the test of time Trinity Hospital Estates Trust has been supporting citizens of Retford since the mid-17th century and now, thanks to shrewd estate management, is set to continue helping people long into the future.

T

he historic Nottinghamshire town of Retford is home to over 20,000 people. Fifteen of those are provided for by the Hospital of the Holy and Undivided Trinity known locally as Trinity Hospital, a venerable charity that has looked out for some of the town’s citizens since 1671 (see box).

The hospital has traditionally focused on maintaining the properties it owns across the town. The men looked after by the charity – the Brethren – originally lived in Retford Hall, but are now accommodated in almshouse cottages, built when the hall was replaced by the Trinity Hospital almshouse building in 1832, itself now a Grade II-listed property.

Long-standing charity Nearly 350 years after it was founded thanks to the endowment of local doctor John Darrel, Trinity Hospital continues to perform the function it was set up for: providing accommodation for 15 local single men over the age of 50.

Once accepted by the charity into the Brethren, a new member is allocated a cottage which he retains for life or until he is no longer able to care for himself. Since the Charity was founded it has provided for over 500 local men.

The Charity is run by five part-time staff, including Bailiff Bob Rabagliati, who report to the charity’s single trustee. For over 340 years this Master Governor role has been taken on by the sub-dean of Lincoln, currently Canon John Patrick.

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In addition, the Trust owns approximately 60 private rental properties spread throughout Retford which generate income to support the Brethren and maintain the fabric of the whole property portfolio. “Historically that is where we have focused much of our attention,” says Trinity Hospital bailiff Bob Rabagliati,

We were absolutely clear that a charity had no place in taking on the multi-million pound development risk.”

TRINITY HOSPITAL

Planning for the future

who since 2008, together with a small team, has been responsible for the day-today management of the Trust’s affairs.

Although his previous career in the RAF gave Bob what he modestly describes as a hint of property expertise, he passes on much of the technical property work to Fisher German, whose partner Tim Shuldham has advised the Trust for 25 years. “Tim does all kinds of propertyrelated jobs for us,” adds Bob, “and he has also had a long-standing desire to have some of our land developed, primarily for the benefit of the charity, but also for the town.”

That desire is now being realised as, in a one-off move, Trinity Hospital is playing a significant role in providing land that will cater for future population and employment growth. The venture is an exception for the charity, which has just chosen a commercial partner whom it will work with on a 10-year development programme that will transform former farmland into a new gateway for the town. Covering a total of 62 acres, the

sale of the land for use as homes and commercial premises (see box) will provide a steady and reliable income for Trinity Hospital far into the future.

The buildings will require new infrastructure, including roads and a roundabout, and Tim is keen to point out that it is the development partner rather than the charity who will shoulder the financial risk associated with this. “We were absolutely clear that a charity had no place in taking on the multi-million pound development risk of building roads and providing the services, which is why we have promoted and negotiated a joint venture deal. The charity’s partner will fund the infrastructure costs, and the charity will benefit from the added value of selling serviced building plots as demand requires them.”

Work is expected to begin in 2017, though Bob is clear that Trinity Hospital is unlikely to engage in a similar kind of project in the foreseeable future. He says: “As a modest undertaking we are not looking to generate more income

Although Trinity Hospital had a positive working relationship with the local planning authority there was initially no guarantee that the charity’s proposed development would be welcomed. To ensure a mutually-beneficial outcome for all parties Fisher German’s planning team worked closely with Bassetlaw District Council for several years.

Fisher German planning partner Liberty Stones explains: “Our first objective was to ensure that the land at Trinity Park, off North Road, was included in the Council’s Site Allocations Development Plan document.

That meant that the principle of developing on the site was securely and clearly established, providing the confidence for Trinity Hospital to progress a planning application.”

Liberty’s team submitted an outline planning application for the mixed use development, which was granted consent. The team’s expertise meant it was able to persuade the council to allow more houses on the site than the local authority had originally sought.

Liberty says: “As with many local authorities, the lack of a five-year housing land supply in Retford meant we were able to convincingly argue that our land should facilitate the delivery of nearly 200 new homes.”

The local authority originally suggested that the site should include new office and light industrial accommodation. But Liberty’s team successfully argued for a greater number of commercial uses within the scheme, including a car showroom, a 100-bed hotel, a family pub and some new retail units that together will create a sustainable mixed use urban extension to the town.

Liberty notes: “The council considers the development key to the town’s ambition to attract investment, increase employment opportunities and enable additional housing.

The Local Enterprise Partnership, D2N2, now includes the site in the marketing material it uses to brief potential investors.”

than we know what to do with and we are certainly not looking to substantially increase the size of our property portfolio.”

Bob adds that the proceeds from the Trinity Park development have already been allocated towards specific objectives: a large proportion is likely to be spent on refurbishing and upgrading existing properties, while some will go directly to benefit the Brethren.

For further information, please contact Tim Shuldham on 01777 860755 or tim.shuldham@fishergerman.co.uk

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HOT property H

ere is a flavour of the wide range of residential and rural properties that we offer from our network of offices. We have noted a surprisingly active market following Brexit with a good supply of new properties and active purchasers allowing us to create some very good sales. Buyers are benefitting from low interest rates and what appears to be a stable market place. For further details, please email property@fishergerman.co.uk, or go to fishergerman.co.uk.

Rose Retreat, Frisby by Gaulby, Leicestershire A dramatic, innovative and sustainable eco-friendly home in a stunning location with panoramic views, guide price ÂŁ1,800,000

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DIVERSE SALES

Bell Hall, Belbroughton, Worcestershire An important country house in a most convenient location boasting splendid and extensive accommodation set in approx. 34.4 acres, guide price £3,000,000

Common Leys Farm, Thame, Oxfordshire An attractive Grade II Listed farmhouse and 37.81 acres of farmland set amidst the beautiful South Oxfordshire countryside and offering exciting business opportunities, guide price £2,500,000

Chase Cottage, Tittensor, Staffordshire Chase Cottage is situated along a private road and once formed part of the Duke of Sutherland’s estate. The beautiful garden and grounds sit in just over 2 acres with views of the surrounding countryside, guide price £535,000

Old School House, Spurstow, Cheshire A four bedroom, striking country house in the heart of prime Cheshire countryside extending to approximately 0.840 of an acre with additional land available by separate negotiation, guide price £1,200,000

Chestnut Lodge Farm, Hallaton, Leicestershire An enchanting family home in a superb situation with wonderful views set in approximately 100 acres of rolling countryside, available separately or as a whole, guide price £1,650,000 (whole)

Well Furlong, Little Comberton, Worcestershire A beautifully situated house with about 10,000 sq ft of accommodation, excellent leisure facilities, fine southerly views and grounds extending to about 82 acres, guide price £2,000,000

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peoplenews

Bedford office on the move Fisher German is moving to new premises in Bedford at Priory Business Park.

The team at Bedford has been bolstered with new additions, namely Mathew Brandon and Simon Warner, who will help strengthen the team’s existing offering, with particular focus on commercial property agency and planning advice.

The commercial team at Bedford now offers unrivalled professional advice on all aspects relating to commercial property led by Simon Patrick. The rural team continue with their core work areas of valuation, telecoms, land and farm agency, management, compulsory purchase and tenancy matters.

Sam Skinner, Jeremy Clayson and Matthew Ayres will continue offering rural services from Priory Business Park. Last year, Fisher German merged with Bedford firm Warmingtons to extend its presence in Bedfordshire across to Banbury and down to Thame.

A flurry of promotions as we move into autumn A number of promotions have taken place since the last issue, recognising people from a variety of sectors, service lines and offices across the business. The development of employees is a reflection of the continued growth of Fisher German and the substantial investment that they make in their business and people.

Richard Broome in the utilities and infrastructure sector has been promoted to partner, while Holly Parry has also been made a partner in the rural team. Richard is managing director of the LinesearchbeforeUdig service, responsible for its management and ongoing growth, and Holly is a rural surveyor, managing prestigious estates and carrying out general practice work. She also has a wider role in developing business strategy in the rural sector.

In addition to the two partner promotions, nine individuals have been promoted to associate partner and associate. These are; Tom Collins and Jenny Salt who are both members of the planning team. Louise Duffin, Laura Airton, Jack Healy, Evan Hughes and Simon Tivey who are all rural surveyors and Matthew Turner and Joanne Harding who are in the utilities and infrastructure team.

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Richard Broome

Tom Collins

Louise Duffin

Holly Parry

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Partner spotlight: Matt Trewartha Following a farming career that has taken him all over the world, associate partner Matt Trewartha is well equipped to handle the complex demands of the rural consultancy sector.

W

hen it comes to colourful career paths, Matt Trewartha’s is like a rainbow.

Now an associate partner for the rural consultancy sector, Matt’s day job at Fisher German is a far cry from the lush New Zealand countryside where he spent time “milking cows” after graduating from agricultural college in 2000.

On his return from down under, Matt eventually enrolled at Harper Adams University to study a degree in agriculture.

It was there that he grabbed an opportunity to prove his farming and business acumen, securing the title of ‘Farm Planner of the Year 2005’. The highprofile competition is run by Farmers Weekly and invites applicants to produce a business plan for a farm or estate, explains Matt. “I remember thinking it would be a great achievement. Winning it has opened a lot of doors for my career.”

After university Matt completed a brief stint as a breeding advisor before moving into farm business consultancy, but it was a chance opportunity to take a resident agent’s job on a landed estate in County Durham that set his career on its current trajectory. “I got the job despite having no experience, and did a distance learning course to qualify for the APC and join RICS. Within three years I went from being junior to lead agent, looking after 30,000 acres of estates across Durham, Northumberland and the Highlands,” he says. Fisher German approached Matt about a position in the rural consultancy team in 2013, and joining the firm turned out to be “the best thing I could have done”, reflects Matt.

“The variety in my day-to-day role is huge. I’ve got no idea what will be sitting in my Inbox in two minutes’ time; who will have rung; what will have gone wrong – I work at my best under pressure,” he says.

Matt’s main clients are CEMEX, for whom he manages surplus property, and

Having spent years working as a farmer, Matt loves to be outdoors

If you can bend yourself to every situation then you will excel in this business.”

Belvoir Castle, where he manages a commercial and agricultural portfolio. A typical week sees him spending about 70% of his time in the office, with a small team helping take care of work that needs to be conducted on site.

Keeping pace “Anybody coming into the field needs to accept that it’s a pressurised job,” says Matt. “You’ve got to expect to run like hell for 10 hours a day, juggling three things at the same time and making important decisions quickly,” he adds.

“You’ve also got to be able to spot opportunities as they present themselves and look at the bigger picture the whole time. If you can bend yourself quickly to every situation to get the best out of it for your client, then you will excel in this business,” laughs Matt.

The industry is becoming much more digitised, and one of Matt’s biggest tasks since Fisher German took over the

management of CEMEX in 2014 has been to implement a central resource that puts information at the client’s fingertips. “There was a huge backlog of work to be done, including rents that needed to be collected or reviewed, and we have now got it to a point where information is far more transparent and accessible – and therefore quicker – for everyone involved,” he explains.

Never one to do things by halves, within a year of relocating to Ashby-de-la-Zouch Matt had got married, bought a house and started a family. And although it’s “not Yorkshire”, Matt says he enjoys bringing up one-year-old Ned in an area that is close to the countryside, and yet only an hour from London and surrounded by airports. Not that he’s planning on escaping abroad again any time soon, though he concedes that his farming days will always hold a special place for him. “I miss farming and being outside greatly, particularly at harvest time,” says Matt, “but I definitely don’t miss the 3.30am starts in winter!”

For further information, please contact Matt Trewartha on 01530 410678 or email matthew.trewartha@fishergerman.co.uk

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Sector insight Prepare for changes

Cautious optimism

When one door closes…

David Merton, head of rural

Kevin Benson, head of commercial

Darren Edwards, head of sustainable energy

Expected changes as a result of the EU referendum offer massive opportunities to the UK rural sector.

The immediate fall in the value of sterling following the Brexit vote has led to increases in the value of British export commodities and has resulted in an increase in the value of farmers’ Basic Payment subsidy payment. However, a weak pound is not all good news, as the bulk of crop inputs and farm machinery are imported. Once the UK formally leaves the EU, sterling is predicted to increase in value putting pressure on the UK export market; this combined with the likely decrease in subsidies will have a negative effect on UK agriculture.

The Treasury has confirmed that the Basic Farm Payment is guaranteed until 2020 and exiting EU environmental schemes will similarly be honoured.

However, businesses should use the intervening period to prepare for economic conditions closer to world markets by improving their efficiency and reducing costs. Some rural businesses will see the changes as an opportunity to compete fairly in an international market while others, particularly dairy and intensive livestock, where the structure of UK agriculture as a whole is still very inefficient, may well view it as a threat.

Land prices continue to come under pressure; however, a number of institutions and charities remain committed to the market. Interest remains from developers and individuals looking to areas where they believe medium to long-term strategic development opportunities exist. This is in addition to farmers looking to expand their current business.

Location and quality of the land remains key to a successful sale.

Post Brexit, what do we know? Well, the world hasn’t ended and for some it is business as usual, although even the most die-hard eurosceptics are being cautious. Based in the regions with no London office dictating the mood, Fisher German’s commercial teams are reporting a general attitude of cautious optimism, very different from the London agents we know.

So what has happened? Well, certainly investors are being watchful, but the investment market was slowing pre-Brexit, so not necessarily the best barometer. The number of valuations being undertaken for the banks has not slowed, and while banks are reducing their risk appetite and increasing pricing – as is normal in times of greater uncertainty – they are still lending. Indeed several banks were quick to pass messages on that it was ‘business as usual’. I think this sums up where we are; yes, there is more caution and things will remain uncertain for the foreseeable future, but there will be opportunities, especially if recession is avoided.

The government has announced that the way that rating appeals are to run is changing and the proposals are very unpopular with rating advisors.

The changes mean the Valuation Office may have a margin of error as the regulations say that the Tribunal will not be able to alter the rateable value of a business unless it is “outside of bounds of reasonable judgement”. This could have serious implications for occupiers and owners alike.

The Q3 results are being seen as key and only after those results will we see what the initial effect of Brexit has been.

While Alexander Graham Bell is perhaps best known for patenting the first practical telephone, he is also widely recognised for coining the phrase “when one door closes, another opens”. This can be aptly applied to our sector.

We have been frantically busy of late supporting or overseeing the implementation of a large of number of Feed-in Tariff (FIT) driven renewable energy projects. A good proportion of these have been battling the Ofgem ‘validity period’ clock – requiring them to be built, commissioned and ROOFIT accredited by a fixed date to satisfy preliminary accreditation criteria and achieve higher support rates. Thankfully, we have a 100% success rate in ensuring our clients have met the necessary deadlines but it has not been without its challenges.

The door for new FIT and Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) projects may be closing but we have entered into a period of transition. Clients are now focusing on cost-saving measures – notably project re-financing to secure lower interest rates and challenging rateable values to reduce business rates.

The door of opportunity continues to be energy storage. In August 2016, the outcome of the first auction for Enhanced Frequency Response (EFR) services was announced. Run by National Grid in its role as System Operator, the auction process sought capacity able to provide frequency regulation to help them balance the nation’s electricity system.

Although technology-neutral, battery storage providers won the majority of the capacity. The success of the auction is likely to trigger rapid growth of this market and we are working hard to help clients take advantage.

For further information, please contact David Merton on 01530 410806 or email david.merton@fishergerman.co.uk

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For further information, please contact Kevin Benson on 01777 719148 or email kevin.benson@fishergerman.co.uk

For further information, please contact Darren Edwards on 01858 411236 or email darren.edwards@fishergerman.co.uk

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

Fisher German’s sector heads look forward to what lies ahead for the firm and its clients

Activity should remain strong

No significant changes

Focus on investment

Ben Marshalsay, head of development

Alasdair Dunne, head of residential

Giles Lister, head of utilities & infrastructure

New build house prices have continued to increase over the past 12 months despite the increased uncertainty created by this summer’s referendum.

As a nation there remains an undersupply of residential development land, furthering the issue between supply and demand of new housing stock.

Plc and private house builders are still seeking good quality development land across the UK which will continue to place upward pressure on land values.

Looking forward, transactional activity should remain strong, as will the promotion of potential development sites (residential, commercial, retail and mixed use) through the planning system.

Following the referendum, many housebuilders took stock of the current situation before making judgements. Most have now reverted back to prereferendum acquisition strategies once again.

It is positive to note that despite the referendum and changes at Cabinet level, there has been no step change in the planning decision making at government level or policy making.

Some nervousness and cautiousness may well creep in within certain quarters over the coming months, but we expect the majority of good quality consented sites brought to the market to sell within a sensible timeframe, thus continuing the current trend.

Following Brexit and with concerns over the health of the economy, the MPC has loosened monetary policy with the base rate now at 0.25% and furthermore, they have announced another round of quantitative easing; it’s interesting to consider how this might impact the housing market.

Before Brexit, an interest rate rise was starting to look inevitable. In stark contrast, we now understand that there could be a further rate cut towards the end of the year with a hint of 0.1% in November. Pre-referendum we anticipated that mortgage rates would steadily increase to circa 4% by the end of 2018, we now expect them to stay at sub 2%. These lower rates will improve mortgage affordability and the average mortgage will perhaps cost circa 20% less than it would have had the UK remained in Europe. At the upper end of the market heavy stamp duty burdens are being compensated to an extent by a slight relaxing in lending criteria.

Sustained low rates could fuel property demand; however, we don’t anticipate a significant up-turn in activity. A positive economic outlook is important for an active property market and until trade agreements are clarified this uncertainty will create some market lethargy.

Weaker sterling will create inflationary pressure, slowing the pace of real earnings but low borrowing rates will probably make the average family feel more financially confident. On balance we don’t anticipate any significant housing market changes, transactional levels should continue as they are, with perhaps a slight softening of prices until the initial referendum turmoil passes.

Ofgem regulates 14 electricity distribution companies (DNOs) and has set out its approach to the next electricity distribution price control under RIIO – ED1 (Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Output) for an eight-year period to 21 March 2023, which is looking to drive benefits for consumers through an incentive-based regulatory framework. The focus will be on delivering a low carbon, sustainable energy sector at a better value for money and improving performance in the key areas of safety, reliability, environmental impact, connections, social obligations and customer satisfaction.

RIIO has been set up to attract more investment into Britain’s energy infrastructure by extending the price framework period to increase investor confidence. A significant issue is that many of the electricity assets are now reaching the end of their technical lives and will need replacing, refurbishing or more extensive maintenance. Linked to this is the connection of new generators, be they small community, wind farms, solar parks or new nuclear plants, to distribution grids through network improvements.

It is anticipated that there will be a phase of workload growth maintaining, operating and expanding the asset base where we will be involved through the competitive tendering process where we are able to react positively to the pressure on price and movement towards unit cost. Fisher German’s performance, innovative techniques and processes add value which will be critical in ensuring the efficient delivery of our services to the DNOs against programme and the consequential management of risk and resource.

For further information, please contact Ben Marshalsay on 01530 567465 or email ben.marshalsay@fishergerman.co.uk

For further information, please contact Alasdair Dunne on 07501 720412 or email alasdair.dunne@fishergerman.co.uk

For further information, please contact Giles Lister on 01227 477877 or email giles.lister@fishergerman.co.uk

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Office directory Contact details for Fisher German’s 15 national offices

1 St Helens Phone 01744 451145 sthelens@fishergerman.co.uk Rainford Hall Crank Road WA11 7RP

2 Chester Phone 01244 409660 chester@fishergerman.co.uk 4 Vicars Lane CH1 1QU

Fisher German sectors Commercial

3 Knutsford

Development

Phone 01565 757970 knutsford@fishergerman.co.uk 2 Royal Court Tatton Street WA16 6EN

Sustainable Energy Residential Rural Utilities & Infrastructure

4 Stafford Phone 01785 220044 stafford@fishergerman.co.uk 2 Rutherford Court ST18 0GP

5 Retford Phone 01777 709943 retford@fishergerman.co.uk 21 Exchange Street DN22 6BL

6 Newark Phone 01636 642500 newark@fishergerman.co.uk 12 Halifax Court Fernwood Business Park Cross Lane NG24 3JP

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CONTACT US

15 Canterbury Phone 01227 477877 canterbury@fishergerman.co.uk Court Lodge Farm Offices Godmersham Park CT4 7DT

14 Bedford Phone 01234 823661 bedford@fishergerman.co.uk Unit 8, Stephenson Court Priory Business Park MK44 3WJ

13 Hungerford Phone 01488 662750 hungerford@fishergerman.co.uk Firn House 61 Church Street RG17 0JH

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5

3 2

12 Thame Phone 01844 212004 thame@fishergerman.co.uk 17 High Street OX9 2BZ

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7

11 Banbury

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9

Phone 01295 271555 banbury@fishergerman.co.uk 50 South Bar OX16 9AB

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10 11 12

10 Worcester 13

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Phone 01905 453275 worcester@fishergerman.co.uk 2 Birch Court Blackpole East WR3 8SG

9 Bromsgrove 7 Ashby-de-la-Zouch Phone 01530 412821 ashby@fishergerman.co.uk The Estates Office, Norman Court LE65 2UZ

8 Market Harborough Phone 01858 410200 harborough@fishergerman.co.uk 40 High Street LE16 7NX

Phone 01527 575525 bromsgrove@fishergerman.co.uk The Estate Office 8 New Road B60 2JD

For more information visit:

www.fishergerman.co.uk fisher german magazine

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