Fisher German magazine issue 18 Summer 2017 by fishergermanllp

fisher german Summer 2017 | Issue 18

www.fishergerman.co.uk

Back to nature How quarrying at the CEMEX Attenborough site has created a very special wildlife reserve

New direction

Why this city couple ditched the day job to focus on farming and cheese production p10

Dark arts

Cathodic protection is vital to maintaining our pipelines â&#x20AC;&#x201C; how does it work? p8

Golden triangle

Online retailers are behind the recent boom in industrial warehouse space p14

Welcome

A key area of Fisher German’s strength lies in its unrivalled land management expertise, and our work with CEMEX (page 6) is a fantastic example of the service we deliver to clients. The firm’s portfolio includes agricultural land, residential, commercial and energy sites, while the CEMEX Attenborough quarry has been named as a SSSI (site of special scientific interest), proving that profitable landownership can Andrew Jackson, managing partner also have a lasting positive impact on a local area. The utilities and infrastructure sector is also an important focus for us, and on page 8 we explore the fascinating world of cathodic protection, a vital practice that prevents corrosion of the UK’s pipelines. Meanwhile, the continuing squeeze on the sustainable energy sector is undoubtedly a cause for concern, but turn to page 18 to discover how one progressive estate in Derbyshire is improving the fortunes of its tenants through a range of innovative sustainable energy projects. On page 10, we visit Sophie and James Summerlin, who are fulfilling their vision for their new brand of handmade cheese, Stanage Millstone, despite only starting their farming journey in 2010. This issue is packed with inspiring projects of the type we hear about daily – and our team is here to support with the strategic and practical advice to help maximise the potential across all of our sectors.

Supply and demand Why the need for industrial warehouse space is booming

14 Community spirit Mount St Bernard and its monastic community has a long and varied history

20 Property focus The sale of Herefordshire Council’s portfolio has been a major undertaking

People news Fisher German’s new Doncaster office; and a record number of staff promotions

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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Back to nature How one CEMEX site has become a wildlife haven for the local area

News & views Homes at Great Bowden; Digital Economy Bill; utilities business wins

In the pipeline Cathodic protection is saving the UK’s pipelines from corrosion – but how?

Seeking pastures new Meet the founders of Stanage Millstone cheese, who only began farming in 2010

08 Building a better future Mulberry Developments are a rural property business with a difference

10 Power up How the Okeover-Osmaston estate is using renewable energy to drive business

Conserving Britain’s heritage Heritage Impact Assessments are helping to protect the UK’s historical buildings

Keeping it in the family How Newtown Grange Farm has adapted into a successful modern business

22 Partner spotlight Rob Champion heads up the development team for the South West Midlands region

Office directory Contact details for Fisher German’s national offices

Publishing services provided by Grist, 21 Noel Street, Soho, London W1F 8GP

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

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news&views

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

% 67 more agents reported an increase in house prices in the North West. This contrasts with the North East and East Anglia, where no growth has been reported.

Slow rate of house price inflation expected in the coming months, although all parts of the UK are expected to see some growth in house prices.

weeks is the average time taken to complete a property transaction. (Improved slightly from 17 weeks.)

*RICS Residential Market Survey – April 2017

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Housing success at Great Bowden

flagship development of 50 new homes is due to start on site this summer in the historic village of Great Bowden, Leicestershire. Fisher German was instrumental in unlocking the 22-acre site to provide housing in a soughtafter part of the county. After an initial sale agreement was negotiated with the original landowner, the firm’s planning team was successful in gaining planning consent. Fisher German then arranged the sale of the land to Mulberry Developments (see feature, page 16), which will

build the high-spec homes in a parkland setting over the next two years. Fisher German partner Ben Marshalsay says: “There is substantial demand for countryside living and by employing the relevant professional expertise, landowners can take advantage of market conditions being in their favour.” For further information on development, please contact Ben Marshalsay on 01530 567465 or ben.marshalsay@fishergerman.co.uk

New telecoms legislation

he Digital Economy Bill received Royal Assent in April, raising question marks for land and property owners with leases to telecoms operators. Once the new legislation becomes law (set for 1 December 2017), the arrangement between the two parties will remain consensual, so rental levels will remain, as now, open to negotiation. However, the change in methodology for valuing these leases means that rents could soften. Under the Bill, owners will find it harder to remove operators, but this will only apply to new leases as the legislation is not expected to apply retrospectively.

For further information on telecoms matters, please contact Chris Hicks on 01858 411202 or christopher.hicks@fishergerman.co.uk

Utilities wins

he national utilities and infrastructure team has recently been awarded two important contracts. Fisher German has been retained for a further six years by a major oil company to manage its extensive high pressure oil pipeline network in southern England. The firm has worked with this client for three decades and is delighted to continue this strong relationship. The team received a further boost with the award of a seven-year contract from new client UK Power Networks following a competitive tendering process. “The handover to Fisher German has gone extremely smoothly and they are now well integrated into our delivery,” comments Chris Lawrence, consents manager at UK Power Networks. For further information on utilities and infrastructure, please contact Clare Phillipson on 01530 410813 or clare.phillipson@fishergerman.co.uk

Court judgment good for development

Rural round-up

isher German’s rural division has seen increasing amounts of activity. Highlights so far this year include: • Management contract wins for a number of major landed estates, including Allendale, Northumberland and Helbeck, Cumbria. • The launch of an innovative rural app (pictured, right). Free to download to smartphones and tablets, the new app puts a wide range of rural data and handy tools together in one place, all available at the swipe of a fingertip. • Joint sponsorship of this summer’s Nuffield Triennial Conference in the East Midlands. As a main sponsor, Fisher German joins forces with companies like JCB and Frontier.

n a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has made its first-ever judgment on the National Planning Policy Framework after developers challenged the interpretation of parts of the planning legislation, in particular paragraph 49. The conclusion of the three-year case is seen by experts as a step forward in clarifying what weighting should be applied to development policies, balanced against the need of the local area. Fisher German planning partner Liberty Stones says: “For the development industry, the decision essentially confirms that settlement boundary policies can be given reduced weight if they are based on out-of-date housing requirements.” For further information on rural matters, please contact David Merton on 01530 410806 or david.merton@fishergerman.co.uk

For further information on planning, please contact Liberty Stones on 01530 567478 or liberty.stones@fishergerman.co.uk

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Back to

nature

CEMEXâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Attenborough quarry has been contributing to the built environment in and around Nottingham for more than 88 years. Even though quarrying has drawn to a close, CEMEX continues to work with the local community to extract maximum benefit from the land.

CEMEX Attenborough has become a wildlife haven and is now part of a local SSSI

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RURAL CONSULTANCY

Strategic thinking wins Carl Pearson coveted award

t’s not every day that a natural world legend praises a conservation project. So when David Attenborough described the Attenborough Nature Reserve in Nottinghamshire as “a lifeline to the natural world” it was high praise indeed. The reserve, named after the nearby village of Attenborough rather than the broadcaster who officiated at its opening, was the first to be set up by the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust over 50 years ago, on land owned by aggregates company CEMEX (see box, below). Since then, through careful management and an effective partnership, the Attenborough 540-acre site has become a wildlife haven and is now part of a local SSSI (site of special scientific interest). Quarrying has taken place elsewhere on the CEMEX-owned land for most of the nature reserve’s lifetime, but finally ended in 2016. Fisher German Associate Carl Pearson is tasked with the strategic management of the CEMEX land portfolio, which includes agricultural land, residential, commercial and energy sites. At Attenborough, Carl has been working on a phased withdrawal of the site, with eight parcels offered to the market in 2016 totalling around 263 acres, plus approximately 3,000 metres of fishing rights on the Rivers Trent and Erewash. “This included a mixture of lakes (which are perfect for windsurfing and sailing),” says Carl.

Maximising land value The remainder of the land at Attenborough is expected to be sold

Carl Pearson’s sale of a Grade II-listed barn at Southam, Warwickshire (see main text) impressed the judges of the annual RICS Awards, the gold standard event in the surveying industry. They praised Carl’s strategic thinking and awarded him the accolade of Young Rural Surveyor of the Year. The judges also highlighted his innovative qualities which led to the establishment of an Associate Forum Group within Fisher German. This collaboration-led team is currently moving through the company, creating stronger professional relationships, with the ultimate goal of identifying new business opportunities and allowing existing clients to benefit from additional input from other Fisher German colleagues. Apart from maximising the value of assets for CEMEX, Carl also manages other property portfolios, including a private estate in Cumbria, which includes a traditional hall, dairy farm and two cottages, where he is currently investigating woodland and hedgerow grant funding opportunities. Harper Adams-graduate Carl, who has won the respect of many colleagues in his first year with Fisher German, says the firm’s diversity is very appealing: “We are slightly different to traditional agents, have unusual clients and provide opportunities you wouldn’t necessarily get elsewhere.” He admits that moving from a five-person office in his native Barnard Castle to Fisher German’s brand new headquarters in Ashby was a shock, but was delighted to have more people to interact with. While Carl has his sights firmly set on becoming a partner, outside of work he enjoys a full range of rural pursuits, including walking his miniature Dachshund, Percy.

in 2017/2018, including a former Co-op dairy building, former aggregate processing site, grazing land and large lake, following a strategic review that takes into consideration HS2, which is planned to cross west of the site.

conservation priorities. Stephen Woods as Development and Estates Manager for CEMEX adds: “Attenborough is a real success story and showcases what can be achieved when a responsible landowner works closely with the local community.”

The deal didn’t just dilute liabilities for the client, it actually added value to the portfolio sale.” CEMEX, which has always taken its environmental responsibilities very seriously, has agreed a 10-year aftercare plan for Attenborough as part of the company’s ambitious biodiversity strategy which by 2020 should see it maintaining over 400 acres of habitats identified by the UK government as

Attenborough by name, Attenborough by nature BBC broadcaster David Attenborough was just three years old when quarrying of sand and gravel first started at his namesake village in Nottinghamshire in 1929. Thirty-seven years later, in 1966, the Blue Planet presenter came to the village to open the nature reserve – a unique landscape of islands, lakes and ponds which resulted from the excavation and extraction activities that took place when it was a quarry. With the aid of careful planning and land management, these have created a mosaic of habitats for a variety of flora and fauna. A wide range of insect species, including several types of butterfly, is attracted by the reserve’s wildflowers. Areas of open water provide the ideal habitat for other species such as dragonflies and damselflies that patrol the water’s edge. The reserve is best known for its birdlife and it is an important site for migrant and wintering birds. Regularly sighted species include mallard, teal, reed and sedge warblers, while rarer birds such as the grasshopper warbler, willow tit and tree sparrow also nest there. www.attenboroughnaturecentre.co.uk

Meanwhile, Napton Barn, a dilapidated Grade II-listed barn at Southam, Warwickshire, had been written off by as virtually unsellable, but Carl had other ideas. He approached a neighbouring landowner and worked with them to achieve their aims of converting the barn to a residential property that respected the historic nature of the local setting. As a result, a sale was agreed for a development site which had no rights of access. “The deal didn’t just dilute liabilities for the client, it actually added value to the portfolio sale,” notes Carl. This commercial thinking not only won him the appreciation of his client, it also earned him a prestigious surveying industry award (see box, above).

For further information, please contact Carl Pearson on 01530 410688 or carl.pearson@fishergerman.co.uk

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In the

pipeline Cathodic protection, which prevents corrosion of the UK’s pipelines, is a huge but little known task. So how does it work and why is it so vital?

ven in the deeply technical world of engineering the term cathodic protection (CP) is not widely known. “‘What protection?’ is a common response,” says specialist engineer Bill Whittaker. Yet this scientific process for protecting metal structures is hugely important for safeguarding a wide variety of structures worldwide, including oil rigs, ships, pipelines and reinforced concrete (see box, right). Bill’s company, Cathodic Protection Engineering, provides advice on the subject to those looking to protect metal

We are protecting the pipeline from corrosion and working proactively to mitigate future problems on their land.” structures across the globe. In the UK, he has considerable experience of working with utilities companies to minimise corrosion on the thousands of kilometres of pipelines that cross the country. “Cathodic protection is largely referred to as the dark art,” admits Bill, who

Planning issues Once access for a cathodic protection system has been agreed with a landowner, in certain circumstances a planning application will be required, as the installation comprises a below-ground engineering operation. “Although the site sizes tend to be small (a couple of acres or less) and most of the equipment is underground, the installation is often some distance from the pipeline and still requires planning consent,” explains Fisher German associate partner Sarah DeRenzy-Tomson. The main issues arise during the construction process associated with the installation of the system. Proposals contained within SSSIs (sites of special scientific interest) or other sensitive areas are likely to require mitigation measures to reduce any impact on local flora and fauna. “Because this type of work isn’t widely known about, much of our role involves explaining why cathodic protection is necessary,” adds Sarah. “When people realise that it will prolong the life of infrastructure by reducing corrosion, they are generally keen to support it.”

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recently delivered a technical paper on the effect of overhead high voltage power cables on pipeline protection. “If high voltage overhead cables run in parallel with a pipeline they can induce Alternating Current (AC) power on to the pipeline, which, if not properly managed, can lead to corrosion,” explains Bill. “The solution is to electrically earth the pipeline to remove the AC.” Although this isn’t strictly part of a cathodic engineer’s job, because it can interfere with existing or planned CP, it is one of a number of issues that typically fall into Bill’s remit. Guarding CP equipment against lightning strikes is another. “A pipeline can become one giant conductor and unless surge protection is very carefully designed, it can lead to damage of the pipeline equipment or the CP equipment,” says Bill. Impressed current protection is common for metal pipelines, as once the

UTILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Landowner agreements Depending on the type of cathodic protection to be installed on existing cross-country pipelines, different access rights may be available to pipeline operators. For AC mitigation systems (such as zinc ribbon), which are installed directly along the pipeline, the work may be carried out without the requirement for new legal rights. In this case, the pipeline operators already have rights to access and install ancillary apparatus on the pipeline and must simply inform the landowner and/or occupier that work will be carried out over a certain time period. For impressed current systems, where the power supply and the anode are typically located away from the route of the existing pipeline, the installation generally requires negotiation with landowners to obtain new legal rights. Fisher German surveyor William Bostock, who is experienced in negotiating these new rights, says that many owners already appreciate that pipelines will require periodic attention from their operators and understand that in some instances this requires new equipment to be installed. William explains: “As many existing pipelines have been around for some time (some dating back to the 1950s) the people I speak to largely understand that they may need to be worked on, so they are not surprised when I contact them. In fact, when I explain that we are protecting the pipeline from corrosion and working proactively to mitigate future problems on their land, they are usually most helpful.” Occasionally a landowner who has newly acquired the land, or one who did not realise their land included a pipeline, may be reluctant to have the work take place. “Although operators have certain access rights under legislation, we would always make best attempts to agree access by negotiation rather than forcing the issue. Compulsory purchase powers are available to operators; however, these are rarely used as our client’s aim is to create and support long-standing relationships with landowners and occupiers,” says William. “As cathodic protection is in the best interests of all parties, it makes sense to maintain good relations with the landowner and often this is largely a case of managing their expectations.”

system is installed it requires very little maintenance. Highly efficient protective coatings on modern pipelines mean a power supply (typically delivering 1-10 Amps of DC current – that’s roughly a fifth of the power needed to boil a kettle) may only be required for every 50km of pipeline. However, as the majority of UK pipelines exceed 30 years of age they may require power supplies to be sited much more closely together.

Bill notes: “Digging up and recoating a pipeline is very expensive. On the other hand, just throwing a lot of CP at an ageing asset can cause its own problems. If the Cathodic Protection Levels are too high it can lead to damage of the protective coating, leading to increased CP requirements. Therefore, each pipeline needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Sadly, there is no one-stop solution.”

Cathodic protection explained Cathodic protection (CP) is an electrochemical process where the passage of an electric current across the surface of a metal results in a reduction of corrosion to almost zero. The source of the electric current is the anode and the recipient of that current (the metal to be protected, for example, the pipeline) is the cathode, which gives the process its name. There are two types of cathodic protection: • Sacrificial – This involves connecting a more active type of metal to the structure that is to be protected (for example, magnesium anodes are typically used to protect onshore pipelines). A natural voltage difference exists between the two types of metal which generate a small CP current, with the pipeline being protected and over time the sacrificial anode metal sacrifices itself (hence the name) and becomes corroded. • Impressed current – An external power supply is used to generate the required CP current, with much higher current outputs possible versus sacrificial anodes. Normally AC power is converted locally to supply the required DC power. One impressed current system can do the work of multiple sacrificial anodes.

For further information on utilities services, please contact William Bostock on 01530 410677 or william.bostock@fishergerman.co.uk, and for planning contact Sarah DeRenzy-Tomson on 01530 566578 or sarah.derenzy-tomson@fishergerman.co.uk

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Seeking pastures new The founders of Stanage Millstone cheese have come a long way since trading in their office jobs in 2013 for a new life on Cow Close Farm, where they have taken their brand from strength to strength.

ophie and James Summerlin are not your average farmers. Neither are they your average cheesemakers. What makes the joint owners of Cow Close Farm in Derbyshire unusual, and possibly exceptionally brave, is that neither has a background in either farming or cheesemaking. They met while studying at the University of Manchester and began to pursue their respective careers in quite different directions. Sophie, who trained as a textile engineer, was involved in the development of polyester belts for industrial use. James, meanwhile, was working as an IT consultant, initially developing systems

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for a small market research company in the North West. He then moved on to work for global consultancy Accenture in London, although the couple maintained their home on the edge of Manchester. So why the sudden move to farming and, ultimately, cheesemaking? “It wasn’t planned,” admits Sophie. “But when my parents were approached to buy the farm – they asked us to join them as there were two houses – it was too good an opportunity to miss. It’s an iconic spot and I’ve always loved it.” The 60-acre hill farm sits in the Hope Valley a few fields away from where Sophie was brought up on the edge of the hauntingly beautiful Peak District Parkowned Stanage Edge & North Lees Estate.

Sophie’s parents, who bought the freehold of Cow Close at the end of 2010, also had no direct farming heritage, so the whole family embarked on a steep learning curve. James – originally from the markedly flat landscape of Cambridgeshire – says the land around Cow Close dictates sheep farming. Indeed, when we speak to the Summerlins, they have their hands full, as the lambing season has just begun. “We try to keep it late because we’re reasonably high up,” explains James. “We’re enjoying it now, but when we first started the lambing it was absolutely petrifying!” Getting to grips with the livestock was just one of many unfamiliar tasks

GUEST PROFILE

Cheese fact file: Stanage Millstone The distinctive Stanage grit millstone has become a symbol of the Peak District, so a millstone-shaped cheese seemed like an obvious choice for Cow Close Farm’s first product. However, getting a perfectly central hole in the circular, bloomy rind cheeses turned out to be a challenge. “We went through various prototypes using a foodgrade blue plumbing pipe to create the distinctive hole,” says James. The Summerlins have fabricated over 300 moulds to make the cheeses that are produced in four batches of 80. A large millstone is to be launched in 2017 – weighing in at around 650g against the 170g original. “Interestingly, the cheese maturing process is different because of the bigger mould,” says James. “There is more moisture and that makes the flavour more brie-like compared with the camembert-tang of the small Millstone.”

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the family embraced with a mixture of enthusiasm and trepidation. Fortunately, the community of small farms around Cow Close was forthcoming with help and advice. “We had to lean on local farmers for experience and they, particularly our neighbour, have been really brilliant,” says Sophie. The farm has been steadily building up its stock of sheep, which currently total around 50. The family invested their own money into the venture, but hopes for additional financial assistance were soon dashed. “We applied for grant funding, but found the conditions were extremely onerous. For example, we were expected to create employment before we had even had the chance to grow the business,” recalls James. “So we’ve got to where we are through sheer hard work.” Much effort has gone into reclaiming land from the bracken that proliferates on the wet hillsides, where springs regularly break through the soil. The family initially acquired a telehandler, which they describe as a lifesaver, to carry out jobs around the farm, and then went on to purchase an Antonio Carraro machine (a small red alpine tractor), which James

Cheese fact file: Stanage Curd In July 2016, the Summerlins introduced a new cheese to accompany the Millstone variety: Stanage Curd, a light, fluffy citrus-flavoured soft cheese. While curd cheese is extremely popular and well known in mainland Europe, British cheese eaters are less familiar with the product. “It does really well at farmers’ markets where people are able to taste it, but less so in retail outlets,” says Sophie. “At the moment, people aren’t sure how to use it, though that’s changing and local chefs have started to use it for making ice cream, and the infamous Yorkshire Curd Tart! We like it with some fresh bread, and also use it as a substitute for Ricotta, cream, cottage cheese or cream cheese in most recipes.”

affectionately refers to as his ‘Postman Pat tractor’. In 2013, the Summerlins moved into a one-bed cottage at Cow Close, and their cheesemaking odyssey began. They found that there were few cheesemakers in the Peak District, so began to investigate the process in more detail, with Sophie attending courses at Reaseheath College and the School of Artisan Food before moving to Cow Close. “We went around the UK and Europe visiting cheesemakers and generally fact finding. We tried lots of products and expanded our waistlines,” laughs James. “But we also gathered some really useful information. For instance, a farm in Hereford had installed a slope on their

We want the Stanage Millstone brand to remain high end. The unit cost price of production is reasonably high because it is handmade, so we see delicatessens as a key market.”

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floor as making cheese is an inherently wet business and so it’s important to ensure liquids can drain away easily. We realised that the natural gradient on our own floors was actually very useful for us.” Having done their research, the Summerlins then decided on what they wanted to produce. “One thing we were sure of was that we didn’t want to copy anyone else,” says Sophie. So, after many trials, Stanage Millstone was born (see box, page 11). The milk is sourced from a neighbour’s herd of 130 roboticallymilked cattle and around 600 litres is transported the short distance in a stainless-steel tanker trailer. “We used to batch pasteurise and the process took four-to-five hours,” recalls Sophie. “So we decided to invest in a continuous pasteuriser.” However, these complex machines are in high demand and it took almost a year to find a second-hand model that could be reconditioned, and at a price they could afford. The search was worth it – pasteurisation now takes just 45 minutes,

GUEST PROFILE

with the milk being happier due to reduced exposure to heat. Cheese production at Cow Close moves in a weekly cycle; Monday’s are ‘make days’ where the pair spend more than 12 hours handmaking the Millstones, Sophie then spends up to four days a week cleaning the creamery, salting, turning, packing and delivering the cheese, and James (who pursues IT consultancy around one day per week) spends a further two days keeping on top of orders and accounts. “It’s certainly been an education making an end product that we decided on, rather than having people coming to us with a set of requirements, which is what we were used to in our previous careers,” admits James. “We love going to markets and meeting people, though we are doing more through distributors now.” The Stanage brand is already turning heads – in 2016 the business was shortlisted in the Great British Cheese Awards – but it may not be appearing on a supermarket shelf any time soon. “Increasing production to the levels supermarkets would demand is not the direction we see the business going,” explains Sophie, “as we want the brand to remain high end. The unit cost price of production is reasonably high because it is handmade, so we see delicatessens as our key market.”

Promotion on social media is important and James’ IT skills have been put to use creating the farm’s website (www.cowclose.farm), while Sophie is responsible for posting regular updates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Developing the business hasn’t been all plain sailing, however. The family’s original plan was to replace a dilapidated lean-to cow shed with a traditional Derbyshire stone agricultural barn to locate the creamery. However, the local planning authority would not support the development and, following an 18-month battle, the Summerlins eventually had to utilise their permitted development rights and convert the old cow shed into their new hygienic creamery instead. “Cheesemaking is a very clean process and in any case, we’re doing it on a small scale. Nevertheless, we had to prove that the process wouldn’t be dirty, smelly or noisy and was therefore planning class B1,” says Sophie. That wrangle with the local authority was sadly not an isolated incident. The Summerlins moved into the one-bed cottage on the farm in the expectation that they would be able to eventually create less cramped accommodation for themselves. But it has taken five years of planning negotiations to finally win consent for a barn conversion. “Ironically, they have insisted that we convert a

beautiful old stone barn, rather than any number of less attractive more modern buildings,” observes James wryly. The conversion is expected to complete in 2017. With property issues resolved, the Summerlins are looking forward to further developing the Millstone brand and experimenting with other cheeses. “The end product really depends on the fat content and there can be a massive variation depending on the time of year,” says Sophie, “so we have to increase the amount of milk we use in summer and decrease it in winter.” The summer milk can also make a creamier cheese. Despite the presence of sheep on the farm, a Stanage Feta is unlikely. Sophie explains: “Firstly you need a lot of sheep to get enough milk and secondly the larger breeds that are good for milking wouldn’t thrive on our wet hillsides.” Working with cheese all-year-round might make some people inclined never to want to sample another morsel of it again, but that’s definitely not the case with the Summerlins. “We’re absolutely addicted to it,” says Sophie, though she admits: “We can become almost cheese-blind to our own products, so sometimes we need to have a week off to readjust our palates.” For further information on rural business development, please contact Tom Heathcote on 07918 628983 or tom.heathcote@fishergerman.co.uk

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Supply and

demand

The need for industrial warehouse space is booming thanks to huge growth in online shopping, and landowners in central England are reaping the benefits.

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COMMERCIAL – INDUSTRIAL LOGISTICS

ver 70 million packages are sent out for delivery across the UK each year by internet shopping giant Amazon alone, and the number is set to rise. Online shopping increased by a hefty 16% in 2016. Yet few of those pressing the ‘Buy’ button on their smartphones or computers will pause to think about how their purchases can be delivered so quickly. Up and down the UK, warehouses – some of which are large enough to accommodate 100 tennis courts – have been built to ensure that online shopping orders are delivered as quickly as possible. They are just one of the reasons why demand from those who want to rent or buy industrial and logistics property is currently booming. Rob Champion, Fisher German partner and industrial property specialist, confirms: “Much of the occupational activity we are seeing has been driven by online retail, with Amazon accounting for a significant volume of the overall take-up across the country over the past year.”

Manufacturing growth Another factor driving the need for industrial space is the continued growth in the UK’s still significant manufacturing sector, which in turn boosts the thousands of smaller companies who supply the manufacturers, all of whom require space to work and operate from. Rob notes: “For example, recent take-up in the West Midlands has been dominated by businesses linked with the automotive sector with many forming part of the Jaguar Land Rover supply chain.” The demand for industrial and logistics space isn’t uniformly spread out across the country. It is concentrated broadly across the centre of the UK. The area bounded by the M1, M6 and M42 motorways is so popular among industrial and logistics companies

Case study: South Worcester urban extension At South Worcester Business Park, which forms part of a strategic urban extension, a 30-acre site is being driven primarily by industrial and logistics uses. If planning consent is issued – a decision is due imminently – new buildings could be constructed over the next couple of years.

Case study Kidderminster Chase Commercial’s 30,000 sq ft Ratio:Park development in Kidderminster is a good example of a smaller-scale industrial scheme. The first phase of 11 units is under construction and there is potential for a further phase of 10 units.

it is known within the industry as the Golden Triangle. Yet supply of floorspace hasn’t kept pace with demand. That is partly because in recent years local authorities have been reluctant to use land for industrial or logistics use when the need for new housing is perceived to be more urgent. And partly because the development of new industrial buildings has been limited, particularly at the smaller end of the market, often because residential development has provided higher returns.

be taken by housebuilders and then subsequently discovered that their plots couldn’t, for any number of reasons, be developed for housing. Their holdings may now be able to attract a similar price from a developer or user of employment land. Those users can still be picky though. Rob explains: “Location is key and easy access to a motorway and other transport facilities is a must. Close proximity to an urban area is often important to ensure the companies who locate there have an adequate labour supply, and good public transport to enable these people to get to work is also a significant factor.” A super-sized 1,000,000 sq ft national distribution centre, such as one occupied by Amazon, is likely to require almost 50 acres, with an absolute minimum of 5 acres needed for one large building of 100,000 sq ft. Rob, who has considerable experience in bringing forward strategic

Location is key and easy access to a motorway and other transport facilities is a must.” Now the situation appears to be changing and there could be exciting opportunities for developers, landowners and investors in commercial property. Rob says: “Local authorities are realising that, with such a significant emphasis on the delivery of housing, the provision of employment space has been somewhat neglected and therefore there is the potential for landowners with strategic land holdings to generate enhanced value through the delivery of employment land in the relatively short term.”

Increased land values At the same time, the strong demand for industrial land has increased land values considerably and in some key areas of the country, prices have pushed up towards £600,000 per acre. Rob adds: “With net land values for residential in some cases falling below this level (due to relatively low densities and the high cost of site delivery, including site remediation/enabling and contributions to local infrastructure), we are starting to see situations where the delivery of employment land could outweigh residential in terms of a receipt for the landowners.” This is potentially good news for those who originally hoped their land would

development land, is currently advising landowners across the Midlands region about sites that could potentially be developed for industrial and logistics use. He says: “There is an emerging story across the West Midlands, as well as along the M1 corridor in places like Doncaster and Leicester, where we are seeing developers competing for land and therefore paying strong prices.” And for landowners who would like to create a long-term asset, the upsurge in demand for industrial space also presents real opportunities, as commercial developers have been reluctant to build smaller buildings (less than 50,000 sq ft), resulting in a particular shortage of this type of stock. One of the advantages of these smaller units, as well as small industrial estates, is that they can be more resilient to wider economic forces. Rob explains: “The covenant strength may not necessarily be that strong, but there is always likely to be a steady turnover as there will always be a flow of new businesses emerging.”

For further information, please contact Rob Champion on 01905 728434 or rob.champion@fishergerman.co.uk

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Building a better future With no end in sight to the UK’s housing shortage rural areas are increasingly attracting developers, yet Mulberry Developments is proving that new build houses need not detract from the character of the local area.

“W

e have a sympathetic approach to matching our new homes with the local environment and that allows us to be very flexible,” says Steve Mitchell, land and operations director and co-founder of Northamptonshire-based developer Mulberry Developments. The company’s careful and thoughtful attitude to building in rural areas has won it plaudits from both customers and industry professionals alike. With a string of housing developments in the pipeline, (see graphic) including its flagship project in Great Bowden, Leicestershire (see news story, page 4), Mulberry is planning to expand at a rate that will allow it to maintain the high standards for which it has become known. “We’re not about building ‘anywhere’ housing,” explains Steve, “we are creating a range of house types that can have different facades, so that they will fit perfectly within their location.” Mulberry intends to move into the next league of housebuilding, yet it

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is determined not to leave the focus on superior quality it achieved as a small housebuilder behind. Steve says: “Our internal specifications are giving potential buyers good reason to choose our developments – for instance, we take the trouble to provide good quality sanitaryware and fit high-specification kitchens, plus we make simple tweaks

for the acquisition of land with or without planning permission. We can provide the main infrastructure for the site prior to its disposal, which can be phased.” The firm generally operates within an hour’s travel

We are creating a range of house types that can have different facades, so that they will fit perfectly within their location.” where we have seen how we can make things better for the homeowner, including a ‘first time right’ approach.” The planning process means that the timespan from acquiring a site with outline consent to the completion of a show home can be at least 15 months, so Mulberry is already thinking about where its next projects will be. Steve confirms: “We are always on the lookout for new opportunities and have funds available

of Northampton and plans to continue to build 250 homes per year for the next five years with intent to then increase this to 400 homes per year. Doubling the company’s output will not be without challenges, admits Steve. First and foremost is a lack of experienced labour in all of the key building trades, at all levels, from labourers to managers. Mulberry’s dedicated personal contacts network means it is often able to find

PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

Mulberry Developments take care to ensure new developments enhance local surroundings

the right person for the job, but Steve adds: “The industry needs to invest in more apprenticeships in real skills for the iPhone generation.” Skilled labour isn’t the only shortage facing the homebuilding sector, however. Building materials are becoming increasingly difficult to source as manufacturers are unable to match production with the high level of demand.

“We tend to use separate suppliers to the big housebuilders, which absorb a lot of the materials on the market, so we are less affected by this,” says Steve. Yet in future he believes there will need to be some kind of modular solution for the construction of new homes if current housing targets are going to be met. He notes: “That means banks and mortgage providers will have to get comfortable with it, which will be a big change as they have always been averse to the idea.” The uncertainty created by Brexit raises a question mark over the level of demand from potential buyers. As Mulberry focuses on their operating region, Steve believes the company is less likely to suffer from economic troubles than other parts of the country. He says: “There will always be demand for housing in this region as there is a shortage. Not only that, but we can see

Commercial expertise Mulberry has a broad range of experience developing commercial property for investment sale. Previous projects include: the six-screen Savoy Cinema in Corby, Northamptonshire, plus three restaurant units, built on a three-acre site; a 113,000 sq ft superstore for Tesco in Corby, a one-million sq ft distribution warehouse developed jointly with London Metric on a 69-acre site in Islip, Northamptonshire and let to fashion retailer Primark; and the extension of KIA Motors’ national distribution centre at Immingham, Lincolnshire, from 17 to 87 acres. The firm’s latest project is the creation of 525,000 sq ft of logistics space in Harlow, Essex on a 45-acre site purchased from GlaxoSmithKline at the end of 2016. Mulberry is expecting to start work on site in late 2017.

there is likely to be pent-up demand for several years to come in prime locations.” The sheer volume of people wanting housing will require an acceptance that more homes need to be built in village and other rural locations, says Steve, although he believes that homebuilders have a responsibility to design and build these new properties to a high standard that is appropriate to its locality. He explains: “Our philosophy is to understand the character of where we choose to develop and each scheme is carefully considered to ensure that the places we create are not faceless and characterless, but deliver environments that are sympathetic and in turn enhance their surroundings.” The increasing amount of mixed use schemes, where housing is included with other types of property, may present further opportunities for Mulberry, as the company also has a successful commercial development arm (see box, left). Steve concludes: “These are exciting times for us, though it will be a couple of years before we can measure precisely just how successful we have been.” For further information about Mulberry Developments, please visit www.mpdl.co.uk. For further information on residential development, please contact Ben Marshalshay on 01530 567465 or ben.marshalsay@fishergerman.co.uk

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Power up

The progressive Okeover-Osmaston Estate in Derbyshire is improving the fortunes of its tenants through a range of innovative sustainable energy projects.

ehind the scenes of a traditional landed estate in Derbyshire, renewable energy technologies have been deployed to generate sustainable power and enhance the green credentials of the estate, while also delivering a return on investment costs. The Okeover and Osmaston Estates surround the town of Ashbourne, the gateway to the peak park. Combined as a single estate, they include agricultural land (in-hand and let farms), residential and commercial properties, sporting interests, commercial woodland and an events business. The most recent development is the creation of a renewable energy business. “The estate is fortunate to have a forward thinking owner, with an appetite to invest, who considers opportunities that could diversify income and takes a longterm view,” says Fisher German surveyor Ian McKenzie. The first renewable energy project to be completed on site was the installation, in 2014, of a 290 kW biomass

boiler, which provides both heat and hot water. Powered by wood pellets bought in by the estate, it feeds a district heating network that serves a 14-bedroom country house, the estate office, shoot room and a detached four-bed house. The success of the biomass boiler – “it went in absolutely seamlessly,” reports Ian – led to the next and more novel energy project: an Archimedes screw to generate hydro power. Based on ancient technology (see box, below), a four metre-long, three ton steel screw was positioned in a millstream originally created in the 1800s, and the relatively unobtrusive scheme was supported by the Environment Agency. Although the head of water is not great, the hydro turbine produces an impressive 45,000 units of electricity per annum which is fed into an estate office, workshops, principle house and back into the local distribution network. “The biggest issue we had was to keep the river flowing during the six-month construction period as the millstream

Archimedes screw hydro generators Although the principle of the Archimedes screw was established by the Ancient Egyptians, using the technology to generate electricity has only developed in more recent times. Water enters a stainlesssteel screw at the top and the weight of the water pushes on helical flights, allowing the water to fall to the lower level, causing the screw to rotate. This rotational movement then drives a generator, which produces electricity.

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is a fantastic habitat for breeding brown trout,” recalls Ian.

Alternative sources After the hydroelectric scheme became operational, thoughts turned to how power could be provided elsewhere. The estate is keen to grow commercial uses and the undoubted jewel in its crown is the wedding venue created on the site of the former Osmaston Manor (see box, right). Other commercial uses include small offices, industrial, and self-storage units created from farm building conversions, pubs and the Peak Gateway caravan and camping site with around 200 pitches. In addition, there are shooting lets, venue hire to sports events, including archery and running, as well as the permanent home of the four-court Ashbourne Tennis Club, which recently gained planning consent for a fifth court. “We had already decided that a solar power scheme should be installed, but the questions were: where should this be located and how much power do we need it to provide? So we conducted a survey to establish which users of the estate consumed the most electricity,” says Ian. The hands-down winner was the caravan site which gets through around 150,000 units of electricity each year, with an additional 100,000 units used by the dedicated amenities block, which houses

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

Osmaston Park the separate feeds into one. At the same time, an acre of land was allocated for the construction of a set of three solar panel arrays that started supplying 250kW in early 2016. “It went up in less than a week,” remembers Ian. “The panels are fixed. We considered a tracking system, where the panels move themselves to maintain an optimum position with the sun, but we weren’t convinced of the costeffectiveness given the UK weather and the longevity of the tracking equipment.”

Office and light industrial tenants are ideal as they tend to consume electricity during the day, when the panels are generating full power.” a hairdresser, nail and beauty salon, dog grooming parlour and bar/restaurant. The review also identified a technical issue for the estate, which at the time had a single 150kVA transformer on site, with separate feeds for the campsite and the rest of the estate. “As there are plans to extend the caravan site and add a new offer of log cabin accommodation, it became clear that the existing power supply did not have any extra capacity,” explains Ian. So the decision was taken to install a new 500kVA substation and amalgamate

Financial benefits The estate hopes to sell most of the solar power to the caravan site operator in a mutually beneficial arrangement. The price negotiated by the estate includes a sale premium of approximately 80% for electricity used by the caravan site in comparison to that exported to the National Grid. This still represents a 20% saving on the tenant’s electricity bill compared to the prices from a mainstream utility company. “The Feed-in Tariff payment is locked in for 20 years and will give a 14% return,” says Ian.

The grounds of the former Osmaston Manor (demolished in 1965) have been turned into a stunning wedding venue, which operates seasonally (April – October) from a fully equipped marquee capable of accommodating up to 500 people. Around 40 weddings are hosted each year and weddings themselves can be conducted in the nearby Osmaston Church. www.osmastonpark.com

“The additional income per unit for the estate may seem insignificant at first glance, but with over 225,000 units being generated per annum over 20 years, it adds up to a considerable sum.” The estate is now working on a hydroelectric scheme for land it owns in Scotland. The installations at OkeoverOsmaston proved the importance of having a thorough feasibility study and getting realistic financial appraisals pinned down before any work starts on site. For landowners considering a solar array and who don’t have a caravan site handy, Ian suggests considering the needs of other commercial users. He says: “Office and light industrial tenants are ideal as they tend to consume electricity during the day, when the panels are generating full power.”

For further information on renewable energy installations, please contact Ian McKenzie on 01530 410824 or ian.mckenzie@fishergerman.co.uk

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Community spirit

At nearly 200 years old, Mount St Bernard Abbey has a rich and varied history and now, with farming operations winding down, the monastic community is looking to the next chapter.

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RURAL COW DEVELOPMENT CLOSE FARM

Mount St Bernard Abbey today

he names of Fountains, Kirkstall and Tintern Abbeys will be familiar to many. Their impressive ruins hint at the former glory of the Cistercian monasteries which, along with other Catholic institutions, were suppressed by Henry VIII in the mid1500s. Dating from 1835, Mount St Bernard Abbey is perhaps currently less well-known than its medieval predecessors, but as the UK’s only inhabited Cistercian monastery, it plays an important role in our history. The Victorian buildings at Mount St Bernard, some designed by the famous architect Pugin, dominate the Leicestershire landscape on the edge of Charnwood Forest near Whitwick. While the main building is home to a community of just over 20 monks, an adjacent 30-bed guesthouse offers hospitality for friends and family of the monks, as well as those seeking a retreat, and welcomes around 5,000 visitors each year. Actors Sir Alec Guinness and Ian Bannen have both stayed here.

For the 20 monks at Mount St Bernard, a typical day begins at 3.15am and ends at 8pm. A monk’s day is divided into three key blocks: prayer, work and reading with study. Current work includes tending the vegetable garden and orchard, bookbinding, beekeeping, cleaning, caring for the older members of the community and pottery production, the output of which is sold in the Abbey’s gift shop. In keeping with the tradition of the Cistercian Order, the monks live on a vegetarian diet. However, the historic tradition of monks sleeping in long dormitories has been abandoned in recent decades, with each monk sleeping in an individual cell.

“Work is an integral part of life at the monastery and the monks have two dedicated work periods each day,” explains Mike. “So if farming was no longer part of the working day, the monks were keen to find a replacement that will offer similar opportunities for work.” The community is democratic in nature and is currently following a process of discussion as to the nature of the next venture. In the meantime, the community brought in Fisher German’s building consultancy team to complete the design and project management of a construction project, which comprised the upgrade and extension of the existing guesthouse kitchen, and the sympathetic refurbishment of the former refectory to bring this back into former use. “The work to the refectory included

For some landowners, it is advantageous for them to retain a role as active farmers for tax purposes, but that wasn’t the case here.” The Abbey Estate extends to approximately 300 acres, which includes eight cottages, let to residential tenants. “In the past, our main work was managing these tenancies and arranging renovations of the cottages as and when necessary,” reports Fisher German associate partner Mike Reynolds. Until 2016, the monastic community ran a 200-acre dairy farm under the direction of an employed farm manager, and in the last 18 months of operation it ran store cattle. The farm provided an important source of manual labour for the monks, who bottled milk and produced cheese, both for use on-site and also for sale. But on account of various developments within and around the community, the monks began to consider what they would like to do in the future.

recommending the most appropriate repair following best conservation practices,” highlights Fisher German associate Tom Barton. “This included salvaging the clay floor tiles to be cleaned and prepared by the Abbey for re-use. We engaged with and supervised a specialist craftsman who lived and worked with the Brethren for a week to re-install the floor covering.” In addition to the renovation work, the direct farming operation also needed to be wound down, explains Fisher German associate partner Tom Heathcote. “One of the first jobs was to dispose of the machinery and equipment and I organised a dispersal sale to sell off the surplus items,” he adds. “Having concluded this, there was a lot of work to clean out the buildings and get them ready to let. A thorough inspection of

the boundaries was also undertaken and various sections of fencing and stone walls were repaired,” he adds.

Ongoing farming business Although the Abbey would no longer be running a farm itself, the community decided to maintain a farm use on the land. “There were several ways for them to do this and we talked through the potential options,” says Tom Heathcote. Contract farming was one and share farming was another, but in both cases the community would be exposed to financial risk. Tom notes: “For some landowners it is advantageous for them to retain a role as active farmers for tax purposes, but that wasn’t the case here, so I advised that a 10-year farm business tenancy (FBT) would be the best solution.” The community agreed and a tender was issued to a select group of stock farmers. The Belcher family from Leicestershire, who operate a very successful farming business, including a butchery, across a number of sites locally, came forward. However, technical credentials were only part of the consideration for the monks. Tom explains: “The Bursar’s Council (a group of four monks) went to visit their prospective tenant to get to know them as a family. Because the farm surrounds the monastery and it’s a longterm arrangement they wanted to ensure that there was a personality match.” With the new tenant now on the land the community has agreed to jointly fund a major fence renovation programme around the estate and will make a significant contribution towards the costs. The Belchers have exciting hopes for a farm shop on site. This may take some time to come to fruition, and so in the meantime a pop-up shop may appear.

For further information contact Mike Reynolds on 01530 410886 or mike.reynolds@fishergerman.co.uk

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Conserving Britain’s heritage Heritage Impact Assessments ensure our historic buildings are protected, but they can be complex to navigate without expert help.

he old adage that ‘times change’ is particularly true for the treatment of historic buildings. Perhaps because of the zeal in which they were torn down half a century ago, we now have a planning regime that demands significant regard for what the government describes as ‘heritage assets’. This in turn places a responsibility on landowners, landlords and developers who wish to make changes either to heritage assets or to the environment surrounding such assets. The requirement for landowners to produce written documentation about proposed changes to heritage assets has existed since the Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990. An accepted format for this is a Heritage Impact Assessment. “The basic premise is to demonstrate to a local authority (LA) that a historic building

and/or setting won’t be significantly harmed,” explains Tom Barton, associate at Fisher German. While the circumstances when an assessment is required are relatively clearly defined (see box, above), the process for drawing up and submitting assessments can be confusing. For example, there are occasionally opportunities to combine Heritage Impact Assessments with Design and Access Statements as a single document. The wording of the National Planning Policy Framework introduced in 2012, which stresses that information supplied needs only to be “proportionate to the asset’s importance”, also gives ground for uncertainty. “This can be quite ambiguous and can vary considerably between LAs. It is important to engage with the relevant heritage bodies at the outset to develop

Case study – Yorkshire tithe barn Tom recently prepared an assessment for the conversion of a tithe barn to a wedding venue at Hooton Pagnell Estate in Yorkshire. An important characteristic of the building was its huge doors, but these blocked the natural light required for weddings. Tom says: “The solution was to create a new glazed frontage and redesign the door hinges to swing outwards, so that when the building isn’t in use for a wedding the doors can close onto the glazing.” www.stablearches.co.uk

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a better understanding of the detail they would expect, and to develop dialogue,” highlights Tom. The first stage of any Heritage Impact Assessment involves desktop research. Tom says: “I’ll look in detail at the listing of any relevant buildings and other documents such as Conservation Area Appraisals to develop a picture of the context in which the subject building has been designed, built and altered, and how it relates to its setting.” Locating historic documents, such as original architectural plans, can be important in demonstrating not only how an asset was conceived, but, crucially, how it has been altered over time. Documents may be available locally, for example private estates often maintain a family archive, or they may be found further afield, in county or national archives, the British Library or university libraries. Historic photographs, maps and other sources, such as newspaper cuttings, can be invaluable in adding to the understanding of a building and its setting. Tom emphasises the importance of communication and liaison with other professionals. “I work with archivists, local interest groups, archaeologists, town planners, researchers and landscape

HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

When is a Heritage Impact Assessment required? Assessments will always be required for the following: • Listed building consent applications • Planning permission applications for sites within the setting of a listed building • Planning permission applications for sites/buildings in conservation areas • Planning permission applications for sites within the setting of a scheduled ancient monument • Planning permission applications for sites within registered parks and gardens • Advertising consent applications on listed buildings or buildings in conservation areas Assessments are also recommended for: • Applications that directly affect a non-designated heritage asset or its setting. (Non-designated heritage assets are buildings, structures or sites (including archaeological) that may never have been assessed or not statutorily designated but have a heritage value.) Source: Bassetlaw District Council

architects to build up the most representative picture of how and why a site has evolved.” Following the desk research, a site visit is arranged to look at the assets in detail and to understand how they have been developed and altered. “Our core skills as chartered building surveyors come to the fore during this

says Tom, is often the most interesting part of the process: “There is a period of reflection, and it can be really satisfying when a puzzle piece falls into place – when a historic building reveals itself.” Those assets may not be the subject of a planning application themselves. For example, Tom’s team recently completed the designs and Heritage Impact

There is a period of reflection, and it can be really satisfying when a piece of the puzzle falls into a place – when a historic building reveals itself.” process as we are able to systematically inspect and record a building and interpret alterations and development by appraising the period construction technologies used, and by other subtle details,” Tom explains. The information gathered is then compared with the desk research. This,

Assessment for a new-build home in the Peak District. The proposed house was on a gateway site at the edge of a village and the LA was concerned about the impact on the high density of historic buildings in the village centre. “We appraised the heritage values of a site at the outset, before working

with our in-house architectural team, the client, and the LA to develop designs which would not diminish the significance of the heritage values of the village and surrounding landscape,” says Tom. “This ensured that our approach was consistent with theirs; for example, we used local stone and introduced vernacular features such as mullion stone windows and stone chimney stacks and designed the proportions of the building to minimise ridge height so that we could show that the new building would have a minimal impact on its setting,” elaborates Tom. “Following completion of the designs, I then produced a formal Heritage Impact Assessment to be included within the application to the LA.” Once the application has been submitted, the dialogue with the local planning authority continues. Tom concludes: “It is wise to be in regular touch with the LA. Engaging effectively with them where possible is in everyone’s best interests.”

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

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Keeping it in the

family

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COMMERCIAL FARM DIVERSIFICATION

The old clock still sits at the heart of the farm

Newtown Grange Farm has belonged to the Curtis family for nearly 100 years, but that hasn’t stopped it from being utterly transformed over time into a commercial and leisure operation perfectly suited to modern day demands.

hen Thompson Curtis was born on a rented Leicestershire farm on the eve of WWI in 1914, he could hardly have imagined that, as peace returned to Europe and his parents bought a farm nearby when he was seven years old, the Curtis family would still be custodians of that land nearly a century later, having successfully diversified to keep up with the demands of the 21st century.

Arrival at Newtown Grange Farm (Extract from My Memories of Three Score Years and Five) We arrived at Newtown Unthank on 2 October 1921. The farmhouse was adjoining the road and a supply of gas was available for cooking. Also a 10 horse power gas engine used to make electricity to provide light for the house and buildings. This seemed to me wonderful, you pulled a switch down and a light appeared. No more paraffin lamps. The farmyard was entirely different to the other farmyards. The cowshed could hold 60 cows; it was in the shape of a capital T. A double shed to hold 40 cows was the upright of the capital letter and each cross piece held 10 cows, so it was possible to bring a horse and cart into the shed for cleaning out the cows when they stayed in all night during the winter.

Newtown Grange Farm, set in 200 acres of Leicestershire countryside in Newtown Unthank near Desford, is a former dairy and arable farm that still rents arable and grazing land to a local farmer. Purchased by Thompson’s father for the bargain price of £45-per-acre in 1921, Thompson and his wife, Doris, took over the reins in the 1940s. Their story is chronicled in fascinating detail in Thompson’s memoirs My Memories of Three Score Years and Five (see boxes). The farm eventually passed on to their second son, Brian, and his wife Diane, and although they no longer farm directly, the Curtises and the two youngest of their four children, Kate Pendery and Adam Curtis, continue to run the farm as a business by diversifying into new areas, including leisure and country pursuits and commercial property. Adam runs the leisure operation, which includes clay pigeon shooting and two fishing lakes. Grange Farm Sporting Clays first held a charity shoot back in the late 1980s before moving on to regular 50-bird English Sporting competitions. In 1994, it registered with the CPSA and started holding 100-bird registered English Sporting competitions twice a month. They now have over 40 automatic clay traps and set targets along the small brook that runs through the middle of the ground and the fishing lakes to cater for shooters from > complete beginners to world champions.

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Then and now: Newtown Grange Farm used to be an arable and dairy farm when the Curtis family first took over.

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COMMERCIAL FARM DIVERSIFICATION

Kate has taken on the role of landlord of the commercial property estate, Newtown Grange Farm Business Park, which now boasts 11 offices and six light industrial units. The property diversification began in 1999, when Brian Curtis and his brother, Ronald, bought out a third brother and moved away from dairy farming, converting the milking parlour where they used to milk over 80 cows twice a day, into their first office development, The Dairy Block. Since then they’ve converted the buildings used to prepare the animal feeds into The Granary office development, and the former livery area which offered stabling for 12 horses into The Stable Block. The Old Dutch barn has been transformed into six light industrial units. Kate, who enjoyed a spell working in retail in Leicester, says: “I’ve evolved from being a horse livery girl into a business park landlord. We pride ourselves on the quality of the conversions with many of the older buildings’ original features retained – and market it as premier office space in a rural location with a relaxed and friendly but professional atmosphere.” The industrial units are fully let and Fisher German has recently let an office in The Stable block to a local retail design company. The diverse range of tenants include an arboriculturalist, mechanic, fitted kitchen and bedroom manufacturer, aerospace and motorsport supplier, financial adviser, graphic designer, and

a blinds manufacturer. A PR company that originally employed three people has grown to eight while based at the park and is about to expand for the second time there. Fisher German partner Chris Hicks says: “The spirit of enterprise the Curtis family has shown to keep the farm sustainable and in the family for nearly a century is most impressive, and they will no doubt celebrate their centenary with plans to keep the farm going for the next century.” While there is land available on which to extend the business park, Kate says this is unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future as the Curtises have no desire to expand for the sake of it. She explains: “For us, maintaining the feel of a family-run business is important. I know

The spirit of enterprise the Curtis family has shown to keep the farm sustainable and in the family for nearly a century is most impressive.” First combine harvester, c 1962 (Extract from My Memories of Three Score Years and Five) One Sunday evening my uncle came over with his son Edwin and he looked at the crop of oats – they told us we should buy a combine harvester which would pick up the oats and thresh them. He had been to Rugby market the previous Monday and had spoken to a farmer who wished to sell his combine harvester – this was a Massey Harris 726 model which had a bagging attachment to hold the grain. My uncle suggested we went round to see the farmer the next day. This we did and I bought the combine for £500 and my cousin Edwin drove it home and then showed me how to use it. The combine proved to be very successful. When the sacks were filled and the top tied they were put onto a chute and they slid to the ground. The problem now was that after finishing a day’s combining, sacks of grain were spread over the field and it usually took the whole of the next day to pick them up. This seemed stupid to me so I built a platform on the combine that held 20 sacks. When this platform was full I drew alongside an empty trailer and transferred the full sacks of grain onto the trailer. At the end of the day, it was quite easy to tow the trailer load of grain back to the farm.

Escaping bulls, c 1952 (Extract from My Memories of Three Score Years and Five) One morning Doris woke me up and said she could hear cows in the farmyard, so I got out of bed and looked through the window and our two bulls were having a fight in the yard below our window near the back door. The front door to the farm house opened onto the road on which the farm staff would come to work. As they were due at 6.30am I got up and dressed and went to meet them to prevent them walking into the arena where the two bulls were having a trial of strength. I told one man to let 10 cows into the yard – as it was summer the cows were sleeping out at night. Also to bring a hay fork each so then we were able to drive the bulls and cows into the cowshed. One bull was tied up with a chain around its neck and the other was enclosed in a loose box. What had happened was the bull had escaped from its chain and the bull in the loose box had pushed against the door from the inside and the bull on the outside had pushed at the door at the same time and they had managed to lift the door off its hinges. After this I had another loose box built so that this problem could not occur again.

everybody on the Park and they know me, and we wouldn’t want that to change.” A sentiment of which her grandfather, Thompson, would surely approve. Extracts from Thompson Curtis’ unpublished memoirs My Memories of Three Score Years and Five reproduced with kind permission of the Curtis family.

For further information, please contact Chris Hicks for commercial property on 01858 411202 or christopher.hicks@ fishergerman.co.uk; and Johnny Cordingley for farm diversification on 01858 411272 or johnny.cordingley@fishergerman.co.uk

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Property focus:

Herefordshire portfolio sale As Herefordshire Council’s appointed agent, Fisher German is coordinating the disposal of a property portfolio on a rare scale. What does it take to deliver a sale of this size?

hat would you do if faced with the task of selling over 4,000 acres of agricultural land, including a wide range of farms on different tenancies, as well as a significant number of residential properties? For many, the answer is likely to be: run for the hills. But for Fisher German the response was to embrace a unique opportunity. While large land sales are not uncommon, the scale of a portfolio of smallholdings put up for sale by Herefordshire Council is something of a rarity. Stuart Flint, head of agency at Fisher German explains: “There is a very wide range of property holdings, spread out across the 40-mile breadth of the county, being sold in a single process and

this sort of sale only happens once every 10 years or more.” The council decided to sell the portfolio of holdings in 2016 following a budget consultation exercise, which revealed that disposing of the council-owned farms was the most-supported option chosen by respondents. Like many UK councils Herefordshire is facing a reduction in funding from central government and is therefore looking at other funding opportunities, which include realising the value of its asset holdings. While its farms portfolio currently produces an annual gross revenue of £400,000, that income is dwarfed by maintenance and other liabilities which total nearly £3m each year. In contrast, selling the farms could

All in the planning Fisher German’s planning team carefully combed through the council’s landownerships to check where planning issues might be relevant. In particular, land with strategic development potential was identified – and excluded from the portfolio sale so that it may be held for long-term investment. For each of the plots included in the sale, the planning team looked into possible short-term planning actions that could materially enhance the value of the land. For example, the five-acre Parks Farm at Burghill, which currently includes a farmhouse, plus a mixture of traditional and modern agricultural buildings, now has residential development consent, giving the site an enhanced value of around £400,000. Stuart Flint, head of agency at Fisher German, adds: “There are several groups of buildings where, due to the complexity of the scheme, it wasn’t possible to complete planning processes ahead of the sale and those will follow on separately.”

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raise £40m for the local authority and councillor Harry Bramer, cabinet member for contracts and assets, says: “As we find alternative ways to fund the statutory services we have to provide, we need to prioritise which activities the council can support. The smallholdings disposal plan will help us ensure best value for money for taxpayers.” The task of working out exactly how maximum sale prices could be achieved fell to the council’s appointed agent, a role won by Fisher German after an exhaustive selection process. Although the firm had worked for the council in the past, it was required, like every other candidate, to enter a formal tender process. “When we first became aware of the opportunity we welcomed it with open arms,” says Stuart. “Even though we knew it would be a challenging job we submitted a lengthy tender document with comprehensive recommendations.” The Fisher German entry was pitch perfect: after first making it to a shortlist, it emerged as the winning team. “We have gained considerable experience over the years in portfolio sales,” adds Stuart, “with clients including Harworth Estates

PROPERTY PORTFOLIO

Herefordshire Council farms sale in numbers

4,197 £40m £175,000 59 13 36 14 4

acres of land to be sold in total

expected sales proceeds for Herefordshire County Council estimated value of smallest lot

individual lots sub-estates

residential properties

and CEMEX. However, the Herefordshire portfolio is unusually complex because of the large number of lots – 59 in total.” These range from the half-acre Questmoor Farmhouse at Nieuport, through the Grade II*-listed Clearbrook Farm House at Pembridge, to farms in excess of 300 acres. Although it is possible that a single buyer will emerge when the tenders are opened this summer, the land has been subdivided broadly around the existing farm tenancies into lots to

tenants in all aspects of the sale,” notes Stuart. “For some, releasing themselves from a tenancy and perhaps buying their house was a priority, for others being compensated on retirement was an option. And, of course, those who wish to remain still have the opportunity to bid for their farm at an open market price.” Managing such a complex sale project might be daunting for some, but the dedicated Fisher German project team of eight has taken everything in its

This sale has demanded tight collaboration between several disciplines within the firm, including valuation, planning, rural consultancy and agency.” widen market coverage and achieve the best value. Similarly, the informal tender route was chosen to create maximum market interest and bring the process to a close in a controlled way. It was also important for the council to offer existing tenants the opportunity to buy their farms. “We recognised early on the importance of working closely with the

stride. “It is like a well-oiled machine, operating with military precision,” reports Stuart. “This sale has demanded tight collaboration between several disciplines within the firm, including valuation, planning, rural consultancy and agency, and they have, without exception, showed that teamwork produces remarkable results.”

Fisher German staff involved in the sale dedicated Fisher German agency professionals for viewings

www.fgherefordfarmsales.com

The total amount raised for the council will become known towards the end of 2017, by when the types of buyers will also have become clear. As this magazine went to press financial institutions, expanding farmers, developers, local agri-businesses and private individuals wishing to buy into the country lifestyle had all visited the stand-alone website set up by Fisher German. Stuart concludes: “The pace of the sale is hotting up as we head towards the tender cut-off date this summer. From the interest we’ve seen so far, we expect competition for many of the plots to be extremely fierce.” For further information on property, land and portfolio sales, please contact Stuart Flint on 07501 720422 or stuart.flint@fishergerman.co.uk

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peoplenews

Fisher German launches in Doncaster Fisher German has extended its presence by opening a brand new office in Doncaster, Yorkshire. The team in Retford, which has outgrown its existing location, will be moving in late-June to the new business park premises, located on Lakeside, just five minutes from the M18/A1 junction. Regional managing partner Tim Shuldham will oversee the continued development of the close working relationship between the Doncaster team and the firm’s existing Newark office. This will allow Fisher German to seamlessly serve its existing client base, as well as open up a wider area for additional business growth. The firm has already benefited from an increasing number of instructions from the Doncaster area and the progressive actions of the local council have created an environment that will allow ambitious expanding businesses to thrive. The new office will provide additional services, including building surveying, planning and development expertise, to a wide variety of potential clients across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire.

New employees help beat growth target Around 80 new employees have joined Fisher German over the past year, including six new partners who joined through the merger with Worcester-based Halls, along with 17 new graduates and student apprentices. The influx of new talent has helped the firm, which now employs nearly 500 people across the UK, comfortably exceed its 10% business growth target for 2016-17 and the exceptional efforts made by many individuals have been recognised in a raft of promotions (see below). Andrew Bridge, chief operating officer of Fisher German, says: “Our strengthened teams will allow us to broaden our offer and service all sectors.”

Record number of promotions An impressive 17 promotions have been made recently, reflecting the growth of the business and the dedicated input from individuals across the firm. Yan Gittins, who has been part of the business since 1996, successfully oversaw the integration of operations in Worcester including the Halls merger. Yan is joined in his promotion by Michael Harris, head of agency in Chester, and two Ashby-based surveyors, Matthew Trewartha, whose major clients include CEMEX, and Guy Hemus, who helped develop the firm’s graduate training scheme and plays a key role in engaging with feeder universities. There have also been four promotions to associate partner: James Ingram, James Watson and Sam Parton, all from the utilities and infrastructure team, and Darren Hunt from the residential team. Nine individuals from across the firm have been promoted to associate level.

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Yan Gittins

Michael Harris

Matthew Trewartha

Guy Hemus

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Partner spotlight: Rob Champion As the head of the development team in the South West Midlands region, partner Rob Champion’s passion and entrepreneurial spirit are helping drive the sector forward for the firm.

“I

have always been interested in property and I particularly enjoy engaging with businesses and helping to shape the landscape through development,” explains Fisher German’s Rob Champion, when asked how he came to be at the firm. As a partner specialising in commercial agency and development land, Rob certainly has his work cut out, particularly as he heads up the development team in the South West Midlands region and is “actively involved in the promotion and expansion of the commercial sector”. Yet it’s fair to say that Rob’s lifestyle and career have come a long way since he started out at Savills in London more than a decade ago. “It is seven years now since I moved back to my home county of Worcestershire, having lived and worked in London,” he recalls. At Fisher German, Rob represents a broad spectrum of clients from private landowners through to

corporate institutions, providing acquisition, disposal, investment and development advice to occupiers and investors. Life at the firm might at times seem a million miles away from hectic city life, but it’s not hard to understand why Rob enjoys the job so much. “One of the joys of my work is that every day is different and, particularly with my role, I can be inspecting a factory site one day and walking the boundaries of a potential greenfield development site the next,” he explains. And the aspect he likes best? “The interaction with people,” says Rob, without missing a beat. “Property is a people business and we have the benefit of meeting all sorts of interesting individuals.”

Change breeds opportunity For anyone thinking of joining the industry, an ability to communicate effectively, be innovative and entrepreneurial and always think about what is best for your

My hope is that the industry will continue to be about the interaction between people, and that technology doesn’t completely take over.” client are vital skills, and Rob says there are some exciting opportunities for the right graduate. “Newcomers can expect a varied workload, combining agency with professional and consultancy work across a range of sectors and locations. At Fisher German, we advise on really interesting projects – from brand new developments through to conversions and wholescale redevelopments.” It’s a fast-paced dynamic that looks set to continue, especially in light of Brexit and the industry changes it could bring – though Rob is quick to clarify that he doesn’t view this as a negative. “Things change regularly in this industry and

particularly where planning is involved! My view is that change can bring about opportunity and therefore, whilst it can be a nuisance, it may also deliver the next big opportunity. “My hope is that the industry will continue to be about the interaction between people, and that technology doesn’t completely take over.” When it comes to career goals, Rob’s ambition to “be recognised within the industry as an honest, effective and entrepreneurial operator who puts his client’s interests first” is clear to all who work with him, and this passion to succeed is no doubt a driving force behind Fisher German’s growth in the commercial and development sectors.

Putting down roots As conversation turns to home life, Rob admits that, whilst London-living was great fun, he’s always been a country boy at heart. “Nowadays, I am fortunate enough to live at the foot of Bredon Hill in the south-eastern corner of Worcestershire. I don’t think you can beat the quaint villages; their pubs, the walks up onto the hill and the views west towards the Malverns. I do enjoy going back to London though as it still provides a real buzz and energy,” he adds. Rob and his wife, Clemmie, are both keen skiers and try to make a trip to the Alps each year, though, with the arrival of their two daughters, Elspeth and Martha, the annual getaway has been more difficult – but not impossible, laughs Rob. “Needless to say, the girls occupy most of our time, although we have just managed a family skiing holiday to France.” For further information, please contact Rob Champion on 01905 728434 or email rob.champion@fishergerman.co.uk

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Sector insight Move quickly for EU opportunities

Mixed message, but overall good

Extending our knowledge is key

David Merton, head of rural

Duncan Bedhall, head of commercial

Darren Edwards, head of sustainable energy

The agricultural economy has been in recession for some years and this has impacted all rents, but more so for Farm Business Tenancies as these are market produce price driven. The heaviest pressure from Brexit will be on rents for traditional arable units for landowners. The reaction should be to invest to diversify whilst asset values are still high. Increasingly, successful farming businesses are focusing on cost of production, specialising in identifiable quality or diversifying. There is a real opportunity to secure grant aid for diversification whilst this is still EU funded. Estates and landowners should grasp the opportunity to broaden business ventures which can grow to complement agriculture, which can no longer be the income provider it used to be. Those with residential property continue to come under both taxation and legislative pressure. Tenants are beginning to take more notice of a propertyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s running costs, with energy costs inevitably the focus. It is important to maintain and improve the housing stock on estates to ensure that a good rental return is achieved in the long term. In these times of political uncertainty, we continue to see a reduction in the volume of land coming to the open market as many wait to see how the political landscape unfolds. Land continues to be offered for sale as part of retirement requirements and to offset debt, but the current weakness of sterling has provided respite to some.

By the time this article has been published, we will have had a national vote on matters of great importance every year for four years. The uncertainty these votes have left has been a distraction for business and created considerable uncertainty. That being said, the economy has been incredibly robust and businesses of all sizes appear to have taken it in their stride. Further comfort can be taken from the fact that occupancy rates of commercial property have rarely been higher than today. It is particularly the case with industrial and distribution property, and in this sector, I cannot think of a period in my career when void rates have been so low. The retail sector, however, continues to be testing outside of prime locations. We are seeing some evidence from the OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) of a lowering of consumer confidence, and poorer high streets could continue to struggle. Demand for property investment continues unabated but the volume of transactions has fallen. Values, however, have continued to be stable as demand outweighs supply. It seems investors are not trading as much, possibly due to increased stamp duty. In summary then, most is positive with regard to commercial property at present, but the clouds on the horizon of Brexit remain.

Politics drives change. In the US, Donald Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disbelief in climate change and proposal to reinvigorate the fossil fuel industry looks set to curtail their green energy markets. In the UK, a withdrawal of political support has pushed the renewable energy industry to the brink, but the 2017 General Election has offered some hope for positive change. The reduction in financial support for renewable electricity and heat projects in recent years has led to a slowdown in new schemes and a shift in emphasis toward energy storage technologies and on-demand generation to balance the grid network. This represents a new opportunity for our client base and has been an important focus of our attention for some time now. Over the last six months, improving our knowledge both in-house and amongst our professional counterparts has been fundamental and we have been involved in public speaking at a number of key industry events. Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR) projects and battery storage site development will continue to be an important work area for us in the short-to-medium term, whilst frequency regulation remains a challenge for the National Grid. Another prevalent issue has been the 2017 Valuation Office Agency business rate revaluation, which has hit many existing renewable energy installations hard. We are receiving a large number of enquiries on this particular issue and have been busy building a database of comparables which will be critical for those wishing to challenge their Local Authority on the matter to ensure their project is rated fairly.

For further information, please contact Duncan Bedhall on 01215 617888 or email duncan.bedhall@fishergerman.co.uk

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

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

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SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

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

Politics set to interfere, again!

Higher value buyers undeterred

Investments in infrastructure up

Ben Marshalsay, head of development

Alasdair Dunne, head of residential

Giles Lister, head of utilities & infrastructure

On 7 February 2017 the long-awaited Housing White Paper, Fixing our Broken Housing Market was published. The proposals within the paper set out to deliver a higher number of homes by placing requirements on developers and local authorities to do more, and attempts to tighten up the planning system. At the start of the Conservative government in 2015 they pledged to deliver one million new homes within their five-year term. The most recent statistics tell us that as a sector, we have been increasing new home completions year-on-year and may well have been close to hitting that target. With a general election now around the corner the question will be “what becomes of the White Paper?” What will also become of the current Minister of State for Housing and Planning? Gavin Barwell has been in post since July 2016. It is still to be seen if he will remain and if his policies do too. We still have a huge supply-versus-demand issue in respect of our housing market in the UK and only increasing the supply will fix this. The White Paper sought to rectify this but many believe it is only a light touch. More is still needed. With the certainty of a fixed five-year term following the general election, whichever party is elected, we may see housing policies strengthened to better address supply. The White Paper certainly contains some positive aspects, for example the support for SMEs. This is much needed – SMEs delivered in excess of 25,000 new homes in 2007. Aside from the politics, transaction levels remain high with regard to development land and we expect the current trend of slight increases in values to continue in the greenfield land market.

There are a number of factors that would lead you to believe that the outlook for the property market is unhealthy but this belies our diagnosis. HMRC reported a 5% drop in the number of transactions attracting stamp duty in Q1 2017 compared to the same period of 2016. Transaction volume in the first quarter of 2016 was driven by a rush to transact before stamp duty changes, yet it is surprising that, despite the small drop in transactions, the estimated receipts for stamp duty in the same quarter are up, suggesting that many transactions have been at higher value and subject to the biting effects of the current stamp duty regime. Uncertainty surrounding elections classically slows the market; however, our offices haven’t reported any downturn. Arguably, a stronger mandate to govern may ease the European negotiation process, allowing for a quicker conclusion to the uncertainty around Brexit. This in turn should allow earlier negotiations with important trading partners. In the meantime, a weakened pound has created inevitable inflationary pressure impacting real income and slowing consumer spending. Finally, whilst we have seen price growth, we haven’t seen corresponding earnings growth. In some parts of the country, house prices are currently 6.1 times average earnings. Set against this are incredibly low mortgage interest rates, and the cost of servicing a typical mortgage is in line with the long run average. Against this background, we don’t feel confident in predicting market growth but feel there is sufficient determination in the housing market to maintain a healthy volume of transactions.

As the UK plans for post-Brexit scenarios, the role of infrastructure is more vital than ever. The National Infrastructure Plan contained 728 projects and programmes with a combined value of £502bn with over £300bn of this to be invested by 2020/21. The value of planned projects and programmes by sector in the 2016 pipeline is currently around £301bn. The largest share of the planned investment from 2016/17 to 2020/21 goes into transport (31%, £92bn), followed by energy (26%, £79bn) and utilities (20%, £59bn). Housing and regeneration and flood defence account for only 4% and 1% of the total respectively. Fisher German are actively involved in delivering a number of ongoing projects across the country where we have been appointed as land agents. Within the energy sector there are plans to build new nuclear power stations to include Horizon Nuclear Power on Anglesey and NuGen at Moorside in Cumbria. There will also be £3bn of investment in flood defences including the Calder Valley and Leeds Phase 2 flood defence schemes. In transport, the upgrading of the A14 has required significant input associated with utility diversions. We have a long history of successfully delivering major infrastructure projects by innovative delivery models. We are at the heart of this vibrant sector with a strong track record of advising clients with national coverage via a local point of contact, thereby improving the project initiation, procurement and delivery while sharing performance data, innovation and best practice. The National Infrastructure Plan is a crucial tool, enabling us, as part of the supply chain, to plan ahead and continue delivering optimal outcomes for clients.

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 Germanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 15 national offices

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

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

Fisher German sectors Halesowen

Commercial

Phone 01215 617888 Halesowen@fishergerman.co.uk 3 Saint Kenelm Court Steelpark Road Halesowen B62 8HD

Development Sustainable Energy Residential Rural Utilities & Infrastructure

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

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

Worcester Phone 01905 453275 worcester@fishergerman.co.uk 1 Kings Court Charles Hastings Way Worcester WR5 1JR

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

Doncaster Phone: 01302 243934 doncaster@fishergerman.co.uk Unit 2, Carolina Court Lakeside Business Park Doncaster DN4 5RA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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