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West & North Yorkshire Business
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WEST & NORTH YORKSHIRE NEWS
Keep on doing what you’re doing! I think it’s fair to say that 2022 continues to be a ‘funny old year’. What started as a slight breathing out due to the relaxation of Covid restrictions, quickly led to more twitchiness due to, first, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, then the cost of living crisis. Of course, we’re not in the business of crystal ball gazing, and we can only keep on running our organisations in the best possible way we know how; and on that score, at least, I’m pleased to be able to say that there is still plenty of that going on. As well as being able to read lots of good news stories in this magazine, the ‘Yorkshire Business’ website also features all the latest business news. I don’t wish to gloss over the difficulties of being in business, but neither do I want to dwell on circumstances that are either outside our control or could perpetuate negative news. Our marketing team will keep helping our members promote their goods and services; our business advisers and other specialists will keep helping SMEs and start-ups to grow; and our Policy & Representation team will keep lobbying and campaigning for better measures and conditions that support economic growth, job creation and entrepreneurship. I’m also pleased to say that the Chamber is bidding to lead two ‘Local Skills Improvement Plans’ for our areas, and you can read more about that in the ‘Representation’ section of this magazine. Keep on doing the great things that you do, and don’t hesitate to both tell us about it, and tell us what could make you do it better. Amanda Beresford Chair of the Board West & North Yorkshire Chamber
Andrew Jackson Solicitors published advice for landowners on solar farming The UK solar and battery energy storage market continues to develop apace, with over four hundred solar farming schemes in operation around the country. Such schemes are playing an increasingly important role in powering the UK, supporting the grid network and speeding up the replacement of fossil fuels. Developers continue to approach landowners for consent to place solar panels and battery energy storage systems on their holdings and any scheme – large or small – which a developer proposes needs to be handled carefully by the landowner. It is important to seek advice from a land agent on the commercial terms and independent advice on the legal implications and the documents. Developers normally insist on using their own documentation which will be drafted with their interests paramount. It will generally be presented as “standard” but in fact will need change to put it into a format which is fair to both parties and properly protects your interests. Your main driver will be financial – the developer will be the principal investor, incurring the expense of relevant surveys and investigations, planning applications and construction. However, you will be providing the site and the land for the relevant infrastructure. You need to ensure that you get a decent return from granting the rights to the developer – there are numerous rent and profit share alternatives to be considered – and that you are comfortable with the effect of the scheme, the rights granted and the restrictions which the developer requires you to accept. Participating in a scheme means that you are not only giving up land for the equipment but will also be making available land for access and necessary infrastructure, such as cabling requirements. You may also be impacting on future flexibility for farming operations and development potential, to the extent that the developer may require that you accept restrictions on farming and forestry activities, or development and change of use, which it considers could impact adversely on its operations over the long term.
