Landowners looking for a lifeline will find it’s good to talk

Landowners looking for a lifeline will find it’s good to talk.

Large parts of rural Britain are feeling deeply unloved by the Government after the publication of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill promised a cut in the value of compulsorily purchased development land and the Sustainable Farming Incentive was summarily scrapped.

Coming on top of measures in last autumn’s Budget, two successive poor harvests and see-sawing commodity prices, many farmers and landowners are wondering where to turn to make their land-based businesses profitable. Diversification, innovation and how to use assets in new and different ways are the most likely lifeline, but this will result in an inevitable change to the countryside, something that is likely to be deeply unpopular among those who live in rural communities.

Public understanding of what changes landowners are proposing, why they are making those changes and the impacts and benefits they will bring to communities and rural economy, has never been more important.

Those proposing diversification projects - from helping the Government to meet its ambitious target of 1.5m new homes to supporting the move to renewable energy generation – will have to communicate and consult with neighbours and stakeholders if they are to stand any chance of being understood, let alone supported.

Specialists at KOR offer their views from both farming and development perspectives.

Public affairs and renewables expert Andrew Howard advises clients on communications and engagement surrounding development and infrastructure projects.

He says: “Landowners should not shy away from explaining their situation to their local communities. As the demographic make-up of many rural areas has changed in recent years, the understanding of how the rural economy actually works seems to have been largely lost.

“The countryside has always changed, whether influenced by local circumstances or national policies.

“When people understand that their bucolic surroundings are there by dint of careful and often costly management, and not simply nature, they are more likely to be more supportive of, or at least less antagonistic to, change.

“So, if landowners are looking at potential new revenue streams, be that development or renewable energy for example, remember that time and effort invested in early conversations about why change is necessary will not be wasted.”

KOR’s rural affairs specialist Anna Byles says: “If farming subsidies are reduced, as now looks inevitable, farmers are likely to diversify from traditional food production in order to put their businesses on a stronger footing with a range of income streams.”

“Winning support for new projects from local authority planners as well as local communities relies on being transparent about what is proposed and why.  Communication and engagement are crucial for gaining trust and ultimately getting the go-ahead to make the necessary changes to provide a lifeline.”

As Britain embarks on the “biggest building boom in a generation” and landowners find themselves on the front line, ensuring their reputations and legacies are protected remains essential.  Governments, local authorities and planning strategies come and go. Rural Estates will be around for many decades to come.