AUTUMN NEWSLETTER There have been more changes since our last newsletter, with Emily Warin and Charlotte Ormondroyd joining the team. See more about them in our staff profile section featured in this newsletter. At the end of this year, Rodney Coward will be retiring from his full-time role with L&K Group and NWA Professional. He will, however, still be with us in a part-time Consultancy role going forward so, thankfully, we will not be losing him altogether! Now the Basic Payment Scheme and Countryside Stewardship scheme applications are completed for 2017, we are starting to look again at issues that may affect clients and their businesses over the coming months. Farm Assurance For those clients who are Farm Assured, the new “Beef & Lamb Standards 2017” should have arrived with you. Please contact Red Tractor Assurance if you have yet to receive these. The full checklist detailing the changes can be found online at: http://assurance.redtractor.org.uk/tools-and-library
Small Dairy Farmers Scheme In April 2017, a fund of approximately £12.38 Million was made available from the European Union to support small dairy farmers in the United Kingdom. The scheme provided a one-off payment to farmers who chose to apply.
They are focussed on – Animal Medicines, Biosecurity, Silage Storage, Tethering, Environment, Farm Map, Water and Rodenticide Use.
NWA Professional helped over 20 farmers to apply; in August payments were made with many farmers awarded the maximum amount of £5103.90.
If you are not Farm Assured and would like help in applying and becoming compliant, please contact Rodney or Charlotte who will be able to help.
We are more than happy to help and offer advice with applications for grants that are available. RPA Mapping Changes
North West Coast Connection Following a recent announcement by NuGen (the new nuclear power plant) to pause their project and conduct a strategic review, the North West Coast Connection has also decided to pause its work. More information can be found: www.northwestcoastconnections.com Or contact Kathryn Sayce or Emily Warin for more details.
BPS 2017: Exchange Rate The RPA has confirmed the euro exchange rate applicable to BPS 2017 payments will be €1 = £0.89470 (BPS 2016 was €1 = £0.85228 and BPS 2015 was €1 = £0.73129). This will be an increase of almost 5% on 2016 payments and, hopefully, most payments will be made in December.
The RPA has begun a mapping update – Proactive Land Change Detection. Around two-thirds of the land parcels which are digitally mapped with the RPA will be affected. The RPA is required by the European Commission to proactively check their maps. They do this by checking the latest Ordnance Survey data and aerial photography which is no older than 3 years. If we complete your BPS application, then Emily will already be checking your mapping changes. We will contact you if there are any problems or changes that could affect your 2017 payment, but, if the changes are minor, we will look at them with you in early 2018, as we prepare for next year’s BPS applications. If we do not complete your BPS application, then please be aware that you will need to check your message area on the Rural Payments service and then you will need to check that the amendments of the maps, if any, are correct. If they are not, please alert the RPA.
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AUTUMN NEWSLETTER Staff Profile – Emily Warin BSc (Hons) MRICS Emily joined the team in September as a Land Agent having qualified as a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 2016 and she is currently working towards her CAAV exams. Having graduated from Harper Adams University in 2015, Emily previously worked for Clubleys in Market Weighton as a Graduate Rural Surveyor. Outside of work, Emily is a keen member of Young Farmers and enjoys competing in stock judging and floral art. Telephone: 015395 66227 or 07973 852813 Email: emily@nwauctions.co.uk
Staff Profile – Charlotte Ormondroyd BA (Hons) Charlotte joined the team in April as a trainee Land Agent, she will be working towards her RICS qualification over the next two years. Charlotte previously worked at Bentham Auction Mart as Market Administrator and prior to this she was a Supply Chain Analyst for Morrisons PLC. Charlotte farms with her partner Nick in Claughton, where they lamb Swaledale Ewes & Texel Hoggs along with running a small herd of suckler cattle. Charlotte enjoys breeding pedigree Beltex Sheep & showing Hereford Cattle at local and regional shows. Telephone: 015395 66223 07528 026403 Email: charlotte@nwauctions.co.uk Anti-Money Laundering Regulation – Land Sales Due to current legislation, we are obliged to undertake a check on prospective purchasers (both auctions and private tenders are included) prior to any bid being accepted. Any prospective purchaser should therefore provide us with photographic identification (passport or driving license) and proof of address (utility or Council Tax bill) at our office before the sale or to the auctioneer prior to the sale commencing or a private tender being submitted. This includes new and old clients, please do not be offended when we ask for identification it is a regulation by which we are legally bound.
Key Dates 01/09/17 o You can cut or trim hedges and trees from this date. 01/12/17 o Sheep Inventory- Please do not forget to complete and return your annual inventory of sheep on the holding as at 1st December. You should remember to record the numbers you submit in your flock register as this is often the basis of sheep inspections. ELS/HLS Stewardship: Grant Payments The way in which payment for Environmental Stewardship multiyear grants is to be changed. Clients who are in a stewardship should have received a letter informing them of the changes. Those who submit a valid payment claim will receive 75% of the total annual grant as an advance payment and the remaining 25% as a final payment (subject to any reductions or penalties). This change took place immediately and payments for 2017 will be paid in the split of 75/25. No action needs to be taken as a result of this change and payments will be automatically adjusted to reflect the change in the payment split. The process of how and when you claim has not changed. Livestock Movements – Simpler Rules 2016 The new rules have proved to be far from simple. Rodney and Kathryn have dealt with several queries regarding these and should you need any assistant please do hesitate to contact them. The full set of rules can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/livestockmovements-simpler-rules-from-2016-to-2017 North West Auction, NWA Professional & Property & 1818 Auctioneers Celebration of 200 Years of Auctioneering Saturday 10th February 2018 At J36 Rural Auction Centre Three Course Meal, Bar & Live Music from ‘The Soul Survivors’ Tickets Available Shortly
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AUTUMN NEWSLETTER Countryside Stewardship This year’s deadline for Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship scheme was Saturday 30th September. We had a greater uptake of applicants this year than seen before; this was seen nationwide, possibly a result of the Brexit vote and people wanting to ensure funding until at least 2022. There were a range of applications which included Water Capital Grants for roofing over midden and silage clamps along with developing farm tracks and concreting yards. The next round of applications would normally open in the spring of 2018, however no official dates have yet been released so, we will keep everyone up to date with the spring edition of the newsletter. Hedgerows & Boundaries Capital Grant Scheme This was quite popular in 2017 and we hope it will be run again in spring 2018, although no official announcement has been made. It allows up to £5000 of work on restoring boundaries and, If you are thinking of doing any boundary work in this next year or two, please ring us to register your interest.
BPS 2018 We plan to try and see or talk to people about their 2018 applications from the New Year, so that we can spread the workload over a longer period and for Emily and Charlotte to get to know clients and vice versa. Rodney will be overseeing the BPS process. However, they will be doing most of the ground work. Emily has worked on BPS applications in the past, including those which covered greening and Charlotte worked with Rodney during the 2017 application period. Kathryn will also be completing clients BPS applications. Our number of clients increases each year as more people feel less confident about dealing with the RPA on their own, so please do contact us at your convenience and we can make a start. Once we get into December we do urge you all to be careful on the phones and emails as fraudsters know this is a good time to target the farming community as their money arrives. Do not give out, or give access to, your bank account details and if someone you do not know contacts you, and says they are from the bank or RPA, treat them with suspicion.
Contact Details Michael Mashiter: 015395 66214 or 07713 787511
EPC Ratings As from the 1st April 2018 there will be a requirement for any properties rented out in the private rented sector to normally have a minimum energy performance rating of E on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The regulations will come into force for new lets and renewals of tenancies with effect from 1st April 2018 and for all existing tenancies on 1st April 2020. It will be unlawful to rent a property which breaches the requirement for a minimum E rating, unless there is an applicable exemption. A civil penalty of up to £4,000 will be imposed for breaches. For most landlords this will mean that they will no longer be able to rent out a property with a rating of F or G after April 1st 2018. This will affect many Rural Landlords, if you are concerned about this please contact Kathryn.
Kathryn Sayce: 015395 66215 or 07976 646035 Rodney Coward: 015395 66213 or 07717 548966 Greg Gilding: 015395 66248 or 07969 994945 Emily Warin: 015395 66227 or 07973 852813 Charlotte Ormondroyd: 015395 66223 or 07528 026403 We are just one phone call away or a knock on the office door at either of our sites. Our staff are always on hand to help with any query. General Office Enquiries to Gillian Ellis: 015395 66222
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AUTUMN NEWSLETTER Previous Land Sale Results 34.10 ACRES/13.79 HECTARES OF PASTURE AND WOODLAND BEING FORMERLY PART OF HIGH DIXON GROUND, CONISTON Sold for one lot at auction for £325,000, an average of £9,530 per acre
Planning We are as busy as ever in the planning and architectural department with Greg Gilding heavily involved with the development of the Exhibition Hall and John Deere dealership at J36; along with his day to day work which includes small farm building developments, housing developments and renovations. Planning applications are becoming more in depth with many now not only needing Design & Access Statements, but also Agricultural Justifications and Heritage Statements, Greg can complete not only the plans and drawings but also the full planning application.
………………………………………………………………………………………….. 25.04 ACRES/10.13 HECTARES OF SOUND PASTURE LAND BEING PART OF LOW GREENRIGGS FARM, UNDERBARROW Sold for £75,000 an average of £2,995 per acre
………………………………………………………………………………………..... 34.06 ACRES/13.78 HECTARES OR THEREABOUTS OF PRODUCTIVE AND FERTILE MEADOW AND PASTURE LAND BEING SITUATED ON CAPERNWRAY ROAD, OVER KELLET Lot 1 sold for £200,000, an average of £12,106 per acre Lot 2 - Sold, subject to contract Lot 3 sold for £44,000, an average of £10,304 per acre
See below a current project at Lupton: Greg Gilding - “The drawing shows a recently consented conversion for a portal frame barn at Lupton. SLDC initially refused the proposal on grounds that it was too much new build and therefore not a conversion. The Planning Inspectorate however disagreed and have allowed the appeal. This portal barn will now be converted into 3 dwellings. The proposals are we think very contemporary looking and show how to make a rather bland agricultural building into something a little more attractive to look at and even live in.”
The design was done by Greg Gilding and submitted for planning. When it is finished it is in quite a prominent position travelling along the A65 towards our auction site.
Please contact Michael Mashiter or Kathryn Sayce for any advice regarding selling or valuing property or land. We can offer sales by private treaty, tender and auction.
If you need any help or advice on any matters regarding conversions, development, Council Land allocations, Planning Applications or anything along these lines please contact Greg.
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