We advise a broad range of estate and landowners, from new buyers of farms and estates to institutional and international investors in rural property, entrepreneurs, farmers and owners of historic estates.
Our track record in this sector speaks for itself. Our large team of specialist lawyers understands the technical, commercial and often personal requirements of individuals and organisations investing in land as an asset.
We understand the people, relationships and issues at the heart of owning rural land and estates. Our exceptional expertise helps our clients to make the most of their existing interests and new opportunities for diversifying into innovative land uses, such as livestock, leisure, tourism or renewable energy.
Our longstanding relationships with land agents and professional advisers throughout the UK and overseas ensures each of our clients receives a seamless, holistic service.
We have published The Pink Book 2, Burges Salmon’s legal 'bible' for landowners and farmers. The book covers topics as diverse as buying, selling and developing farmland, estate planning, trusts and partnerships, planning and employment law and is free to download.
Areas of focus
Our expertise for estates and landowners includes the following:
- Tax planning and wealth structuring – succession and generational change planning, transactional and land tax, wills, probate and matrimonial issues and trusts.
- Tax and estate planning, including advising on wills, powers of attorney and planning using trusts (whether new or existing) and alternative vehicles such as companies or partnerships.
- Heritage property advice including use of heritage reliefs, claims for conditional exemption, acceptance in lieu and the creation and management of heritage maintenance funds.
- Rural property transactions – tenancies and sales, purchases, mortgages and development.
- Dispute resolution – land occupation and ownership, notices to quit and other tenancy issues, partnership and trust disputes, commercial contract disputes.
- Environmental and regulatory – contamination and compliance.
- Planning and compulsory purchase – obtaining and contesting planning consents, development opportunities and compulsory requisition.
- Renewable energy – development and financing including wind, solar, biomass, biofuels and AD.
- Business and corporate – including partnership and company structures, corporate governance and joint ventures.
- Finance, restructuring, and insolvency – taking and enforcing security, charging assets and advice to distressed businesses.
- Employment – including restructuring, redundancies, executive severance, disciplinary procedures, discrimination issues and tribunal and High Court litigation.
- Commercial contracts and protection of rights.
- Development and planning work including the use of pooling structures.
- Family law advice as part of wealth structuring and when relationships break down.