We have recently launched the second series of Fisher German Talks, a podcast focused on property and sustainability.
It follows the success of the first series earlier this year with more than 23,000 listens across eight episodes, helping both internal colleagues and our diverse range of clients understand more about current issues being faced by the property industry.
In this series, listeners will learn about the latest planning legislations and updates, hear top tips for graduates looking at a career in surveying as well as finding out more about rural diversification; where to start, how to fund a project and looking at different ways to diversify.
In the first episode, Matthew Allen, head of our national country agency team (NCAT) is joined by Richard Gadd, head of the farm agency team, to focus on the rural property market. They examine the current market and look at the challenges it is facing and discuss what needs to be done to overcome them.
Richard highlights the challenges faced by the agricultural market brought on by increases in energy prices and fertilisers which are being heightened by the year-on-year reduction of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) subsidy. Farmers are seeing their net incomes reduce when details of replacement incentives such as the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) have yet to be confirmed.
Our experts discuss the increase in interest in agricultural land from private organisations, charities and wildlife trusts for rewilding and other conservation projects to meet carbon offsetting demands ahead of the net zero target in 2050.
Richard said: “Post-Covid there have been huge levels of demands on solicitors and our role is to highlight the need for early engagement when considering the sale of an individual property, an estate or business. A significant amount of information is required for all parties involved and it takes months to organise. In some cases, it is not simply a case of moving house - the move will also include moving livestock and machinery and we are already aware of the backlog the Land Registry are facing.
“The number of buyers looking at buying a farm is three or four times higher now and we have seen smaller farms come to the market which are in demand by those who are not necessarily interested in agricultural performance.”
Matthew added: “House prices have increased by 134% in the last 20 years. Economic pressures make it difficult to predict where the market is heading however, we are still seeing a lack of supply and a strength of demand. People are much more aware of inflationary increases nowadays and we will have to wait and see the impact that increasing interest rates and energy prices will have on the housing market. Fortunately, it will have less impact on the country house market as the prices increase in value.”
In the next episode, Rachel Bridge, Associate Partner and Deputy National Chair of the Pipeline Industries Guild, is joined by colleague Adrian Webb, Partner in our Infrastructure Consultancy Department, and Helen Boyle from Cadent. They discuss the major Hynet hydrogen pipeline project in the North West which will be the first 100 per cent hydrogen pipeline network to support achieving the UK’s net zero by 2050 target. This episode will be live on 14 October.
Anyone can tune in to our podcast series on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, as well as other available podcast platforms. Just search ‘Fisher German Talks’.
New to Fisher German Talks? Don’t forget to listen back to series one, with highlights including regenerative farming, understanding biodiversity net gain, and net zero in commercial property.
