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For a number of reasons, including world commodity prices, the reform of CAP, Agenda 2000, the exchange rate of the Euro, BSE, foot and mouth disease, to mention but a few, incomes from rural businesses, principally estates and farms, have reduced considerably over the last few years. |
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Land managers have, as a result, increasingly been required to look for means of boosting their income by means other than traditional production. Getting the most from land can now mean, for example, building a wind farm, setting up a bed and breakfast business, mineral development or opening tourist attractions. |
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The development of the firm's Land Ventures Unit, as an offshoot of the Rural Department, to pioneer diversification projects was a direct response to the changing face of rural Scotland and, equally, the newly established Planning and Environment Group has taken that development a stage further by recognising the importance of environmental issues including, for example, renewable energy.
The Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003, given the Royal Assent on 22 April 2003 and which will come into operation later in 2003, includes provisions which will allow tenant farmers greater scope for diversifying their activities without being in breach of their Leases.
For more information contact Alasdair Fox |
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