Rural and Agribusiness

Farming has been at the heart of Somerset for centuries. For many families it’s more than a business: it’s a livelihood that ties together land, livestock, contracts, succession and the plans for the next generation, often all at once.

That mix is what makes agricultural land different. A transaction can carry legal, practical and regulatory weight that a straightforward sale never would. We advise landowners, farmers and rural businesses on the property and structural matters that protect what they hold and help them make the most of their land. Getting the structure right matters as much as the deal itself, whether that’s a limited company, a partnership, a limited liability partnership (LLP), a land development agreement or a joint venture.

What we advise on

• sales and purchases of agricultural land
• farm and estate transactions
• land promotion and development opportunities
• easements, rights of way and access arrangements for utilities
• overage (clawback) provisions
• farmers and farming partnerships
• retail businesses with an agricultural element
• licences
• succession planning
• restructuring
• farming inheritance disputes
• agricultural tenancies and occupancies
• registrations and boundary rectification

Where a matter runs into planning, construction, finance or wider commercial questions, we work with you and your other advisers so the legal side stays aligned with the bigger plan.

For a farming family, the land and the business are rarely separate, and the legal advice shouldn’t treat them as if they are.