The scheme will provide grants of up to 40%, with a maximum of £12,000, over a four-year period and is part of the 2017/18 budget.

While no specific details are available yet, it is suggested that around 80 items are available for investment which are linked to:

• Animal health, genetics and performance
• Crop management
• Energy efficiency
• Resource efficient
• ICT

Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths announced a small capital grant scheme, which is part funded by the Welsh Government Rural Development Programme, as part of the new commitment to take Wales forward.

It is hoped that more details will be available in due course. If you are interested in potentially applying for the grant then let the office know and a member of the team will gladly be of assistance.

The post Welsh £40m Small Grant Scheme for Farmers appeared first on Rostons.

EE (previously orange and T-Mobile) has recently received Government instruction to provide coverage for emergency services as the old emergency services system will be switched off.

Because of this, EE is looking for new telecommunication sites, as well as up grading existing masts with additional apparatus or by connecting new fibre optic cables to the site.

There have already been several assignments and amendments to existing masts in the last six months and more are inevitable so landlords should refer to their original lease to determine if service providers have the rights to undertake any works without negotiating suitable terms.

We are currently acting for many landowners affected by agreeing revised terms. If you are approached please contact the Rostons office.

The post Telecommunication Mast Upgrades appeared first on Rostons.

There are proposals in place to upgrade and electrify these lines over the next decade to increase efficiency as well as decreasing journey times, not least because Crewe is set to become a hub station for HS2.

Rail electrification will, of course, result in landowners either side of the existing railway lines being contacted for access. Rostons are aware that the proposed works are due to start in the next few years so it is essential landowners/ occupiers seek professional advice prior to allowing any access.

The Rostons team has extensive experience on this issue so please contact for advice.

The post Electrification of North West and North Wales Railways appeared first on Rostons.

National statistics show that 2016 saw the land market ease by approximately 10% and certainly within Cheshire and North Wales there are signs of more caution in the market, although not a substantial drop.

The old adage ‘location, location, location’ remains the primary driver for land values. Blocks of land in areas with a number of dairy producers on supermarket contracts, all of whom have expanded in recent years, creates more demand. Arable margins remain cautious and large blocks of arable land will sell, but at lower levels than the prime pasture land in areas with a strong dairy presence.

Similarly, in North Wales the Vale of Clwyd continues to command premium values.

Land rents have possibly eased slightly but demands still exist for good parcels particularly if adjoining another holding.

All too often ‘rent talk’ is based on inaccurate information. It is important to know whether the rents being quoted include or exclude Basic Payment as this could make as much as £70/£80 per acre difference in the rental value.

Caution remains in the rental market place, not least because the full impact of Brexit is unknown. For those taking new tenancies, you must ensure there is some provision to enable rents to be adjusted depending on what happens with Basic Payment post-Brexit.

Similarly, farming businesses who rely on Basic Payment income are urged to review their cost structure and look at how they will continue to prosper if subsidy income is reduced, or even removed in its entirety.

The use of modern technology, enhancements to productivity and so forth are likely to be supported post-Brexit. This could lead to an opportunity to then take advantage of any grant schemes, should they become available.

The post Land Market Rents appeared first on Rostons.

The greening rules are still in place, these are:

• Crop Diversification
• Ecological Focus Areas
• Permanent Grassland – however this rule relates to each member state and should not be a concern to individual claimants.

To help you prepare, here’s our ‘to do’ list in readiness of submitting 2017 claims.

1. 2015 Payment

Have you checked and understood how much you received in 2015? Many claimants experienced issues following the roll out of the scheme back in 2015 and for some these problems are yet to be resolved. You may not be aware if you have been underpaid, which may in turn have influenced your 2016 payment.

2. 2016 Payment

By now many people should have received their 2016 payment. If you’re English that’s approximately £215 per ha for non-SDA land, providing all greening and cross compliance rules were met and entitlements were activated. Unfortunately, Welsh claimants have much more complex calculations and vary on a claim-by-claim basis.

3. 2017 Preparations

A) Business Changes

• Who is registered as an authorised person under your business?
• Is your address, email and telephone numbers correct?

Check all of this information on the Rural Payments online system.

B) Land Changes

• Have you taken on any eligible additional land since last year?
• Are you confident that all the land on your claim this year will be at your disposal on the 15 May 2017?

C) Entitlements

• Do you have surplus entitlements which you could sell and gain another income?
• Do you need any more to maximise your claim and investment?

Contact us as soon as possible if you do – we are trading English and Welsh Entitlements now!

D) Greening

• Have you checked your greening for 2017 prior to sowing any autumn crops?
• Check with Rostons if you have any concerns now, then there will be time to deal with a possible issue prior to sowing any spring crops.

If you haven’t been contacted yet, it won’t be long until we have spoken with you to book an appointment to meet and prepare you 2017 claim.

If you haven’t used the services of Rostons for the submission of your claim previously please feel free to contact us to find out how we can help.

The post Basic Payment 2017 – Are You Prepared? appeared first on Rostons.