When reviewing the performance of assets, it can be difficult to look at the bigger picture. Rural landowners will continue to face regulative, legislative, and political changes that have a direct impact on their business and their income. Now is the time to review current practices and establish if the assets owned are being utilised to provide maximum output.

A simple way of approaching this is land zoning, a mapping exercise where the portfolio is split into different land use classifications and then reviewed to see whether the current use is the most suitable and efficient. This process is vital in identifying potential opportunities for both residential and commercial development, mineral extraction, sustainable energy, and biodiversity net gain (BNG).

During this process landowners must consider the impact on current rural business activities both logistically and financially as any changes must consider the environmental social governance impact on their ESG credentials, for example, their carbon footprint and contribution to net zero. They must consider how the changes will add value to the community whilst adhering to any relevant legislation and for those that may require planning permissions or have tax implications it is important to seek expert advice early in the process.

At Fisher German, we carry out an objective review of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to a business to recommend improvements and changes to optimise assets and provide alternative income streams to support a rural business strategy and ensure future resilience.

Find out more at the website: www.fishergerman.co.uk