| CSF CAPITAL GRANT SCHEME REOPENS FOR FARMERS APPLICATIONS |
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| Date: 21/02/2012 |
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Natural England are asking for Farmers in Priority Catchments and Catchment Partnerships thoroughout England to apply for the CSF Grant Scheme. Local to WebbPaton's office this includes farmers in the Cotswolds, Upper River Ouse, Rivers Lambourne, River Kennett, River Test, and the River Charwell Catchment Areas. This farming grant enables farmers to receive a grant of 50% of the cost of doing various capital works up to a maximum of £10,000 per holding. Applications must be submitted to Natural England before 30th April 2012. For more details speak to WebbPaton on 01793 842055. |
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| OXFORDSHIRE MAN JAILED FOR BURNING PLASTIC |
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| Date: 21/02/2012 |
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An illegal waste operator has been jailed for 25 weeks for running two illegal waste sites, burning waste and allowing waste to enter the Cotswold Water Park. Mr David Ham, 34, pleaded guilty at Oxford Magistrates’ Court for running the illegal waste operation at two sites, the Old Dairy, Dudgrove Lane, Whelford and Faringdon Business Park Chowle Farm, Faringdon.
The court heard (on Friday, 16 December) that Environment Agency officers visited the two sites on numerous occasions between February 2010 and March 2011 and told Mr Ham that he did not have the correct permits for the waste activities at the sites. The sites did not have environmental permits or planning permission.
Environment Agency officers were first made aware of Mr Ham’s illegal activities at the Old Dairy, which borders Whelford Lakes in the Cotswold Water Park, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, on 2 February 2010, after several reports of burning waste. Officers attended the site on several occasions and found large piles of waste including paper, cardboard, wood, plastics, stone, soil and metals. A dumper truck, a grab lorry and a small 360 excavator fitted with a grab were also seen. Mr Ham was told to remove the waste and to stop operating immediately. However, on the 8 September the Environment Agency received reports of burning, and on attending the site an officer found evidence that waste was still being brought to the site and saw waste materials being burnt on a fire located inside the SSSI.
Mr Ham continued to ignore the warnings from the Environment Agency to stop his illegal waste activities, and on the 12 April 2010 the Environment Agency were alerted to a separate burning incident at Faringdon Business Park. On visiting the site it was apparent that Mr Ham was also operating illegally at this location. Officers visited the site on several occasions including routine visits and complaints of fires and burning. Throughout April to 2010 to March 2011 officers found a number of skips filled with construction and other waste including paper, paint cans, wood and a car battery. Large amounts of mixed wastes were also seen deposited on the ground. Numerous reports of fires at the site were received and the local fire service was called to attend on six occasions with one visit requiring seven units to attend the site.
Mr Ham continued to run both sites illegally for several months despite telling the Environment Agency that he had stopped. The waste that he burned at both the sites caused acrid smoke to billow across the roadway, the lake and the nearby park, subjecting users to the offensive smells and disturbance of their quiet enjoyment of the local amenities.
“People who permit or operate waste sites need to ensure they have an environmental permit in place to do so. In addition, skip operators who pick up skips containing controlled waste are under a statutory Duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to deliver the waste to a regulated site.
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| WILTSHRE SHLAA |
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| Date: 21/02/2012 |
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Wiltshire Council are consulting on the Wiltshire Core Strategy Submission document. If you have land suitable for any form of development please ring George Paton so representations can be made to wiltshire council before 2nd April 2012.
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| EXCITING NEW FARMING GRANT SCHEME TO RE-OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS |
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| Date: 21/02/2012 |
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The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS) will re-open for the second round of applications in April/May this year. The scheme provides capital grants of between £2,500 - £25,000 (based on a maximum of 40% of the item cost) to encourage more efficient use of resources in farming and forestry operations. There is a vast array of over 50 items which are covered by the scheme, including slurry separators, GPS equipment, rainwater harvesting equipment, weigh crates, EID readers, resurfacing parlour floors, cluster flushing systems and electricity efficiency devices.
Details on the first round of the scheme can be found at
http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/PB13678-rdpe-ffis-applicanthandbook.pdf
Contact WebbPaton on 01793 842055
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| DID YOU RETIRE FROM FARMING IN 2011? |
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| Date: 21/02/2012 |
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If you made a Single Payment claim in 2011, and you have either retired from farming in 2011 or you are planning to retire in 2012 you may have a valuable asset. Under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy proposals in order to be eligible to claim SPS in the future, a farmer must have made a claim for SPS in 2011. WebbPaton are currently putting a list together of all farmers who retired completely from farming in 2011 / 2012.
If the EU proposal stays as it is currently written WebbPaton will then contact you in 2014 / 2015 to discuss how you can trade this Single Payment Golden Ticket.
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| HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY THE COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY |
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| Date: 21/02/2012 |
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Even though the principals of the Common Agricultural Policy were laid down in the Treaty of Rome in 1958 the CAP is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year as it was formally adopted by the European Commission in 1962. The EU formally presented the campaign to celebrate the CAP's 50th Birthday on 23rd January in Brussels.
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| THINKING OF PLOUGHING UP GRASSLAND IN THE FUTURE? CHECK BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION. |
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| Date: 21/02/2012 |
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Under the latest CAP Reform proposals, there are plans to make farmers retain the amount of grassland which is more than five years old by 2014. It is therefore inevitable that many farmers are considering ploughing up grassland wherever possible, to provide flexibility for the future. But WebbPaton are warning their clients to think and take advice before ploughing… Is an Environmental Impact Assessment needed? Are there options under the Environmental Stewardship Scheme in place on the grassland? Do you need your Landlord’s consent? Farmers who breach the rules could face substantial penalties and may be required to re-instate the grassland at a considerable cost, but those who follow the process properly could be protecting their future flexibility if these proposals are put in place. |
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| DIVERSIFICATION - SOLAR FARM OPPORTUNITIES |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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Solar Farms, are a new diversification opportunity for farmers and landowners. George Paton of WebbPaton states "We have seen a number of our clients being approached directly by solar farm developers wanting between 30 to 40 acres of land to install 5MW solar farms. In each case where WebbPaton have been brought in we have seen the initial financial offers increase and have negotiated landowner friendly Heads of Terms for both the Option Agreement and the 25 year lease".
"WebbPaton are not linked with any of the solar developers unlike some of the national Land Agents. We can therefore look at what the Client wants and then match them up with various different solar operators to achieve the best proposals. We have found that some operators are offering to buy the land for up to 10 times its agricultural value on obtaining planning permission. Or alternatively they rent the land on the following basis:
1) rent per acre index linked.
2) rent per megawatt installed index linked.
3) a large capital payment on installation followed by a lower annual rent index linked.
With a 5MW solar farm costing £12,500,000 to intsall financing is one of the biggest concerns, another is planning. The demand for land for solar farms has increased due to the favourable 25 year Feed in Tarriff grant for solar installations".
For more information please contact WebbPaton Renewables team on 01793 842055
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| SINGLE PAYMENT 2012 |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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The Rural Payments Agency have announced that the flat rate entitlement values for SPS 2012 will be:
€289.94 per hectare or £251.28 per hectare for non SDA
€233.95 per hectare or £202.75 per hectare for SDA
€40.82 per hectare or £35.38 per hectare for Moorland
The exchange rate which will apply for 2011 payments is 0.86665
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| 2012 SINGLE PAYMENT ENTITLEMENTS OPEN TRADING |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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Demand for Single Farm Payment Entitlements sour. Trade for normal Non SDA Entitlements is currently between £235 and £240 per hectare. For assistance with acquiring entitlements telephone 01793 842055 and ask for Susan Elmes or George Paton. |
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| ENTRY LEVEL STEWARDSHIP RENEWALS |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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Gemma Bumford of WebbPaton is busy filling in new and renewal Entry Level Stewardship applications. Please ring Gemma if your Entry Level Stewardship Agreement is coming to an end. |
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| GOVERNMENT PROPOSES CHANGE OF PLANNING LAW TO ENCOURAGE THAT UNUSED FARM BUILDINGS ARE CONVERTED TO RESIDENTIAL USE |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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Government Ministers want rural councils to consider changing planning policies to support residential conversion of unwanted farm buildings rather than insisting on employment reuse. That approach was highlighted in the Government's response to the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report into farming in England's upland areas, which include seven national parks.
The administration said: "Planning authorities in rural areas with high demand for homes may want to consider amending their local planning policies to support the change of use of farm buildings to affordable homes where these are considered inappropriate for employment use, or take the need for affordable homes into account in assessing individual applications." The Government has reaffirmed plans to publish a countryside policy statement setting out its rural policy priorities, including economic ones, before the summer Parliamentary recess.
WebbPaton would be delighted to speak to any farmer about the planning prospects of the farm buildings, and the possible conversion to residential dwellings.
Further details of the Government's farm buildings proposal can be found at: www.planningportal.gov.uk/general/news/stories/2011/may11/12may11/120511_1 |
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| POTENTIAL NEW PLANNING LAWS TO ENCOURAGE ONSHORE WIND FARMS |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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Government advisers say new regime may be needed for wind farms. The Coalition should consider new planning legislation to ensure national priorities on carbon reduction are translated into sufficient onshore wind farms, Government advisers have signalled. That’s the stance of the independent Committee on Climate Change which has published a review of the administration’s renewable energy aspirations.
The CCC has identified onshore wind schemes as one of the cheapest low-carbon options for meeting the UK’s carbon targets. The committee said that over six gigawatts of new onshore wind capacity could be added in the 2020s.
It stressed that planning approval rates for onshore wind have historically been low (i.e. under 50 per cent) and the period for approval long (e.g. almost two years) and suggested there was a case for central Government decisions to support the imperatives of its carbon budgets “possibly under new planning legislation that explicitly sets this out”. Further details can be found at http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/general/news/stories/2011/may11/12may11/120511_2
I meantime NPower are progressing a planning application on a 15 Megawatt wind farm on one of WebbPaton's clients farms close to Milton Keynes. Further details on Orchard Way Wind Farm at Hill Farm, Haversham can be found at www.rwe.com/web/cms/en/584696/rwe-npower-renewables/sites/projects-in-development/wind/orchard-way/the-proposal/
George Paton of WebbPaton would be happy to discuss any farm wind sites whether it is micro wind turbines or wind farms |
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| FARM ENERGY PRODUCTION - NEW FEED IN TARIFF RATES |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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Thinking of using your farm property to produce solar, wind, hydro, biomass, or biogas electricity or been approached a energy farm developer? There are two things you need to help you:
1) Knowledge of the income potential from Feed in Tariffs and Electricty sales? A very good website explaining FITS can be found at http://www.fitariffs.co.uk/eligible/levels/
2) A good independent agent to help you with the agreements you sign.
WebbPaton have a great deal of recent experience with Energy Farms Contact George Paton.
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| RENT REVIEWS WHAT SHOULD I BE PAYING |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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With rising arable prices and high commodity prices for livestock farmers Landlords agents are serving rent review notices. To find out what rent you should ben paying contact Mark Webb at WebbPaton.
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| WEBBPATON ADVISES CLIENTS ON STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT LAND PROMOTIONAL AGREEMENTS |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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WebbPaton have been busy in 2011 aiding owners of strategic potential development land around the edge of Swindon and the market towns of Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. Despite the recession WebbPaton have been able to negotiate favourable terms for their farming clients with various builders and investors. For more details speak to George Paton.
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| FUTURE BUILDING LAND IN OXFORDSHIRE VERY POPULAR |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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WebbPaton have recently negotiated a number of Development Land Option Terms on farmland in four different Oxfordshire villages on behalf of our farming clients. Currently village sites for between 10 to 30 dwellngs are being sought throughout Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Berkshire. The Vale of White Horse District Council is currently calling for sites to meet it's draft Interim Housing Land Supply policy. This is looking for village sites throughout the Vale of the White Horse. If you are a landowner with suitable development land please ring George Paton. |
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| DEFRA CONSULTATION ON CAP REFORM OPEN |
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| Date: 02/02/2012 |
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DEFRA is seeking views from (English) farmers, environmental groups, rural communities, non-governmental organisations and other interested parties on how these proposals may impact those directly affected by the CAP.This discussion paper invites views on the European Commission’s recently published Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Regulatory proposals for the period 2014 – 2020, this consultation ends on 5th March 2012
The proposals may have significant potential impacts for English stakeholders and include a proposed replacement for the Single Payment Scheme, revised rules which will guide the next Rural Development Programme in England, and new initiatives such as ‘greening’, ‘capping’ and a dedicated ‘small farmers’ scheme. A reduction in the number and detail of the current Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions and Statutory Management Requirements are also proposed.
Negotiations have now commenced between all 27 member states of the European Union to discuss the detail of the regulatory proposals and the European Parliament has started consideration of the proposals. Defra is seeking the views of interested parties to help inform the UK negotiating position, which also takes account of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland interests.
It will be some time before the proposals are finalised and for the first time, in relation to CAP reform proposals, agreement between the European Commission and the European Parliament is required under the ‘co-decision’ terms of the Lisbon treaty. The Commission and Council have an ambition to secure agreement by the end of 2012 to allow implementation on 1 January 2014. However, as with all other elements of the proposals, this will form part of the negotiation. Further consultation and assessment of the impact of implementation will be carried out at the appropriate time.
Further details can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/12/12/cap-reform-1112/ |
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