Guidance for landowners and entrepreneurs (From Salisbury Journal)

Guidance for landowners and entrepreneurs

10:57am Thursday 12th January 2012 in Rural Focus By Anne Connon

DO you own land that could support a business?

Do you want to start a land-based business but need somewhere to do it?

If you answered yes to either question, a new handbook launched at the Oxford Farming Conference last month might be just what you need.

The Land Partnerships Handbook offers a simple, structured approach to creating collaborative, mutually profitable partnerships between landowners and would-be entrepreneurs.

Endorsed by organisations including the National Trust, the CLA and the Tenant Farmers’ Association, the book sets out a five-step process to forming a land partnership, summarising the main issues to consider and spelling out what’s involved.

Julian Sayers, chairman of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group, responsible for advising the government on issues relating to the tenanted sector, said: “I have no hesitation in endorsing this handbook. The publication provides a refreshing approach to the subject and sound guidance to those who own land they wish to let and the prospective tenants who have the skills to manage the assets concerned.

“This is an enterprise-first approach where the formation of the business relationship comes first and the precise form of legal agreement comes later.

Both parties work out how to share the risks and benefits of the new enterprise and the best form of letting or contract is then devised to suit the arrangement.

“But we know that could seem a daunting prospect, so they’re not left to do it unsupported. The handbook contains specialist technical and legal information from leading experts in the field. It offers examples of how landowners and entrepreneurs across the UK have made this kind of relationship work. And the expert team behind it can deliver technical seminars and training events, as well as putting people in touch with professional services and advice from a range of associated organisations.”

Tom Curtis of Landshare, who inspired the initiative, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the amount of support we have had, which suggests there is a real need for something different.

The land partnerships approach is a two-way process where both parties work together to understand each other’s needs and seek out mutual benefits.”

Further information can be found at LandPartnerships.org, or email info@LandPartnerships.org or call Mr Curtis on 07771 697879.