Fisher German Newsletter Winter 2016

Fisher German team looks back on a year of growth

Fisher German partners Andrew Bridge and Robert Champion look back on 2016’s successes, and plans for 2017, following the recent integration of Halls (Midlands) LLP within the Fisher German brand.

Andrew says: “in the last financial year we met our 10% growth target, and in 2016 we have experienced another year of significant growth, having already hit our target for 2016-17.

“We have been successful in achieving a number of new business opportunities this year, including the disposal of Hereford County Council’s rural estates, whilst maintaining a number of significant utility contracts across the region. We have also been recognised for our work in the industry, having won the East Midlands Planning Consultancy of the Year at the East Midlands Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards – a great achievement for the company, and teams directly involved.

“Since March have moved three offices to larger premises – in fact, over 230 employees have relocated to new offices – including the new purpose-built facility in Ashby de la Zouch, along with Bedford and Hungerford. With the latest expansion to incorporate Halls Midlands, we will also be consolidating our Blackpole office to new premises to cater for our now 50-strong team in Kings Court, Charles Hasting Way, Worcester.

“With this continued period of growth, we have also seen a considerable increase in employees, having welcomed 27 new staff joining Fisher German through the Halls Midland consolidation, including Anthony Champion, Duncan Bedhall, Dan Ballard, Jason Clines, Richard Tomlinson and Rob Champion as partners. Reiterating our commitment to employing young professionals, we have taken on 17 new graduates and student apprentices this year, further supporting the organic growth of the business, and have also employed our first business development manager to support on both strategic opportunities and overall business growth.

“2017 is already shaping up to be another exciting year for the business, with increased diversity in both our corporate and private sector base, as well as the range of services and expertise we offer. Our latest expansion to incorporate Halls Midlands LLP will strengthen our position across all sectors, making the business more resilient and allowing us to service all sectors regardless of market changes.”

Robert adds: “2016 has been a milestone for the team at Halls Midlands, as we officially merged with Fisher German on 1 December, and 2017 will be a key period for bedding in and continuing our strategic growth.

“The move has enabled our experts in the residential and rural disciplines to augment Fisher German’s existing team and bolster those sectors, whilst consolidating our commercial presence in our core roots of Worcester and the Black Country.

“Over the course of the next year, we will also look to maximise the opportunities provided by joining a national business, expanding brand awareness and reputation of the commercial element of the business – I look forward to all that 2017 will bring, and playing a part in this exciting time of growth for the business.”

For further information contact:

Andrew Bridge on 07836 214878 or email here

Robert Champion on 07530 259915 or email here

Appeal Success

Fisher German’s planning team has won a landmark appeal against South Derbyshire District Council’s refusal of a residential development on land adjacent to Melbourne.

The application, made on behalf of Investin Properties (Jersey) Ltd, was refused by the Council in October 2015, for reasons related to matters of heritage and landscape impact. Since this refusal, in June 2016 the Council also adopted its Local Plan Part 1, and claimed that it could demonstrate the minimum 5 year supply of deliverable housing land required by national policy.

Having acted for Investin Properties through the application, Fisher German appointed and managed the appeal team, developing a case to demonstrate not only that the impacts of the development were acceptable, but also that the Council could not in fact demonstrate the requisite level of housing land supply. This is a key point for many housing developments, since a shortfall in housing land creates a strong presumption in favour of developments which are sustainable.

Over the course of a 4-day Public Inquiry held in October 2016, this case was put to a planning inspector, with Fisher German’s planners providing expert evidence on the merits of the proposal and arguing that it comprised sustainable development of the type sought by national policy. Notwithstanding that the Local Plan Part 1 was adopted only 4 months prior to the Inquiry, the Inspector accepted our case, and on 6 December 2016 issued a decision letter confirming a shortfall in housing land supply, allowing the appeal and granting outline planning consent for up to 34 dwellings.

This demonstrates the rapidly-changing nature of the planning process and highlights that, at a time when Local Plans are being taken forward to adoption by many local planning authorities, timely and well-informed advice on planning matters can continue to identify opportunities and generate significant uplift in land value when planning consent is secured.

Commenting after the decision had been issued, Jon Burgwin of Investin Properties said:

“We are delighted with the outcome of this project, which has been hard-fought throughout the process. The clear, professional advice provided by Fisher German ensured that the overall strategy was always informed by the most up-to-date information on planning policy and case law, and supported by an excellent understanding of matters on the ground in South Derbyshire.”

Working on behalf of both Investin Properties and the landowner, Fisher German will shortly be launching the site to market, with a view to identifying a developer for the site in Spring 2017.

If you have any queries about this project, or wish to discuss any potential opportunities of your own, please contact

Liberty Stones on 07918 628991 or email here

Ben Marshalsay on 07771 974322 or email here

Property market view

To call 2016 an interesting year in the property market probably sounds like an understatement. Brexit, a loosened monetary policy, a base rate at 0.25%, and another round of quantitative easing all influencing customer confidence.

Then we’ve had confused mortgage markets, with cheap money, but increased rates a strong possibility and also the prospect of inflation influencing affordability as wage rises aren’t likely to keep pace.

We’ve seen a highly troubled London property market that inevitably extends its influence to all local markets within an hour’s commute of the capital. The London influence has been a double edge sword with many now accepting that they won’t benefit from significant price growth on their London homes so are taking the opportunity to sell up and make that long overdue move into commuting country or further afield with lifestyle changes too. Others are finding that their confidence in the market is at a low ebb and this tends to create lethargy.

We’ve witnessed an unprecedented link between political stability and financial stability. Despite a robustly performing London Stock Exchange we have seen a weakened pound, which then strengthens on the news of European political instability in Italy.

We’ve seen the election of Donald Trump…. draw your own conclusions about that one and potential effects on world financial and property markets…

And despite all the turmoil and the fact that we have witnessed plunging share prices in major property firms and estate agents reporting catastrophic market performance, Fisher German agency teams can report a surprisingly robust 2016 performance….

So what’s in store for us in 2017?

We all know that the property market runs on sentiment, it runs on confidence in a stable economic future, but it also runs on the needs of families to expand and ‘trade up’, of grandparents trading down, of people re-locating for work reasons, and not to put too fine a point on it, on death, marriage and divorce. Against this background we predict a stable market and another decent year of trading, we would encourage those thinking of making a move to do so earlier in the year rather than later. Our big lesson from 2016 is that you can’t take anything for granted but no matter how testing the economic or political environment, the property market marches on

For further information contact:

Stuart Flint on 07501 720422 or email here

Alasdair Dunne on 07501 720412 or email here

Conversion success

Despite the unorthodox appearance of the building, the Fisher German planning team have delivered another successful planning consent for conversion to a dwelling.

The farm, on the Leicestershire/Warwickshire border, offered an opportunity for out of the box design and a contemporary conversion of the existing redundant barn.

Although the structure was not a conventional brick and tile building, it met the test of being structurally sound and with adequate access and services.

We encouraged the council to take a pragmatic approach, correctly applying the General Permitted Development Order and enabling the conversion with new walls, roof, windows but working around the original timber structure.

The application was supported by a building survey report confirming that the barn was capable of conversion using its existing frame. This is becoming the key test in securing residential conversions using Permitted Development rights particularly for modern structures.

The images show how the structure will be transformed from an unattractive timber shed into a family’s dream modern home in a countryside setting, but very close to village and town facilities.

Our Building Surveying Team are now completing the construction drawings ready for onsite project management of the development.

If you think you have a similar opportunity waiting to be revealed, Fisher German can help realise that potential ambition.

Your tick list:

• Agricultural building
• Structurally sound
• Can replace windows, walls, roof, doors within parameters of existing structure
• Reasonable access
• Services reasonably available

For further information contact Kay Davies on 01530 567476 or email here

Renewables planning

Planning permission was originally granted for a second wind turbine, measuring 45m to the tip, at West Thornber Farm in North Yorkshire in February 2015. However it soon became apparent that the wind turbine had been built in the incorrect location, rendering it unlawful. The Local Planning Authority issued an enforcement notice in February 2016 for its removal.

Fisher German and Thrings were brought on board as a fresh team to regularise the situation. An appeal was lodged with the Planning Inspectorate alongside the submission of a retrospective planning application to the Local Planning Authority.

Following the Government issuing a Written Ministerial Statement it has been difficult to obtain planning permission for on-shore wind turbine projects in recent years. It requires “the development site to be within an area identified as suitable for wind energy development in a Local or Neighbourhood Plan; and that the planning impacts identified by affected local communities have been fully addressed and therefore the proposal has their backing.”

As part of the retrospective planning application, Fisher German’s Planning Team organised a public consultation event at the site of the erected wind turbine and liaised with sub-consultants to prepare the supporting environmental reports to address technical issues such as landscape, ecology and noise.

The Local Planning Authority does not have any designated sites that have been identified as suitable for wind energy development in the local plan, therefore the first part of the written ministerial statement requirements could not be met. However the environmental reports addressed all technical matters raised in the objection letters and letters of support were received as part of the planning application, which led the local planning authority to conclude that the requirements of the written ministerial statement have been adequately addressed.

In November 2016, Members of the Planning Committee voted unanimously in favour of approving the application subject to the signing of a Section 106 Agreement which would revoke the previously approved planning consent. This would prevent another wind turbine being constructed in the location of the originally approved application. The approval of this application also avoids the potential disturbance and environmental harm that would happen if the turbine were to be taken down and re-erected in the previously approved location.

For further information contact Jenny Salt on 01530 567475 or email here

Tax Relief changes

Landlords of residential property in the UK are rethinking their borrowing strategy, following the Government’s announcement that the amount of tax relief available for finance costs, including mortgage interest, is being reduced from 6 April 2017.

If you are a landlord and let residential property, you currently have the benefit of offsetting all of your finance costs against the rental income when calculating tax liability. For higher earning individuals, you receive the maximum tax saving for your borrowings and arrangement fees. Under the new restrictions, the Government will be reducing the tax relief to the value of the basic rate of income tax which is currently 20%, phased over a 4 year period. This follows a series of measures aimed at the residential Landlord including the introduction of additional legislation, in the form most recently of the Right to Rent Scheme and minimum Energy Performance Certificate compliance in 2018.

At Fisher German we are working with clients to restructure their lending in preparation for the changes by reviewing existing borrowing secured against residential properties and restructuring this to other portfolio assets.

With interest rates at their lowest, competitive rates are available, we have the required experience, technical and local knowledge to provide you with the professional advice you need. Fisher German are appointed agents to a range of lenders including the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AMC) and can assist with the preparation of cash flows, lending applications and associated valuations.

Year	Available % of finance costs deducted from profits	% of finance costs available as a basic taxpayer
2017-2018	75%	25%
2018-2019	50%	50%
2019-2020	25%	75%
2020-2021	0	100%

For further information contact:

Louise Duffin on 07810 378191 or email here

Holly Parry on 07501 720416 or email here

New Commercial Search

Click here to view our recently launched commercial property search.

Click here to read New Commercial Search.

AgriView

Our latest rural update includes views on the market and our latest farms projects.

Click here to read AgriView.

Water Works

The water and sewerage network in England and Wales needs continual maintenance and improvement to keep it operating efficiently and to keep up with ever tightening legislation. Where water pipes, sewers and associated apparatus are situated in private land, and where new assets (such as pipes, pumping stations and treatment works) need to be built, Fisher German’s Utilities and Infrastructure teams provide Land and Planning support to water companies to facilitate this work. Due to the importance of a public network for water supply and sewerage, access rights are built into legislation, to include the Water Industry Act 1991, allowing water companies to build these infrastructure assets in private land under Statutory Notice.

What does Fisher German do?

It is perhaps easy to think that we just serve notices/purchase land, agree compensation, and obtain planning permission because that is visible to external parties but it is so much more besides. We are an integral part of the supply chain offering advice and guiding project teams on programme, cost and rights under the relevant legislation from the early feasibility work through to completion of the project often months after construction has ended.

Projects often impact on a water company’s customers and working with those customers is a key part of our day to day activities. Behind the scenes though our project involvement includes:

CAD Mapping Services: to clearly identify all landowners and occupiers likely to be affected by the works and to create constraints maps to assist in route planning. Reviewing ownership deeds and tenancies for items that may restrict our options is also dealt with at this stage.

Land & Planning Designation Reviews: to identify and advise on the implications of crossing statutory designated areas such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Common Land and Conservation Areas.

Planning Policy Reviews: increasingly, new assets are at risk of interfering with land which may be being promoted for development. Our surveyors and planners work together using their knowledge and experience of developments to assess the impact and advise how the effect of a scheme can be mitigated.

Permitted Development Advice: assessing whether an infrastructure project requires planning consent or not.

Environmental lmpact Assessment: assessing whether a project is likely to cause significant environmental effects and therefore whether it is likely to require consent for development that would not usually be required.

Landowner Consultation: throughout the project we are often the main interface between the water company and the affected parties which will often include private landowners/occupiers, local authorities and protected undertakers (eg Network Rail). The water company will have a Code of Practice which is central to these discussions and advice to the water company on the reinstatement of agricultural land will form a significant part of our work.

Site Investigations: supporting access for, among other things, ground investigations, ecology and archaeology surveys.

Specialist Reports: building condition surveys, valuation, minerals and agricultural advice.

For further information on our work in the water industry or on the individual activities we undertake, please contact:

James Pegrum on 01785 273980 or email here

Evan Hughes on 01785 273998 or email here

Job Opportunities

Click below to view the vacancies available in our team.

Click here to read Job Opportunities.