What's New

The Calf Housing for Health and Welfare grant scheme announced by DEFRA for England on 26th July and to be launched later this summer – see website note of 27th July – is additionally noteworthy for including some support for solar panels as part of the housing. This note provides more detail on the scheme....

The Government has launched a consultation on the circumstances in which empty homes and/or second home premiums should not apply, including proposals of possible exemptions. The consultation deadline is 31st August 2023.

In an announcement today (27th July 2023), Natural England has set out more detail on the operation of the Biodiversity Net Gain Statutory Credit Scheme, and their indicative pricing structure. This note contains more detail.

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation proposing increases in council tax for the highest value properties. The consultation deadline is 20th September 2023.

This note provides a summary of guidance published by DEFRA on new calf housing grants, to build new, upgrade, or replace existing calf housing buildings to deliver health and welfare benefits for your calves. The grant aims to be open for applications later this summer.

The first to two installments of the 2023 Basic Payment are due to be paid to most claimants on 1st August. This note provides some background.

The Welsh Government has announced that all Glastir agreements will expire on 31st December 2023. This note provides more information.

The Scottish Government has today announced a consultation on reforms to Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), covering their metrics, validity and accessibility. It also appears to have changed its position on when it will introduce minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) for the domestic private rented sector.

Following feedback from members, Openreach have updated the information pack for CAAV members to include additional information about its claims handling process for accidental damage. The information pack also includes details on: Identifying Openreach equipment;Making a network alteration request;Existing apparatus - wayleave search or making a claim for a wayleave;Reporting damage or safety issues with Openreach apparatus. Openreach continue to welcome feedback on this document from CAAV...

The Scottish Government has removed the close season for all male deer in Scotland. It proposes to reduce the minimum weight of bullet required to shoot any species of deer and to allow the use of image intensifying or thermal sights. The webnote provides further detail.

In preparation for round 2 of the Animal Health and Welfare grants of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, DEFRA is now seeking views on some aspects of the grant. This note contains more detail. The survey for submitting feedback is available here: Defra FETF23 (qualtrics.com). It remains open until 7th August.

Michael Gove has now given his decision on the called-in application by Marks and Spencer to replace its store in London’s Oxford Street with a larger, more energy efficient building. This note provides more detail.

This note looks at the question of embedded carbon for planning decisions.

The Scottish Government has undertaken a mapping exercise to identify areas of riparian land to be targeted for woodland planting. Those with land identified as a ‘riparian area’ will be able to access higher payment rates for woodland creation. This note provides more information.

The Select Committee has published its First Special Report on the High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill, including views and responses to petitioners.

Proposed changes to the Hybrid Bill for HS2 Phase 2b (Crewe to Manchester) are the subject of a consultation, which is open for responses until 31st August 2023. A summary of the main changes has been published, along with further information on HS2's website. HS2 are holding a number of briefing events which can be booked via HS2's events page....

These Regulations make changes to England's permitted development rights, including changes to PD rights for the use of land for campsites and the use of land or buildings for film-making purposes. See our website note of 21st July 2023 for more detail....

Following a consultation this year, further changes have been made to England’s permitted development rights by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development etc.) (England) (Amendment) Order 2023 SI 747. This note provides more detail on the Order which includes changes to permitted development rights relating to the use of land as campsites and land or buildings used for film-making purposes....

As announced as part of the Integrated Rail Plan, the Government has launched a study to look at options for running trains into Leeds and other rail improvements. The Department for Transport expects the study to be completed in 2025. The safeguarded route of the Eastern leg of HS2 Phase 2b remains in place and will be one of the options being considered as part of the study. It is unknown how long safeguarding will remain in place or when a decision on which rail improvement option (if any)...

Natural England has today announced £7.4 million toward six new nature recovery projects across England. This note provides more detail.

The Government has now provided the legislation for the end of cross-compliance in England with the Agriculture (Removal of Cross-Compliance and Miscellaneous Revocations and Amendments, etc.) (England) Regulations 2023 SI 816. This note looks at the provisions of the regulations.

The Department for Transport has published findings from research on proposals for a new, non-statutory, property scheme to compliment the existing HS2 'Need to Sell' scheme. The outcome of the report is that no changes to the Need to Sell scheme will be made....

These Regulations have increased the minimum and maximum home loss payments on compulsory purchase in England, as summarised in the note below.

HS2 announced that the CEO, Mark Thurston, is to stand down from the organisation this autumn with Sir Jon Thompson to become Executive Chairman for an interim period from October 2023.

Following a change in EU animal health regulations, livestock farmers across Great Britain are being advised by DEFRA and industry organisations to take steps now to obtain a signed declaration from their vet to enable their animals to be fully marketed with the potential for Products of Animal Origin (POAO) to enter EU markets. This note provides more detail.

Victor Zayats, of the Ukrainian Society of Appraisers, gave a presentation to the CAAV’s National Conference on 7th July on the impact of the war on agricultural land valuation in Ukraine, speaking to the conference from Kyiv over the internet. This note provides an overview of the talk.

On 30th June, the High Court handed down its decision in a case relating to nutrient neutrality rules in England, and the implementation and interpretation of the Habitats Regulations 2017 more broadly: C G Fry & Son Ltd v Secretary of State for Levelling Up Housing and Communities & Anor. Despite the developer’s arguments, the Court upheld the Council’s application of the assessment requirements of the Habitats Regulations – and therefore nutrient neutrality provisions – on the...