Landed Estates and Heritage Property

Landed estates are constantly evolving, but the pace of change today in tax, subsidy and compliance is unprecedented. Estate owners are managing their properties in ways their predecessors might never have imagined. Many are focusing on environmental investment, whether through new grant opportunities, rewilding efforts, or reintroducing native species. Others are adopting innovative farming practices like regenerative agriculture. There is also a greater entrepreneurial spirit at play, with owners seeking diverse income streams through a range of projects.

Our practice of landed estates, rural and agricultural specialists include real estate, private client and corporate lawyers. We are accustomed to dealing with complex family structures, settlements and landed estates, as well as international clients from both a legal and tax perspective.

Our work for landed estates, often for successive generations, includes:

• guiding clients through the difficult process of generational change and succession planning, including farming business reorganisations and the restructuring of family trusts holding landed estates to ensure that they continue to fulfil their intended purpose and remain relevant;
• advising on tax planning including inheritance tax and capital gains tax and maximising agricultural and business property reliefs;
• administering will-trusts, the appointment and retirement of trustees, advising on the trustees’ powers, and advising beneficiaries;
• supporting clients on all property aspects such as the sale and purchase of farmland and other associated assets, agricultural tenancy disputes, lease renewals for estate land and first registration at the Land Registry;
• advising on the buying, selling, financing and disputes over insurance, copyright, and provenance of art and other luxury assets such as chattels, collector cars, musical instruments, jewellery, wine and watches;
• assisting with the diversification of landed estates, such as the considerations to be taken into account when homes and gardens opened to the public, for events, filming and private hire use and the legal issues which estate owners face with regards brand, reputation and privacy; and
• providing a full service offering covering all legal nuances that occur in landed estates and agriculture, including employment, pensions, Lordship titles and manorial rights and charity law.

Recent work highlights

• For over 20 years we have acted for a Scottish Wilderness Reserve and an associated nature charity. The Trust’s landholding comprises 23,000 acres and over the last two decades a million trees have been planted.
• Selling a 90-acre farm formerly in the Green Belt for development for a price in excess of £100 million.
• Advising the owner of a Grade II listed country house in a construction dispute relating to defects in building work.
• Acting for a family-owned estate in the litigation and settlement of an Agricultural Holdings Act tenancy dispute affecting 850 acres of farmland and five dwellings.
• Advising UK based trustees who own two estates and there is a growing class of beneficiaries moving into the 4th generation. We have helped to streamline the trustees’ processes, project manage particular projects, co-ordinate and supervise meetings.

How we can help

Our landed estate clients value our ability to handle multi-generational wealth in an innovative and pragmatic way as well as being alert to the complexity and sensitivities that are often involved. We take the time to build a strong relationship and understand estate and family dynamics. This enables us to provide a flexible, personal service with a high degree of partner involvement.

Clients can therefore be confident that our advice is bespoke and that every detail has been considered with their specific circumstances in mind. We aim to provide creative strategies and practical solutions designed to ensure the long-term success of your estate.

Our aim is to foster enduring partnerships and support you in the ongoing management and stewardship of your estate.

Sometimes it may be appropriate to sell all or part of your estate or you may be acquiring a farm or estate.  We are equipped to bring a market-leading team of transactional lawyers to your transaction to handle it in an efficient, prompt and commercially focussed manner, no matter how tight the deadlines.