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The Hobbs Parker Blogs

Articles of interest and importance for our clients

The best of Kent and East Sussex

Five great summer days out for families in Kent

With summer in full swing, there are lots of great options for a day out ...
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The Best Restaurants in Kent and East Sussex

The next best thing to eating good food, may be talking about it. Certainly asking ...
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The best pubs in and around Ashford and Tenterden

When I was young going to the pub generally meant me and my siblings sitting ...
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Our recommended golf courses in Kent and East Sussex

As a golfing destination, Kent and East Sussex has a huge amount going for it ...
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The best beaches in Kent and East Sussex

We explore the best beaches in Kent and East Sussex -- for your children, dogs ...
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Making the most of your property

Historic Property Auction Particulars — Mersham 1878

These have been hanging on the wall in our boardroom for as long as I ...
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Livestock, land and property prices in 1972

Our Annual Report from 1972 includes prices and expert views from our former partners for ...
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Stunning photos of Mersham in the winter

Thank you to Stuart Rodda for allowing us to use his stunning photos taken recently ...
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Autumn Statement: A cautious sigh of relief for the housing market

The news from Downing Street has been pretty grim for the last few months. But, ...
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How do you get the best price for your home?

Should I put my house on the market before Christmas?

We get asked this every year in the weeks leading up to Christmas. This year's ...
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Gold award from our clients

Our estate agents team have been awarded Gold for the Best Agent in Ashford by ...
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Should I buy a house in a Conservation Area?

There are some wonderful properties in the Conservation Areas in Kent and East Sussex but ...
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How I nearly made a pig’s ear of selling my own house

Have you ever asked for advice and then ignored it? I guess we all have ...
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Post Stamp Duty Holiday: What next for the property market?

When Rishi Sunak announced a temporary Stamp Duty holiday on July 8th 2020 to counter ...
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Wye – Kent’s Super Village

So what is it about the village of Wye that creates it’s extraordinary reputation? Unlike ...
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Millie Green – A Review of Ashford

The Kentish town of Ashford is known for many things: the International Station, the Designer ...
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Stamp Duty Savings – are you buying a house with an Annexe?

Not everyone will be lucky enough to purchase their new home before the expiry of ...
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Very small ski chalet for sale!

It’s very true - many houses look idyllic in the snow. And, there’s always a ...
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How many Ashfords are there in the UK?

Our website contains a database of all the villages, towns and cities in the UK ...
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The 50 Most Popular Villages

Our website is very busy -- every day up to 6,000 people visit our website ...
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Tips to help you establish a great Wild Garden

If you've been watching TV nature and gardening programmes lately, you'll have seen a lot ...
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Tips for buyers and sellers when dealing with properties from a bygone era

The first clue upon arrival is the general look of neglect. Tired net curtains hanging ...
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Will Netflix and Amazon affect property prices in Ashford?

There has been talk of an Ashford metamorphosis for almost as long as I can ...
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Post-Coronavirus property market predictions

Savills research team recently offered some interesting analysis of what a UK property market recovery ...
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Bucking the national property ‘downturn’

It is true that we agreed 35 sales during October which we think are good ...
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Why 2019 is the right time to invest in Ashford

“If you have ever wished you’d invested somewhere that has regenerated, you will know that ...
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Historic Property Auction Particulars — Mersham 1878

These have been hanging on the wall in our boardroom for as long as I ...
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Listed Buildings Advice

The market for period property is booming and the older the house or cottage, the ...
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Will your second home also be your pension?

Recent research suggests that the level of income people aspire to retire on each year ...
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Will solar panels increase the value of my home?

As the weather gets colder and darker, and the heating and lights stay on longer, ...
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Why do kitchens sell houses?

"Home is where the hearth is" a hearth is a brick- or stone-lined fireplace, with or ...
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Valuable advice from our Property Consultants

Ashford Borough Council opens ‘Call for Sites’ Consultation

Ashford Borough Council is seeking suitable sites for inclusion in their Local Plan Review. Landowners ...
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Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) applications open in September

DEFRA has announced that SFI applications will open on the 18th of September 2023. Below ...
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Outlook – Autumn 2023

Expansion of Permitted Development Rights, developments on the Sustainable Farming Incentive and news of grants ...
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Valuable changes to Permitted Development Rights (“PDR’s”) are being considered

Unleashing Rural Opportunity – A Government charm offensive?

Defra has released its vision for unleashing rural opportunity covering planning, connectivity, employment and transport ...
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The Delinking of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) Payments

2023 marks the end of BPS payments in their current form, with Defra introducing “delinked ...
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Water Management Grant for Arable or Horticultural Businesses is now Open!

Defra has announced that the first stage of its Water Management Grant is now open ...
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Animal Health and Welfare Grant announced

Defra has announced that its standalone Animal Health and Welfare Grant is now open for ...
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Farming Equipment and Technology Grant – Round 2 announced!

Defra has announced the second round of the popular Farming Equipment and Technology Grant, offering ...
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BPS Entitlement trading window now open!

This year is the last year in which BPS entitlements can be traded with de-linkage ...
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New standards added to the Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme

DEFRA announces further developments for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship Schemes. The ...
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Changes to Countryside Stewardship and ELM’s

After months of political uncertainty, new prime ministers and cabinet reshuffles, the Government wheels are ...
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Steve Davies and Elizabeth Welch promoted to Associate Directors

These promotions reflect our fantastic commitment to providing our clients with the best planning advice ...
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Calling all pig, beef and dairy farmers – slurry infrastructure grant open

Grants of up to £250,000 are now available to help farmers increase slurry storage capacity ...
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BPS Lump Sum Exit Scheme

Open for applications until the 30th of September 2022. To be Eligible you must have: ...
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Development Sites

We are currently in the process of marketing a site for 87 new homes on ...
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Tax Advice

It can be as simple as ensuring you and your professional advisors truly understand the ...
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Land market remains strong

Farmland values have now reached their highest level since 2016, with the average value of ...
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£30m grant funding for farm diversification announced

Defra have recently announced the release of the third Farming Investment Fund Theme: Adding Value ...
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Sustainable Farming Incenitive (SFI) to launch in June

DEFRA have confirmed that the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) will launch in June 2022. We ...
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Woodland Creation Grants – Up to £8,500 per hectare

Woodlands are a unique asset with potential to provide a variety of benefits for their ...
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Opportunities and challenges ahead

However, with these new opportunities, come challenges as the agriculture sector faces increasing demand to ...
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Canterbury City Council – an unusual call for planning sites

Not your usual Call For Sites! Canterbury City Council have opened a further call for ...
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Farmers could receive up to £100,000 to give up their land

Applications for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) Lump Sum Exit Scheme will open in April, ...
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Generous new grants launched to increase productivity on your farm

Farming Transformation Fund: Improving Farm Productivity – Now open Are you considering investing in your ...
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Increased payments for Countryside Stewardship Schemes (CSS)

DEFRA has announced that payment rates for many Countryside Stewardship revenue options will increase by ...
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Local Nature Recovery (LNR) and Landscape Recovery (LR)

These recent announcements focus on Local Nature Recovery (LNR) and Landscape Recovery (LR), together with ...
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DEFRA release details of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) rollout 2022

The proposed rollout is the first element of the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS). The ...
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Development land market in the pandemic

Well as it happens, I am pleased to say that Jon Rimmer, Sam Snart and ...
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Vicky Phillips passes the RICS Expert Witness Certificate

For those outside of the legal profession, there are few venues in everyday life more ...
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Sustainable Farming Incentive

The first phase is due to be rolled out to all BPS claimants from mid-2022 ...
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Timbeeeeeeeer!

DEFRA have brought in a reverse auction system whereby landowners seeking to create woodland in ...
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Rewilding in Agricultural Tenancies

Most existing agricultural tenancies will not properly capture these opportunities so it is important for ...
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New grant scheme targets AONBs and National Parks

The scheme is for one-off projects which: support nature recovery mitigate the impacts of climate ...
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Biodiversity Net Gain – what we know so far

The Environment Bill of 2018 contained a proposal by the Government to make this a ...
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Rights of Way

As England entered Lockdown 3.0, despite the weather, the ‘daily walk’ once again came to ...
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Rent review – Is now the time?

Tenants are reluctant to seek a rent review for fear of upsetting a longstanding relationship ...
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More powers to tenants

Years of lobbying by the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) has finally resulted in successful amendments ...
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The Importance of Place Making – Will A National Design Code Assist?

The main criticism of new development is that it does not create the quality of ...
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Grants and Subsidies

Through the agricultural transition plan, the Government sets out its vision. It’s a useful starting ...
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Is your business ready for the Agriculture Bill?

The time immortal words of Mark Twain continue to strike a chord as Britain’s second ...
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The Agricultural Transition Plan – Is your business prepared?

Plans to deliver a fairer farming system were set out by the government on the ...
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What a year!

We have continued to support and advise our clients, whether this is in the livestock ...
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Stour Catchment Planning Update

In July 2020, Natural England issued water quality advice that had an immediate impact on ...
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All change for the land market?

In a past and present of uncertainty and volatility; and with increasingly negative media speculation ...
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Public money for public goods

Currently applications for Countryside Stewardship will remain open until 2023. After which it is mooted ...
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Kent and East Sussex – Local Plan updates and deadlines

Local plans are important planning policy documents which are used to guide development to certain ...
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Have your say now on the new Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS)

As part of this, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has opened ...
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Land and property market has woken up

The Friday after the General Election, when we woke up to an 80-seat majority for ...
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Delinking could drive diversification and land sales

Delinking looks set to be a major change of the Agriculture Bill as payments to ...
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What’s the future for the Basic Payment Scheme?

The phasing out of the Basic Payments Scheme (BPS) will be one of the biggest ...
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Agricultural Property Relief – Don’t let the taxman harvest more than his due

The first-tier tribunal decision in Charnely vs HMRC centred on to what extent a 79-year-old ...
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Agriculture Bill – What could it mean for landowners and farmers?

Our attention must be on the Agriculture Bill, which the Government hopes to have in ...
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Wanting to plough your grassland?

The Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (EIA) Regulations came into force in 2006 with the aim ...
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Rural Funding Opportunities

Defra has confirmed £35 million of funding will be made available to rural businesses under ...
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Agricultural Occupancy Condition

Family decisions from days gone by can have a lasting impact on farms today, as ...
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Inheritance Tax Review

While the government continues to muddle through Brexit, and the opposition is busy publishing “Land ...
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How to protect your land from the creation of new rights of way

While everyone should be able to appreciate and enjoy the British countryside, public access causes ...
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Planning regime changes to allow more flexible use of buildings

The Government initially implemented Permitted Development Rights (PDR) to make it relatively simple to convert ...
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Assets for sale? Take time to qualify for relief

Under this relief, qualifying assets result in a reduced rate of Capital Gains Tax of ...
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Otties Farm – New Dairy for yoghurt and cheese making

Three generations have worked the land at Ottinge since the turn of last century. The ...
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The farming voice must be heard for a Green Brexit

The beginning of May sees the deadline for Kent landowners and farmers to give their ...
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Planning permission granted for 14 homes in Whitfield

Proposals to build 14 high quality homes at Whitfield have been given the go-ahead by ...
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How to make the best of a Compulsory Purchase Order

As a result there is likely to be an ongoing demand to use compulsory purchase ...
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Permitted development in town centres

Potential planning changes could have implications for our town centres, which is timely given the ...
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Tenancy planning for landowners

As politicians continue to wrestle with Brexit, there is obviously significant uncertainty. What we do know is ...
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Netflix linked with move to Ashford?

The possible plans for a European filming hub presented recently to Ashford Borough Council could ...
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Thinking local is the answer when planning to develop

Successful development is often about having the right land in the right place, but when it comes ...
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Housing secured in the Green Belt

A Grade II-listed oast house and associated farm buildings will be transformed into six homes after Sevenoaks District ...
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National Planning Policy Framework update

The redesign of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has given councils greater powers to promote housing. However, ...
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Vicky Phillips returns to Hobbs Parker’s Property Consultants team

Having reached the position of Partner in her previous role at a national firm, Vicky ...
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Change of use and permitted development to support the high street

‘Planning Reform: Supporting the high street and increasing the delivery of new homes’, published by the Ministry ...
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Hobbs Parker welcomes new Senior Planner to the team

Senior Planning Consultant Elizabeth Welch joins the team after almost a decade at Dover District Council. Prior ...
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Inheritance tax relief for farm businesses

It is not uncommon for farm businesses to shy away from Inheritance Tax planning, as it is ...
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Solar farms advice for landowners

The key advancement is the reduction of installation costs and increase in efficiency of the solar ...
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Why 2019 is the right time to invest in Ashford

“If you have ever wished you’d invested somewhere that has regenerated, you will know that ...
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Green plans could mean red light for development

Ashford-based Hobbs Parker Property Consultants LLP (HPPC) is concerned that if confirmed DEFRA’s consultation about ...
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A development opportunity half done!

Congratulations, you did it. Your local authority  has granted you planning permission for development. It’s in ...
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19 New Development Sites for Ashford

The draft local plan was put out to consultation last year. It has been reviewed ...
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Outlook Summer 2017

In this edition: We look at how owners of brownfield sites looking to bring forward ...
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Planning to succeed

As a result, development can be difficult, especially for housebuilders, as many local communities fail ...
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Could the latest business rates revaluation hit your pocket?

Farm buildings and agricultural land will continue to be exempt from business rates as long ...
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Is now the right time to diversify?

As well as developing your business plan and securing the necessary finance, many face the ...
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brexit half european union and united kingdom england flag

Favourable exchange rate brings timely relief to farmers

Recent forecasts for net farm income for all farm types for the year to March ...
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Two boys looking at the view across a valley

Is it time to loosen the Green Belt?

With demand for housing continuing at an unprecedented rate, despite the possible implications of Brexit, ...
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Plan ahead for agricultural rent reviews in 2017

As many agri-businesses find themselves facing the continued pressure related to farm incomes, now is the ...
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Plans for new home in AONB given consent

Permission has been granted to replace vacant farm buildings with a three bedroom house on ...
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Renewable Energy – is it beginning to run on empty?

Last year didn’t end brightly, and despite what’s happening in other countries, 2016 could see ...
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Permitted Development Rights for rural buildings

The current legislation offers an excellent opportunity to farmers and landowners to quickly and cost-effectively ...
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Agricultural Grant Scheme Launched for Hedgerows and Boundaries

The deadline for applications is 30 April. Benefits may be obtained for capital items such ...
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How to gain planning permission — a view from both sides of the fence

Having joined Hobbs Parker Property Consultants six months ago, with nearly 30 years’ planning experience ...
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What does Brexit mean for the whole planning system?

It’s been impossible to get away from the issue of the European Union referendum and ...
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Outlook Autumn 2016

In this edition: What does Brexit mean for planning? Jon Rimmer takes a candid look ...
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Outlook Summer 2016

In this edition: Rising to the challenge of demand for more housing. Housing demand shows ...
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Outlook Spring 2016

In this edition: Renewable energy – is it beginning to run on empty? We consider ...
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Rural landscape image of Summer sunset over field of hay bales

Is selling some land an option in 2016?

There appears to be very little confidence of an improvement in outlook for the agricultural ...
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New team rising to challenge

New team rising to challenge To ensure Hobbs Parker Property Consultants respond to the need ...
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Consultation for new Lower Thames Crossing

Highways England is currently consulting on the route of a new Lower Thames Crossing, linking ...
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The Hobbs Parker Blogs

Articles of interest and importance for our clients

The best of Kent and East Sussex

Making the most of your property

Valuable advice from our Property Consultants

Car Auctions — special cars, tips and advice