Farm Planning Consultants in the South East

Rural and farm planning consultants across the South East

Foxes Rural is a specialist team of rural planning consultants and farm planning consultants working with farmers, landowners and rural estates across the South East of England. From the orchards and hop gardens of Kent to the downland farms of Sussex, the wooded estates of Surrey and the mixed holdings of Hampshire, we help agricultural businesses unlock the development potential of their land. Whether you are planning a new agricultural building, considering a Class Q barn conversion or developing a diversification scheme, our farm planning consultants guide every application from first idea to final approval.

The South East is one of the most varied and most heavily protected farming regions in the country, with extensive Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the South Downs National Park and intense pressure on land near London. Getting the right planning advice early makes the difference between a smooth approval and a costly refusal. We combine deep knowledge of agricultural permitted development with practical experience of how planning officers across the region make decisions.

Agricultural permitted development across the South East

Agricultural permitted development rights allow many South East farms to build new buildings, form tracks and undertake engineering works without a full planning application, provided the conditions of Part 6 of the GPDO are met. Our rural planning consultants advise on Class A rights for holdings of five hectares or more and Class B rights for smaller units, helping you confirm whether prior approval is required before work begins. Used correctly, permitted development can save a South East farm business significant time and cost; used incorrectly, it can trigger enforcement action.

We regularly prepare prior approval applications for grain stores, fruit and produce stores, livestock buildings and farm tracks across the region's arable, horticultural and mixed holdings. Our team understands the siting, scale and design tests that councils across Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire apply, including the additional sensitivities of the South Downs and the High Weald, and we make sure your scheme is lawful from the outset.

Farm buildings and new agricultural development

From modern grain and fruit stores to packhouses, glasshouses, livestock housing and machinery sheds, South East farms need buildings that work for a diverse industry spanning arable, horticulture, viticulture and livestock. Where a scheme falls outside permitted development, our farm planning consultants prepare full planning applications supported by agricultural justification, landscape and heritage assessments and a clear case on functional need. We work across the Weald, the North and South Downs and the Hampshire chalk with a full understanding of local landscape policy.

Farm diversification planning in the South East

Diversification is central to the future of farming in the South East, a region with a fast-growing wine industry and strong visitor economy. We advise on vineyards and wineries, farm shops, holiday lets and glamping, wedding and event venues, equestrian facilities, rural offices and renewable energy schemes. Our rural planning consultants help you build a diversification strategy that strengthens the farm business while satisfying planning policy on sustainability, highways and landscape impact.

The farming districts we work across

The South East covers a large area with a high level of farming planning activity. Our team regularly works across districts including:

• Maidstone and the Kent Weald
• Ashford
• Tunbridge Wells
• Canterbury and Swale
• Wealden
• Chichester and the South Downs
• Horsham
• Mid Sussex
• Guildford and Waverley in Surrey
• Winchester and East Hampshire

We also advise farmers around the principal towns and cities of the region, including Canterbury, Maidstone, Ashford, Chichester, Lewes, Horsham, Guildford, Winchester, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Petersfield and Basingstoke.

A region built on farming

The South East's farming reputation is showcased every year at the Kent County Show near Maidstone and the South of England Show at Ardingly, two of the most important agricultural events in the region. The South East is famous for its fruit, hops and rapidly expanding vineyards, home to leading English wine estates and landmark fruit and horticultural businesses, along with influential rural voices including high-profile estates and family farming partnerships. The region has a strong presence of the National Farmers' Union and active county agricultural societies.

As members and supporters of the farming community, we work alongside the guidance of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), the National Farmers' Union (NFU) and other farming bodies to make sure our planning advice reflects the realities of running a modern rural business in the South East.

How we compare to other rural planning firms

Farmers in the South East have a choice of advisers, including national consultancies and land agency firms such as Acorus, The Rural Planning Co, The Rural Planning Practice, Savills, BTF Partnership and other regional planning and land agents. What sets Foxes Rural apart is our single-minded focus on farm planning: we are rural planning consultants first, and we measure our success by the approvals we secure for working farms. We offer clear advice, fixed expectations and a track record of unlocking development that other firms have turned down.

Talk to a farm planning consultant in the South East

If you farm in Kent, Surrey, Sussex or Hampshire and want to understand what your land can deliver, speak to our rural planning consultants today. We offer an initial review of your site and a clear plan for the best planning route, whether that is agricultural permitted development, a Class Q conversion, new farm buildings or a diversification scheme. Call Foxes Rural on 01206 481981 to start the conversation.