Farm Planning Consultants in the West Midlands

Rural and farm planning consultants across the West Midlands

Foxes Rural is a specialist team of rural planning consultants and farm planning consultants working with farmers, landowners and rural estates across the West Midlands. From the livestock and dairy farms of Shropshire and Staffordshire to the orchards and arable land of Herefordshire and Worcestershire and the mixed holdings of Warwickshire, 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 West Midlands is one of the most important livestock, dairy and fruit-growing regions in the country, with a landscape that ranges from the Shropshire Hills to the Malvern Hills and the Vale of Evesham. 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 West Midlands

Agricultural permitted development rights allow many West Midlands 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 West Midlands farm business significant time and cost; used incorrectly, it can trigger enforcement action.

We regularly prepare prior approval applications for livestock buildings, slurry and silage stores, grain and fruit stores and farm tracks across the region's dairy, beef, poultry and mixed holdings. Our team understands the siting, scale and design tests that councils across Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire apply, including the additional sensitivities of the Shropshire Hills and Malvern Hills, and we make sure your scheme is lawful from the outset.

Farm buildings and new agricultural development

From modern dairy parlours and cubicle housing to poultry units, grain and fruit stores and machinery sheds, West Midlands farms need buildings that work for a diverse livestock and horticultural industry. 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 Shropshire plain, the Herefordshire lowlands, the Vale of Evesham and the Staffordshire moorlands with a full understanding of local landscape policy.

Farm diversification planning in the West Midlands

Diversification is central to the future of farming in the West Midlands, a region with strong agricultural heritage and a growing rural visitor economy. We advise on farm shops, holiday lets and glamping, wedding and event venues, equestrian facilities, rural offices, farm cafes, cider and dairy enterprises 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 West Midlands covers a large area with a high level of farming planning activity. Our team regularly works across districts including:

• Shropshire and the Shropshire Hills
• Herefordshire
• Wychavon and the Vale of Evesham
• Malvern Hills
• Stratford-on-Avon
• Warwick
• Stafford and Staffordshire Moorlands
• South Staffordshire
• North Warwickshire
• Telford and Wrekin

We also advise farmers around the principal towns and cities of the region, including Shrewsbury, Hereford, Worcester, Stafford, Warwick, Telford, Ludlow, Leominster, Evesham, Stratford-upon-Avon, Bridgnorth and Market Drayton.

A region built on farming

The West Midlands' farming reputation is showcased every year at the Three Counties Show at Malvern and the Staffordshire County Show near Stafford, two of the most important agricultural events in the country. The region is famous for its dairy, beef, poultry and fruit, home to landmark estates, leading cider producers and major livestock businesses, along with influential rural voices including high-profile 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 West Midlands.

How we compare to other rural planning firms

Farmers in the West Midlands have a choice of advisers, including national consultancies and land agency firms such as Berrys, Halls, Acorus, The Rural Planning Co, The Rural Planning Practice 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 West Midlands

If you farm in Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire or Warwickshire 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.