Helping a growing agricultural business expand

Robert and Ashton Hawker had ambitions to take their traditional dairy unit with beef and arable and expand it into a full estate with fully diversified commercial interests that would guarantee them a profitable income and long-term livelihood.

Over the past four years they have worked closely with the RWK Goodman agriculture and rural team to achieve that ambition which has involved the acquisition of more land, an 150 acre woodland with sporting rights and a deer farm with slaughter house facilities. The long term success of the plan meant working closely with Robert and Ashton as well as their other professional advisers, including their accountants and farm consultants.
We took the time to understand not only their immediate commercial aims, but how they wanted their estate planned for the future, so that the next generation would receive the highest value for the estate.

There were a range of legal complexities to deal with to make their plans a reality. The various purchases of agricultural land, a woodland with sporting rights and a deer farm has involved detailed advice on such areas as:

• Single Farm Payment Entitlements;
• Entry Level and High Level Schemes;
• Easement issues for water suppliers;
• Compulsory Purchase issues;
• Compensation payments.
• Commercial tenancy agreements;
• Family estate planning.

The close collaboration between the Hawker’s, RWK Goodman and their other professional advisers has helped Richard and Ashton develop a fully diversified commercial estate that will protect their livelihood for future generations.