Jessica is a Senior Associate in the Landed Estates team.

Working for large landed estates, farmers, farm businesses and charitable trusts with agricultural property across Yorkshire.  Jessica also acts for lenders in regard to estate finance.

Experienced in advising on the sale and purchase of rural land, including in regard to bank security, as well as all the legal aspects of estate management. This includes land registration and ensuring clean title; negotiating agricultural and commercial tenancies and obtaining vacant possession; negotiating covenants and overage; securing rights of access, and structuring businesses for diversification or succession planning.

Ensuring landowners comply with the relevant regulatory frameworks and ensuring correct permits are in place for environmental issues, appropriate planning permissions and compliance with any charity or trust laws.

Recent examples of how Jessica has supported clients include:

  • completing the first registration of the entirety of a landed estate (approximately 8,800 acres of land) to enable the more efficient management of the estate;
  • securing 100% agricultural property relief as part of inheritance planning, by obtaining the surrender of an AHA 1986 Act tenancy and the grant of a new long-term farm business tenancy;
  • purchase of a £1.5 million equestrian/agricultural property, including a caravan site, holiday lets, residential properties and a DIY livery business in a groundwater source protection zone (SPZ);
  • sale of a derelict barn for conversion, requiring rights over third party land, permission to locate a septic tank in third party land, restrictive covenants in relation to the use and the relocation of an existing electrical supply; and
  • sale of 30 acres of agricultural land subject to an existing minerals lease, whereby the seller was able to retain the payments under the minerals lease, including addressing the buyer’s concerns over stability of the land.