News
Hugh Townsend has for over 25 years been the country's "go-to" commentator on farm quotas and rural surveying issues affecting farmers. Having become the country's leading and most innovative quota agent he was broadcast to 3.8 million listeners on Radio 4's PM programme interviewed by Eddie Mayer on the 1st April 2015 – the Dawning of Europe without Milk Quotas, click here. More recently BBC1 interviewed Hugh Townsend on the future of farming following the Referendum, click here.
Hugh Townsend has over the years developed the most creative arrangements to promote an efficient market in farm quotas, in the early eighties developing leasing milk quota without land before the Milk Marketing Board introduced leasing for a part of the milk year.
He represented clients in leading legal cases defending transfers of milk quota and developed the new system of second TQ1 forms protecting the transfer of quotas with land.
In 1991, with Farmers Weekly he produced the first sale price index countrywide and started to publish farm quota sales and leasing graphs which are still published by Farmers Weekly and other publications and can be seen on our Milk Quota & Entitlements pages.
On BBC television he has defended dairy farmers who have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous individuals in the farm quota market and was again on television to comment on the "footballers buy milk quota" rumpus.
He regularly writes for Farmers Guardian and the South West's Western Morning News and our experienced team is sought after for their comments on farm quotas.
11.1.2024 – BNG – CLEARING THE FOG OF DRAFT GUIDANCE
As we all try and peer through the BNG fog of swirling draft guidance and statutory instruments ever being updated and amended without notice, to see how the mandatory BNG process will be implemented, so often one query answered creates more. These observations should be viewed with caution as only some of the landscape starts…
Read More 11.1.2024 – EARN A 1% INTRODUCTORY COMMISSION FOR INTRODUCING YOUR DEVELOPERS/PURCHASERS TO OUR BNG UNITS
Notice to all agents (surveyors, planning consultants, professional advisers including ecologists, architects, planning solicitors & barristers). Earn a 1% introductory commission for introducing developers to a selection of our clients’ BNG units. The units if sold to your clients, which will entitle you to receive the introductory commission, are all the units shown on the…
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6.12.2023 – Western Morning News – Another step closer for BNG?
The devil is always in the detail, and this so often only comes at the 11th hour. Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is no exception with the mandatory BNG marketplace now in a different place to where it was only a few weeks ago. As one query is answered another two appear in its place. 1….
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7.12.2023 – Farmers Weekly – Legislation brings biodiversity net gain regime a step closer
The legislative framework for biodiversity net gain (BNG) is finally being introduced, in six statutory instruments which will become law when BNG goes live in January 2024. This includes outlining the legal basis for calculating biodiversity value for BNG. In a change from the process originally set out, developers will be able to submit a…
Read More 4.12.23 – BNG – DRAFT LEGISLATION ANSWERS SOME QUESTIONS BUT LEAVES OTHERS UNANSWERED
Last week saw a flurry of activity on the path to mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain with the framework of agreements becoming clearer and implementation processes clarified. Secondary legislation has been released in the form of six statutory instruments applying powers fashioned under the Environment Act 2021 creating the means of implementing the Act’s objectives through…
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1.12.23 – BNG – LEGAL FRAMEWORK SET OUT FOR BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN – FARMERS WEEKLY
The fuzzy picture for the mandatory BNG market is slowly becoming clearer. One of the most common questions I am asked, with the regulations coming into force in January, is how buying and selling BNG units will work in practice. See my comments in Farmers Weekly, online last week here. Also watch this space for our…
Read More 30.11.23 – BNG – SECONDARY LEGISLATION PUBLISHED – FIRST COURT RULING ON BNG ISSUES AFFECTING THE VOLUNTARY MARKET
We now have 6 Statutory Instruments, 4 in draft and 2 to go to parliament today. – The Biodiversity Gain Site Register Regulations 2023 – The Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Exemptions) Regulations 2023 – The Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Irreplaceable Habitat) Regulations 2023 – The Biodiversity Gain (Town and Country Planning) (Modifications and Amendments) (England) Regulations 2024…
Read More 29.11.23 – BNG & NN UPDATE – BNG UNITS IN THE MANDATORY MARKET NOT NEEDED UNTIL AFTER PLANNING PERMISSION IS GRANTED – AUTUMN STATEMENT SUPPORT FOR NN OPEN MARKET
The devil is always in the detail, and this so often only comes at the 11th hour. Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is no exception with the mandatory BNG marketplace now in a different place to where it was only a few weeks ago. As one query is answered another two appear in its place. 1. …
Read More 17.11.23 – Farmers Weekly – Biodiversity net gain – Pros and cons of different options
The requirement for developers to deliver a minimum 10% biodiversity uplift associated with their sites takes effect from January next year. This is known as biodiversity net gain (BNG) and its imminent roll out has seen a confusing range of offers made to landowners from third-party operators to deal with BNG units created on farmland….
Read More 27.10.23 – Farmers Weekly – Opinion: ‘Do it yourself’ gives best biodiversity net gain returns
As a way of replacing Basic Payment Scheme monies, selling “natural capital” in the form of biodiversity net gain (BNG) could be the most effective. While still an emerging market, along with carbon and nutrient neutrality credits, BNG has the potential to create significant money if handled correctly. There are currently a number of “off-market”…
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