For those owning property in the countryside, cyclists offer a growing and diverse market. While this market may not offer substantial direct revenues, it may provide valuable secondary incomes from land and assets which have already been diversified.

A good example of this is where owners of upland areas of commercial forestry have integrated mountain bike trails below the trees. Secondary revenue is in turn generated for the land owner from ancillary trail head facilities such as cycle hire, catering and car parking in addition to the primary forestry income.

Catering for cyclists may also offer an additional revenue stream for existing leisure ventures such as house and garden opening. Around 34% of cyclists are categorised as recreational or family riders however this group is often surprisingly neglected. Rural Solutions has recently been working with a land owner in southern Scotland looking at providing short, flat and family friendly trails. We have found the introduction of these trails proves especially popular: increasing visitor numbers, extending visitor dwell times and subsequently benefiting the visitor spend at existing leisure attractions.

In summary, Rural Solutions is currently finding that capturing the pedal powered pound can provide a valuable secondary income to a variety of existing rural ventures.

One of the biggest obstacles to self-builders is often finding a suitable plot and securing that important planning permission. The recent changes to National Planning Policy in the form of the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), offer opportunities for self-builders through the redevelopment of redundant buildings and disused sites, the building of new dwellings of ‘exceptional quality or innovative nature’ and for the first time, require local planning authorities to plan for the needs of people wanting to build their own homes. Rural Solutions has extensive experience of securing planning permission for bespoke, individual houses, both new build and conversion schemes, in some of the toughest planning environments such as National Parks and the Green Belt. If you’d like to discuss how Rural Solutions could help you achieve planning permission for your dream self-build home, please contact our Head of Planning, Duncan Hartley on 0845 026 7914.

Rural Solutions understands that the CPRE is acting on behalf of local groups who feel overwhelmed with wind farm applications by large developers. The CPRE’s concerns also build on a letter from Conservative back bench MPs to The Prime Minister in February. However, green energy trade body RenewableUK reports that around 75% of onshore wind energy planning applications have already been rejected.

Whilst it’s easy to understand the CPRE’s concerns regarding onshore wind farms, energy in rural areas is by no means a black and white issue: with 25% of the UK’s power stations scheduled to close in the next decade, where is the power going to come from?

Here at Rural Solutions, we continue to facilitate a number of green energy schemes for clients who are taking matters into their own hands! These schemes do not solely focus on wind energy: we have clients installing a ground source heat pump in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wiltshire, whilst another adjacent to a canal, is looking into a highly efficient water source heat pump installation. Meanwhile for clients with their own woodland, woodchip remains an effective source of heat and energy where clients can manage their own fuel security.

With the increasing power of rural localism to reject energy generation, perhaps there comes an increasing responsibility to do what we can to solve our nations’ increasingly challenging energy needs. To do so, perhaps demands a proactive “in my back yard” approach to rural energy generation.

The team can be found at Stand B325 at Grand Designs Live 2012. For further information read the press release here, and see below for some of the images from the press pack:

“Gail Culshaw continues to inspire her peers and colleagues with her motivation and commitment to her part time Construction Management degree at Leeds Met. She is an inspiration to other females wishing to study construction.”

Having worked directly with rural business centre owners and occupiers across the country, Rural Solutions believes it has obtained a unique market insight.

Findings indicate that the rural office market is clearly segmented with differing influencing factors for each market segment. Rural Solutions has also found a clear disconnect between rural business centre owners’ perception of occupiers’ needs and the actual preferences of companies choosing to occupy rural offices.

If you would like to learn more about our findings please contact Kate Paterson or Ralph Foljambe of Rural Solutions on 0845 302 4766.

A cursory question of ‘how’s business?’ once a month will always be met with a, ‘it’s just fine’ – if as a landlord you see this as understanding your tenants, then you are wrong.

To find out more about how to approach and interact better with your business tenants, contact Rural Solutions; the country’s leading rural planning and development specialist, who has conducted research with the help of Lancaster University and its own program of rural business centres workshops to look at this very subject.