Spratt Endicott strengthens its expertise in Agriculture, Estates and Property

Spratt Endicott Solicitors has strengthened its Agriculture & Estates department with the appointment of Jennie Loynes; a solicitor with more than 15 years’ experience of working in the industry.

Having previously worked for high profile Warwickshire-based firms, Jennie’s extensive expertise in a range of agriculture and rural property work includes high value sales and purchases of working farms and estates; sales to HS2; overage agreements; first registrations at the Land Registry; sales and purchases at auction and acting for charities and trusts.

Andrew Woods, Managing Director and head of Commercial Property, comments: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Jennie to the firm. Jennie has joined at a key point in Spratt Endicott’s growth and will be instrumental in the development of the specialised department.”

Jennie’s recent work highlights include:

• Farm sales and purchases, made more complex by the inclusion of basic payment scheme entitlements, tenancies (agricultural, commercial and residential), and environmental schemes.
• Restructuring the property ownership of family farm assets to include or exclude family members in the running of the farming business.
• Agreeing land swaps, including the surrender of an AHA (Agricultural Holdings Act) tenancy to be replaced with a FBT (Farm Business Tenancy) as well as freehold land transfers.
• Arranging the first registration of a large farming estate in Warwickshire, with deeds dating back to the 1600s.

Jennie will be working in the Agriculture and Estates department after the retirement of Director, Christopher Goldingham. Christopher was named as a Leading Individual in the Legal 500 UK for several years and under his leadership, the Agriculture & Estates department gained a Tier 2 Legal 500 UK rank.

Jennie said of her appointment: “I look forward to putting my skills and expertise into practice. Christopher’s retirement left a significant gap in our service offering and I am hoping that my abilities and expertise will push the department to achieve more.”

Harriet Page and Zoe Dyer also form part of the Agriculture & Estates team, with Harriet a member of the Agricultural Law Association who has worked extensively with farmers, investors and landowners.

The team has experience in high-end residential conveyancing, agriculture and property development, regularly advising landowners on a wide range of projects, from development land sales, option and promotion agreements to rights of way, wayleaves and public access.

For more information about Spratt Endicott please contact David Barton on 01295 204157 or email enquiries@se-solicitors.co.uk.