Farming Diary by Helena White, chartered surveyor, H&H Land & Estates:

THIS month, we have said a temporary farewell to Katie Hunter as she goes on maternity leave. We are very sad to see her go but are looking forward to an exciting new arrival in the coming weeks. Wishing her all the best and hope she returns soon!

In her absence, I have been tasked with writing her column! To introduce myself, I joined H&H Land & Estates as a rural chartered surveyor in January this year, after relocating to Cumbria. I originally grew up in Devon and after university moved to Edinburgh, where I qualified.

Despite starting a new job in the middle of a national lockdown - which feels like five minutes ago - everyone here has been extremely welcoming. I have really enjoyed my first few months, which have involved a large variety of work, from valuations to utility works and the infamous Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) deadlines!

The past few months have been busy and, as we head out of the Covid restrictions now, hopefully some normality will be found again. We have noted that clients have been using lockdowns to assess their businesses, taking the opportunity to review and adapt their farming practices and grasp new ways to maximise their assets. As a result, we have seen a large increase in valuation work and, more recently, an increasing number of sales appraisals for land and rural property due to come onto the market later in the year.

Alongside my work here at H&H, we have also taken over the management of six holiday cottages - Long Byres Holiday Cottages, situated on a family farm on the edge of the North Pennines. This has been our first year taking over the business and, as I expect many in and around the Lake District are experiencing, it has been an extremely busy period, with tourists at every turn enjoying their staycations!

With this influx of holidaymakers, there are still opportunities for landowners to make the most of the demand through campsites and other, more permanent, developments. This is especially the case given the extension of rules - allowing the number of days in which campsites can operate to temporarily increase from 28 to 56, under permitted development rights. This has now been extended to the end of December 2021!

So, for the next month, let us hope that the weather holds and that everyone has a successful summer season, whether trading land or livestock or welcoming visitors.