United Kingdom: Land Law & Agriculture

Private landowners may unknowingly lose control of their property when members of the public acquire rights of way through continuous use over 20 years, even without the owner's knowledge or consent. This analysis examines the legal mechanisms available to protect against such claims, including the strategic use of section 31(6) statements under the Highways Act 1980, and explores recent Court of Appeal guidance on what constitutes an 'interruption' to public use following the landmark Roxlena Ltd v Rambler

Farming families face unique challenges when it comes to protecting generational land and business interests through marriage. Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements offer practical solutions to safeguard family farms, inherited property, and business assets while providing clarity for both spouses in the event of relationship breakdown.

The agricultural sector faces the highest rate of non-fatal injuries among all measured industries, with 28 work-related fatalities recorded in 2024/25. This analysis examines the primary causes of farm accidents—from livestock attacks to machinery incidents—and outlines the legal duties placed on landowners and employers under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, while providing practical risk mitigation strategies to prevent workplace injuries and protect both workers and the public.

On 15 April 2026, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) published three policy updates representing a significant reshaping of the biodiversity net gain (BNG) regime in England.

Increasingly, Scotland’s rural businesses are looking to diversify. That can take many forms.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 has now been passed. It introduces significant changes to the sale of large landholdings, which will now be subject to mandatory lotting decisions...

To mark our 175th anniversary, James Bowen, a trainee patent attorney in our Chemistry & Life Sciences team, discusses the issue of food insecurity...

The Health and Safety Executive's "Your Farm, Your Future" campaign highlights livestock safety, advising landowners on signage, animal management, and maintaining safe public access paths to reduce injury risks and ensure legal compliance with access rights.

The online event discussed community-driven approaches to land management, with presentations from experts on community land trusts (CLTs), biodiversity net gain (BNG), and legal considerations. Key takeaways included the importance of local engagement, the benefits of CLTs, and the potential of BNG. Future discussions will focus on food production, charity involvement, and the CLT model for nature recovery. Attendees expressed interest in more case studies and further opportunities for collabor