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PROPERTY LOCATION.

Moving into new offices - or starting to work from home - should be a motivating experience. Whether you're looking for commercial property for the first time or seeking a change, consider the main factors in advance, to reduce the headaches later.

• Thinking of Moving alerts you to the implications of disruption, cost, location and property size.

• Finding Premises helps you to distinguish between buying, leasing, licensing; it provides sources and examples of business accommodation in Sussex and beyond.

• Equipping and Furnishing covers the considerations of fixtures and fittings (including IT and planning matters), information on health and safety plus ways of reducing your utility bills.

• Working from Home looks at the legal, tax and other implications of this popular alternative to going to the office

• Rural Diversification helps you find property in converted farm properties (outside the Wealden area).

• Finance indicates various ways of meeting the costs and possible funding sources.

Finding the right sort of office space for your business can be a challenge - more so in some areas because of rogue planners.  Wealden is widely held to be one such affected area.  In addition to the other farming cases featured on this site, we know of several cases in the Wealden District where fruit, fish and ostrich business/farm investments went pear shaped because of concentrated officer led enforcement!  You may want to think again about moving to Wealden.  One of Weladen's enforcement officers is reputed to have a "kills" collection - a personal library of mobile home demolitions, on which evidence this council have apparently promoted the gentleman.  The message is clear!  By comparison, Eastbourne, Seaford, Bexhill, Worthing and other locations in Sussex offer helpful advice and a friendly service.  If these councils make a mistake, you are more likely to see it resolved fairly and speedily - thus reducing the damage to your enterprise.

There are  health and safety implications, for example, the correct equipment, sufficient space. Normally, you would require separate toilet washing and food preparation facilities.  We know of several cases where Wealden District Council's enforcement officers have squandered ratepayers money to gain injunctions to remove toilets/washing facilities, contrary to the Health & Safety Regulations 1992.  In one case at Herstmonceux in Sussex the occupier was ordered to remove this equipment required by law.  On appeal to the High Court, they refused to allow a letter from the Health & Safety Executive to be adduced - which proved H&S Regs. take precedence.  However, Dame Butler Schloss made it clear that after removing the toilet, etc, to comply with the injunction, the owner should refit the equipment to comply with H&S Regulations. So much for justice! The situation was eventually restored but at a cost of £20,000 in costs, plus the inconvenience of a two year wait and the worry.  That's Wealden for you!

DIVERSIFICATION:-

Conversion of redundant buildings for non-farming uses:-

• The conversion of barns for residential or light industrial use.  What are the chances of a fair determination?

• The conversion of redundant outbuildings into holiday lettings.  What has been approved in your area?

• The conversion of redundant buildings for light industrial use - such as storage, craft-type industries, workshops and offices - is now a major activity. Attractions include the rural setting, reasonable rents, easy parking and the availability of local employees.  Wealden are particularly anti rural industrial developments - unless of course you are in the club.  A backhander might assist - but why should you pay?

• Within Sussex there has been a rapid growth in equestrian activities and many farmers are converting outbuildings to provide stabling on full livery on a DIY basis.  Don't believe it.  See the demolition of the Bushy Wood stables - apparently Wealden hate horses, either that or they discriminate between operators!  It cost Mr & Mrs Punter almost everything they had and ruined their lives.  Either way can you afford to take the risk.

Creating added value to raw products:-

• Many farmers have diversified into the processing of their own products such as cheese making, yoghurt manufacture.  Others suffer discrimination and repeated harassment from Wealden District Council's enforcement officers, such as Hammer Lane Farm, Horam and Hackhurst Lane Farm.

• The smaller meat producers are collaborating to set up a meat marketing co-operative to sell their products through local outlets including restaurants, pubs, butchers, pie makers etc. Farmers Markets also form an important direct outlet for producers.

GOSE represents Central Government. GOSE works to influence, contract and develop Government programmes and initiatives at a regional and local level by working in partnership with relevant organisations to meet local needs. Using its knowledge of the region it is able to ensure that Government money is spent on the right projects in the right areas. It is also able to ensure that Ministers are aware of local issues when making decisions. One of GOSE's main objectives is to support and promote a coherent regional approach to competitiveness, sustainable development, regeneration and social inclusion. To this end GOSE works with a number of regional partners to carry out its work. In particular, it works closely with the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and the Regional Assembly. Other partners include local authorities, Learning and Skills Councils, Police Forces, Drug Action Teams, the NHS, Countryside Agency, Business Links, British Trade International and transport providers in the public and private sector.

SEEDA - Cross Lanes, Guildford, GU1 1YA  England   Email seeda@seeda.co.uk  Tel: +44 (0) 1483 484200 Fax: +44 (0) 1483 484247