Short-rotation coppice - impact on land use?

[agg221]

I've put a sealed bid in on the field next to us as it's the land between us and the river, so would allow me to sort our drainage out. It's 4.75 acres of grade II agricultural land, currently arable.

 

No idea if I'll get it yet, but my next door neighbour has asked if I might sell him an acre for use as short rotation coppice, probably willow, to run his log burner on. I'm not inclined to sell it, as the obvious bit to let him have is the bit by the road, which doesn't flood and I want to make sure there is no development at some point in the future, but I might be inclined to lease it to him for as long as he and his wife live there, on reasonable terms.

 

Does anyone know what the land use implications of doing this might be? I'm particularly interested in whether short rotation coppice would count as agriculture or forestry, and hence whether a change of use would be needed, either to do it or to potentially revert it to arable.

 

Also, does anyone know what the effects might be on the quality of the ground from doing this? I'm aware that there would be stumps to be extracted or ground out (which I would take account of in the tenancy agreement) but any views on general soil fertility?

 

Anything else I should think about (over 50m from the nearest building which is his house anyway, so no problems on that one).

 

Just trying to sort out the implications in advance of hearing whether our bid has been successful, as I anticipate him asking fairly quickly once the bids are opened.

 

Cheers

 

Alec

[arbmark]

not sure for SRC but agriculture /forestry interchangeable unless you are talking buildings/development isnt it? i would have thought it would do the soil some good, in lieu of arable!

[agg221]

Cheers!

 

Well I found out today that our bid has been accepted, so I anticipate a visit from my neighbour soon

[Marko]

If it is planted as woodland then the single payment will not apply. If it is planted as SRC it is classed as an Energy Crop and the single payment still applies.

[agg221]

If it is planted as woodland then the single payment will not apply. If it is planted as SRC it is classed as an Energy Crop and the single payment still applies.

 

Thanks - the land does attract single payment so that will be worth bearing in mind.

 

Alec