Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events meaning homes and businesses are more vulnerable to the effects of droughts and flooding. 

Land managers are looking for ways to improve business resilience by mitigating the direct effects of climate change, as well as creating monetised water management services for third parties against a backdrop of an evolving regulatory framework.

The Met Office found that the volume of rain in the UK on 'extremely wet days' has increased 17% when comparing the most recent decade with 1961-1990. Concurrently, the volume of available water is expected to decline between 6% and 11%, with demand increasing, leaving parts of the south and south east of England without sufficient water within the next 20 years.

There is a clear case for the better management of water resources. Some of this is reliant on improved infrastructure but there are opportunities for agricultural businesses to invest in water management techniques – from building reservoirs and irrigation schemes to upgrading field drainage and altering existing land management practices.

Managing water quality, in addition to quantity, also provides constraints and opportunities for land managers. English waters are among the least healthy in Europe and stakeholders are under increasing pressure to tackle this. Changes are impacting farming practices, most recently with the proposed amendments to the Farming Rules for Water, however, opportunities also exist to access private and public funding to manage quality such as re-concreting yards.

The pressures on statutory undertakers to improve water and sewage provisions will inevitably lead to larger scale infrastructure projects which will impact landowners and occupiers across the UK.

How can savills help

• Feasibility studies including cost benefit analysis
• Project management
• Grant application completions 
• Ongoing site management
• Infrastructure and Compulsory Purchase work