Rural offices were fashionable two decades ago but demand slumped once the Internet became an indispensable business tool.
Now their popularity is on the rise again, thanks to faster broadband connections in out of town spots.
Andrew Robinson, a partner at property specialist Andrew Granger & Co, says rural offices attract “clean” businesses such as designers, IT and marketing consultants.
Reasons for heading to the country range from bucolic to pragmatic. “It’s a lifestyle choice for many owners,” says Mr Robinson, a chartered surveyor whose firm advises businesses and landowners across the East Midlands. “Some firms like to project a certain eco image so a few ‘designer cows’ go down well, but one of the key reasons people choose to locate out of town is to avoid the rush hour and save on commute time,” he says.
Typical of successful new generation of rural offices is The Manor at Tur Langton, a converted dairy farm in rolling south Leicestershire countryside. Jenny Stanhope lives and works there, and says: “It’s a lovely situation yet only two miles from the main A6 to Leicester. There is a spread of businesses here, and the sense of community is strong. People are really happy.”
The range of rural office properties on offer across the East Midlands runs from desk space to entire buildings. Popular locations with a good choice of properties include south Leicestershire and to the north Charnwood forest.
Rental costs are on a par with those in towns at around £12 to £14 per square foot for new offices or £6 to £10 for previously used space, but rural office landlords are often more flexible about licenses than their urban counterparts, which is attractive to business tenants.
Business owners considering heading for the sticks need to weigh up the disadvantages too, which can include putting distance between your company and its customers or suppliers, poor accessibility and weather-related incidents such as flooding.
For landowners looking to diversify, Internet connectivity is clearly crucial but good views are another big draw. Supply both of those, and there are plenty of prospective tenants ready to pay healthy rents to move in.
Supply of rural offices is set to rise over the next few years because of the government’s relaxation of planning rules through Permitted Development Rights, which allow landowners to convert disused farm buildings more easily than hitherto.
Mr Robinson recommends landowners talk to an expert to assess potential and make sure plans meet the needs of local businesses. “You don’t need to spend a fortune converting buildings or developing new ones, but you can get it wrong,” he says. “You’d be surprised how often farmers make basic mistakes like putting a lovely new office next to a slurry pit. A bit of objectivity goes a long way.”
