armlands for investments purposes. This has led to a surge in investments in UK farmlands. The proliferation of "land banking" firms selling small plots of farmland to investors at thousands of pounds a pop are testament to the fact that a great many people have bought into the old saying that "they don't make land any more".

Al

Prices in UK land for sale are showing an upward trend for past few years. This rise is particularly sharp in city suburbs, towns and farmlands.

According to Guardian, the price of farmland has risen by 9% in the last year itself. A recent report by Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) found that the average cost of a hectare of farmland now stands at ?7,389 (?3,066 an acre) - up from ?5,759 (?2,330 an acre) at the start of 2004. About half of the land that changed hands during April 1 to June 30 was snapped up by "non-farmer individuals".

So what are the causes of this sharp rise in land for sale prices?

In our view an array of factors are driving this price rise; most prominent among them are:

•In UK many city dwellers are increasingly opting to live outside congested city environment and are looking to realize that dream of owning their own little smallholding in the countryside. According to RICS spokeswoman Sue Steer. "That sort of rural idyll is quite appealing to a lot of people."

• There are also people wanting to buy pastures and farmhouses which also enables them to get tax relief (although there have been a recent government crackdown on it).

• Land banking firms are increasingly becoming popular in UK and abroad enabling small investors to acquire small pieces of farmlands for investments purposes. This has led to a surge in investments in UK farmlands. The proliferation of "land banking" firms selling small plots of farmland to investors at thousands of pounds a pop are testament to the fact that a great many people have bought into the old saying that "they don't make land any more".

Al

hectare of farmland now stands at ?7,389 (?3,066 an acre) - up from ?5,759 (?2,330 an acre) at the start of 2004. About half of the land that changed hands during April 1 to June 30 was snapped up by "non-farmer individuals".

So what are the causes of this sharp rise in land for sale prices?

In our view an array of factors are driving this price rise; most prominent among them are:

•In UK many city dwellers are increasingly opting to live outside congested city environment and are looking to realize that dream of owning their own little smallholding in the countryside. According to RICS spokeswoman Sue Steer. "That sort of rural idyll is quite appealing to a lot of people."

• There are also people wanting to buy pastures and farmhouses which also enables them to get tax relief (although there have been a recent government crackdown on it).

• Land banking firms are increasingly becoming popular in UK and abroad enabling small investors to acquire small pieces of farmlands for investments purposes. This has led to a surge in investments in UK farmlands. The proliferation of "land banking" firms selling small plots of farmland to investors at thousands of pounds a pop are testament to the fact that a great many people have bought into the old saying that "they don't make land any more".

Al

s are driving this price rise; most prominent among them are:

•In UK many city dwellers are increasingly opting to live outside congested city environment and are looking to realize that dream of owning their own little smallholding in the countryside. According to RICS spokeswoman Sue Steer. "That sort of rural idyll is quite appealing to a lot of people."

• There are also people wanting to buy pastures and farmhouses which also enables them to get tax relief (although there have been a recent government crackdown on it).

• Land banking firms are increasingly becoming popular in UK and abroad enabling small investors to acquire small pieces of farmlands for investments purposes. This has led to a surge in investments in UK farmlands. The proliferation of "land banking" firms selling small plots of farmland to investors at thousands of pounds a pop are testament to the fact that a great many people have bought into the old saying that "they don't make land any more".

Al

ppealing to a lot of people."

• There are also people wanting to buy pastures and farmhouses which also enables them to get tax relief (although there have been a recent government crackdown on it).

• Land banking firms are increasingly becoming popular in UK and abroad enabling small investors to acquire small pieces of farmlands for investments purposes. This has led to a surge in investments in UK farmlands. The proliferation of "land banking" firms selling small plots of farmland to investors at thousands of pounds a pop are testament to the fact that a great many people have bought into the old saying that "they don't make land any more".

Al

armlands for investments purposes. This has led to a surge in investments in UK farmlands. The proliferation of "land banking" firms selling small plots of farmland to investors at thousands of pounds a pop are testament to the fact that a great many people have bought into the old saying that "they don't make land any more".

All these factors have combined to produce a surge in prices of UK farmlands which is expected to gain strength in coming times. Also with coming Olympics in 2012 the prices are expected to increase even further especially in areas surrounding London. Thus investments in UK Land are likely to remain a prominent investment for enterprising investors in both UK and abroad.