AN improving regional rural economy with increasing demand for professional services on farms and estates has prompted Bruton Knowles to strengthen its Northallerton office.

Mark Ludiman, an estate management specialist, has joined the seven strong team as an associate after almost 12 years with Carter Jonas in Harrogate.

Philip Boothroyd, team manager, said: "With a strong estate management background, Mark will complement the existing and long-established rural professional services team and enable us to offer advice across every spectrum of the rural property scene."

Mr Ludiman said: "The rural economy continues to provide considerable opportunity for landowners and farmers, and I am delighted to be working for both new and existing Bruton Knowles clients as they develop their interests in the rural sector.

"There is nothing more exciting than seeing projects come to fruition for a landowner with considerable input from specialists in the firm, and we hope to see many such success stories in the next few years."

With land prices frequently exceeding £12,000 an acre, he said the rural property scene across North Yorkshire was in rude health.

"This is primarily being driven by big and efficient farmers buying up land. But lifestyle buyers remain active in the sub-20 acre category. Either way, land prices are showing no sign of falling back any time soon.

"A lot of land is coming forward for development on the fringes of towns and villages – prompting farmers to compensate by buying up additional land in other locations.

"However it is always important for both buyers and sellers to be ahead of the market, which is where a good agent can make an impact."

Bruton Knowles sold two North Yorkshire County Council-owned farms earlier this year for up to £15,000 per acre. Lingwood Farm, on Selby Common, made £300,000, while Grafton Lodge Lane Farm at Marton-cum-Grafton, near York, sold in four lots for a total of £1.159m.