economic & environmental development
Rural Futures is a specialist consultancy dedicated to delivering economic and environmental development in rural areas. Working with both public and private sector partners our goal is to deliver a prosperous working countryside in a manner which enhances the appreciation and wellbeing of rural areas.
For the private sector Rural Futures provides practical professional services to individual rural businesses. Specialising in planning, funding and business support our team of experts have a track record in delivering practical advice that delivers. Our main areas of activity are detailed below:
- Rural planning advice for business and residential development.
- Funding support with a track record of success in all the main sources including Rural Development Plan England (RDPE), Tourism Connect and ERDF.
- Feasibility studies and business planning.
- Farm business support including Agri-environment advice, farm diversification and farm business planning.
- Renewable energy advice including wind, solar, photovoltaic, biomass and anaerobic digestion.
- Community support through planning services, community facilities and third sector business development.
Rural Futures also provides strategic consultancy services to public bodies to create, analyse and evaluate policy. With years of practical hands on experience in rural development and renewables Rural Futures has a track record in translating strategy into delivery. The business can also assist public sector organisations transform ideas into action, implement their plans and develop, deliver and evaluate their programmes of work.
The business grew from the Lancashire Rural Futures (LRF) programme that operated for over nine years. During this period the work of the team became a national example of best practice in the way it created and translated strategy into delivery. This experience has provided the Rural Futures team with a unique skill set that links public policy and programme delivery with the business, community and environmental sectors.
With a wide network of contacts, years of practical experience and a depth of knowledge of problem solving, we are proud of our successes and our ability to actually deliver change.