Will Banham returns to Strutt & Parker in his new role as Director, having previously spent three years within the firm’s Land Management team based in Lewes. In his new role he will work alongside the National Estates & Farms Agency Department, based in Chelsea, covering the South East region.

Matthew Sudlow, Head of Strutt & Parker Estates and Farm Agency, comments: “We are committed as a business to expanding our talented team and attracting the very best professionals the industry has to offer. It’s no secret that we are currently seeing one of the strongest land markets since 2015, with many estates and farms going under offer for well above the guide price and the types of buyers expanding. Our ability to respond to the liveliness of this market is only bolstered by bringing Will and Chris into the fold. They bring excellent track records and a wealth of experience in their areas, making them key hires that I am very happy to announce.”

Will is a rural chartered surveyor and has spent much of his 16-year career handling the sale and purchase of farm and estates on behalf of private and institutional clients across the South East. He brings with him a thorough knowledge of the Sussex and Kent rural markets, together with valuable experience of the prominent viticulture sector, having handled the sale of the first block of UK farmland to a French Champagne House back in 2015.

Will Banham, Director at Strutt & Parker Estates & Farm Agency comments: “It is great to be returning to Strutt & Parker at such a pivotal time for the sector. The team here is uniquely placed to understand key emerging markets including viticulture, carbon and re-wilding, as well as traditional farming and lifestyle buyers who have always been drawn to property in the South East. I’m looking forward to working with fantastic colleagues on some landmark instructions, and drawing on the breadth of specialist knowledge we can offer our clients.”’

Chris Johnson has joined the business as a Senior Associate Director, leading the South West Estates & Farm Agency team from the firm’s Exeter office. With over 12 years’ experience as a chartered surveyor across the UK, Chris brings expertise in property management, valuation, agency and consultancy, spanning residential, commercial and agricultural assets.

Chris’s role brings him back to his Devonshire roots as he joins following four years in Carter Jonas’ Bristol office specialising in the valuation of agricultural and rural property. From Exeter, Chris will work alongside the nationwide Strutt & Parker team of Estates & Farm agents in advising both vendor and purchaser clients across the South West.

Chris Johnson, Senior Associate Director at Strutt & Parker Estates & Farm Agency comments:“The land market continues to hold appeal with rollover buyers, carbon investors and developers across the West Country, reflected in its strength and buoyancy in the last few years. At this exciting time, it is a privilege to be leading the South West Estates & Farm Agency team at Strutt & Parker in the heart of my home patch. This new position presents an opportunity to add value to new and existing clients and I look forward to bringing fresh ideas to an already established network of agents across the UK.”