LAMMA Show 2026 Recap: What Matters Most to Landowners

LAMMA is a strong reminder of what matters most to British farmers and landowners right now: long-term resilience, practical decision-making, and a clear view of what’s realistic. 

This year in Birmingham, our conversations as part of the low carbon agriculture show were consistent and refreshingly direct. While every site and every landholding is different, three themes came up consistently - across farm sizes, regions, and ownership structures. 

Here’s a recap of the topics that shaped the discussions, and what is important to anyone considering onshore wind as part of their land strategy. 

1) Lease income: strong interest, but a need for realism

Unsurprisingly, the financial side of wind projects was the first topic in many conversations.

Landowners want to understand what lease income could look like in practice – and how wide the range can be depending on the site. Some people arrive with numbers they’ve heard elsewhere; others are building a proper business plan and want to work with assumptions that stand up to scrutiny.

What became clear is that it’s rarely helpful to talk about “the” lease value. The range can be significant, and it is driven by real-world variables such as:

• wind yield and turbine layout potential
• grid proximity and connection viability
• planning constraints and environmental factors
• project scale and delivery route

The takeaway from LAMMA: landowners aren’t looking for a sales pitch. They want clarity. Transparent ranges, explained properly, help people assess whether a project is worth exploring further.

2) Land use uncertainty: “What happens to my land – and for how long?”

The second recurring theme was not financial at all. It was operational.

Even when landowners are open to wind, many are uncertain about what the project means for day-to-day land use and long-term flexibility. The questions were practical and often very specific:

• How much land is actually affected – during development and once operational?
• What changes on the ground, and what stays the same?
• How does access work, and who is responsible for what?
• What happens if plans change over time?

These concerns are completely understandable. For most landowners, land is not just an asset – it’s the basis of a working business, a home, and often a family legacy.

What helps in these discussions is a structured approach and early-stage clarity. The earlier a site can be assessed and mapped realistically, the easier it becomes to separate genuine constraints from assumptions – and to make informed decisions without wasting time.

3) Generational change & future-proofing: decisions that shape the next chapter

The third theme came up in some form in almost every longer conversation: the future.

For many landowners, wind isn’t only about diversification. It’s about building stability for the next generation. That can mean:

• creating predictable long-term income alongside farming
• strengthening the resilience of the business through changing markets
• making decisions now that support succession planning later
• ensuring the land remains productive and valuable over decades

In that context, the best conversations were rarely about “quick wins”. They focused on confidence, timing, and getting the fundamentals right – so that any decision made today still feels like the right one in ten or even twenty years.

One clear takeaway from LAMMA: landowners want structure rather than noise

If we take one overall message from Birmingham, it’s this: landowners want a process that feels transparent, grounded, and respectful of how complex these decisions can be.

Whether the starting point is lease income, land use questions, or long-term planning for the next generation, the need is the same: reliable information early on, and a route forward that reduces uncertainty rather than adding to it.

We left LAMMA with a strong sense of momentum – and with plenty of thoughtful conversations that we’ll continue over the coming weeks.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to speak with us in Birmingham.