NFU-owned planning firms rebranded as new consultancy group

Three consultancy firms covering commercial, agricultural and residential planning all owned by the NFU have been amalgamated to become the 1908 Group.

Acorus Rural Property Services, PWA Planning and Woolf Bond Planning, currently operate across seven sites with 60 employees between the three firms.

Acorus was founded in 2002 following a management buyout from Adas, and was acquired by the NFU in February 2024, with offices in Exeter, Devon and Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

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Woolf Bond, which specialises in planning advice for residential and mixed-use property sectors with offices in Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey, was purchased by the NFU for an undisclosed sum in July 2024.

Lancashire based PWA Planning was founded in 2013 as a provider of specialist planning and environmental consultancy services and was acquired in May 2024.

A common brand look has been launched across the three enterprises, although each business will still retain its own separate legal entity.

The 1908 Group, named after the year the NFU was formed, is a trading name of NFU Commercial Holdings which retains ownership of each of the businesses.

NFU director general Terry Jones said: “We’re delighted to bring these firms together under The 1908 Group, providing NFU members with a great range of professional services at their fingertips.”

Mr Jones added: “The look is new, but clients can expect continuity where it matters most.

“From initial feasibility studies and architectural drawings to navigating planning policy and delivering successful outcomes, these consultancies will continue to provide trusted, market-leading advice and personal service, enhanced by the resources and capabilities of a substantial parent organisation.”