Our People
Steven Hall
PhD researcher in Rural Sociology
- Email: l.s.hall2@newcastle.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44(0)7969154111
- Address: Agriculture Building Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU
This research explores how evolving land use policy, shifting subsidy frameworks, and longstanding landownership structures are influencing the future of farm tenancies in the North East of England. In the context of the UK’s post‑Brexit agricultural transition, the study investigates how tenant farmers experience increasing expectations around environmental management, business resilience, and long‑term security. Using a qualitative design centered on in‑depth, semi‑structured interviews with tenant farmers, landowners, agents, policymakers, and support organisations, the research examines the financial, social, emotional, and wellbeing‑related factors shaping decisions across the farming lifecycle. By analysing the interplay between agricultural policy, tenure arrangements, and the lived realities of those working within the tenanted sector, the study aims to illuminate barriers to equitable land access, understand how recent policy reforms are felt on the ground, and contribute evidence supporting more sustainable rural livelihoods and resilient farming communities.