VAT registration

Good evening
Situation: Individual is currently registered as a sole trader for work undertaken as a mechanic. Over the last year or so work has been done on land owned by the individual and expenses such as fencing, machinery, tools, fuel, etc has been incurred. The individual wishes to voluntarily register for VAT in order to reclaim VAT paid and hopefully in future, rent the fields for grazing land and possibly erect an agricultural building in order to purchase livestock.
At the moment the individual wishes to keep the mechanics business separate to the farming business that will be subject to VAT. What is the best way to do this? Should the farming business be registered separately?
The individual is in possession of a County Parish Holding Number supplied by the Welsh Assembly Government if this helps.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Situation: Individual is currently registered as a sole trader for work undertaken as a mechanic. Over the last year or so work has been done on land owned by the individual and expenses such as fencing, machinery, tools, fuel, etc has been incurred. The individual wishes to voluntarily register for VAT in order to reclaim VAT paid and hopefully in future, rent the fields for grazing land and possibly erect an agricultural building in order to purchase livestock.
At the moment the individual wishes to keep the mechanics business separate to the farming business that will be subject to VAT. What is the best way to do this? Should the farming business be registered separately?
The individual is in possession of a County Parish Holding Number supplied by the Welsh Assembly Government if this helps.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments
If he wants to keep the two businesses separate for VAT you could consider incorporation of one (or both). You'd need to be careful of artificial separation - although on the face of it these look like two very different businesses, HMRC may still be unhappy if for example there is a shared customer base. If they are genuinely completely separate businesses then there shouldn't be any issues.
This is a classic example of why clients should ask before they do something and not after.
Burg