Unit offers conservation and conventional farming and with
Unit offers conservation and conventional farming and with
By Louise Rose
FARMERS and landowners who are already taking steps to enhance and generate areas of conservation on holdings will be better placed to benefit from future subsidies which are likely to be closely linked to the environment.
At New Manor Farm, near Salisbury, Wilts, various measures have been taken to combine commercial farming enterprises with conservation. It is entered into a Countryside Stewardship Scheme, generating from £2000-8000/year until 2008 with two Stone Curlew breeding plots restricting the grazing on about 45 acres of chalk grassland between December and March.
The 1000 acre farm at Winterslow is on the market guided at in excess of £4.5m for the whole.
The joint selling agent Knight Frank and John Jeffrey Agricultural have lotted the unit into 13 because of the number of properties included on the farm which could generate interest from house buyers.
The farming system is based on a mainly arable rotation, 836 acres are eligible for area aid, including wheat, average yields 4t/acre, peas and herbage seed. The farm is also a member of the assured combinable crop scheme.
On-farm grain storage has a 1380t capacity but another 750t are available at Wiltshire Grain. A range of livestock buildings previously housed a suckler cow herd.
Most of the land is a silty loam over chalk and classified grades 2 and 3 and a contract with Cotswold Pigs for the spreading of 5000t of pig manure annually has increased fertility. In lots most of the farmland is split three ways into blocks ranging from 235 acres to 352 acres.
James Crawford, Knight Frank values the better land at about £2500/acre although the areas lotted into pony paddocks are guided at nearer £5000/acre.
The main five-bedroom farmhouse has planning consent for extension and with a range of outbuildings and about 13 acres is for sale separately, guide price £750,000. A second farmhouse and six cottages are for sale with vacant possession or occupied on an assured shorthold tenancy. The potential income from rent is £50,000/year.
A range of traditional barns and five acres at Gutteridge also have planning consent for conversion into three dwellings. As a lot these are guided at about £350,000.
New Manor Farm includes 53 acres of mature woodland and 28 acres of new planting which is ent-ered into a Woodland Grant Scheme.
"No formal shoot has run recently but there is considerable potential for a good pheasant and partridge shoot," said Mr Crawford. *