Arable land hits the market in Norfolk and Leicestershire

More than 1,500 acres of mainly arable land is entering the market this week across two farms in Norfolk and Leicestershire.

The largest is the 895-acre Barford Farm near Topcroft in south Norfolk. This offers arable and grassland with a guide price of £8.5m for the whole or in six lots.

About 846 acres is arable and the current owner runs a wheat, oilseed rape and beans rotation on the Grade 3 loamy, sometimes chalky, soils, but there is scope to grow sugar beet.

Two well-maintained dwellings are included – a five-bedroom farmhouse and a three-bedroom cottage, which is mainly used by harvest workers but does not have an agricultural occupancy restriction.

The main agricultural buildings include two grain stores with a combined capacity of 2,500t – one with a ventilated floor and the other with a lean-to, which forms the farm’s workshop and open-fronted machinery store.

Tom Parish, associate director at Savills, said: “Clearly this represents a significant opportunity in terms of the Norfolk land market.

“I see it as a farmer’s farm, productive and well equipped, that is of a scale to attract interest locally though also nationally, from a relocating farmer or investor as it is capable of sustaining a meaningful return.”

The farm is registered with the ELS scheme but this will end in July. BPS entitlements will be transferred to the buyer. (Savills 01603 229 227)

Over in Leicestershire, near Hungarton, a further 628 acres of arable and grassland are for sale as a whole or in three lots at a guide price of £5m.

The current owner of Quenby Lodge Farm contracts out 349 acres of arable land and has 268 acres of pasture in organic production.

The land is mostly Grade 3 and comprises chalky till, fine loamy over clayey soils and Jurassic clay over fine loamy soils.

Wheat, oilseed rape and beans have formed the basis of the rotation in recent years and Longhorn cattle have been grazed on the grassland.

Louise Elliot, associate at Savills, said: “This is either going to be sold to a neighbouring farmer who wants a couple of the lots, an investor who may rent it out, or someone who wants a big farm based at Quenby Lodge.”

Outbuildings are limited to a concrete cattle shed on one site and a hay barn based near Hungarton village.

The main house is Grade II listed and is currently let with a two-month notice period.

As part of the farming operation is contracted out, a period of holdover may need to be agreed to close down the current operations.

The whole farm lies within a nitrate vulnerable zone and is in HLS and organic ELS running until September 2015. Basic payment entitlements will be retained by the vendor in 2015 and transferred to the buyer on completion. (Savills 02070 163 780)