Commercial arable acres hit the market

A flush of arable farms across several counties is about to hit the land-starved market.
At almost 488 acres (1,205 acres), Boundary Farm near Flecknoe is the largest of these and has a guide price of £12m.
This ring-fenced commercial unit sits on the Warwickshire/Northamptonshire border and has 1,150 arable acres and 38 acres of grass. Its modern grain and general purpose buildings of 47,600 sq ft have an estimated capacity of 8,000 tonnes.
Extensive under drainage has been installed by the current owners, said Jeff Paybody of selling agent Howkins & Harrison.
“It is unusual to see a farm of this size being offered for sale in the Midlands, it is more akin to farms in the eastern counties.
“The buildings, which were constructed in the last three or four years, are exceptional and provide versatile storage facilities at the centre of the farm.”
Boundary Farm’s bare land has planning consent for a farmhouse and there is also a range of traditional buildings with development potential.
“The substantial area also gives scope for wind or solar farm opportunities because of the distance from other residential properties. We expect significant interest for the biggest unit to be offered in the area for several years.” (Howkins & Harrison 01788 564680)
Competing with this are several others, including Marston Lodge Farm at Marston Trussell near Market Harborough. On the Northants/Leicestershire border, this farm of 241 ha (596 acres) is about half arable but also offers other farming, residential and sporting interest.
It has a four-bedroom Victorian farmhouse, a three-bedroom cottage in the village and more than 38,000 sq ft of stock and general purpose buildings.
Marston Lodge is on the fringe of the Civil War Battle of Naseby site and is for sale as a whole or in up to four lots through Smiths Gore, with a guide price in excess of £4.4m.
Field sizes are mostly good, on lighter, sandier clay loams on the southern and higher end of the farm and heavier silty clay loams on the northern, lower end.
Just over 295 acres of its mainly grade 3 land are arable, 166 pasture and about 100 woodland. (Smiths Gore 01865 733300)