Early test for commercial North Yorkshire arable market

A highly commercial 200-acre ring-fenced farm will provide a good early test of the 2013 farmland market in North Yorkshire.

Longlands Farm, near Northallerton, consists of mainly medium to free-draining Grade 2 land, growing cereals and oilseed rape.

“This farm is immaculate, with a good range of general-purpose grain storage buildings and a three-bedroom bungalow,” said agent Andrew Dickins of Bedale-based Robin Jessop.

“The clay loam land has been very well farmed and is capable of growing high-yielding crops including potatoes, which have not been grown for several years.”

Longlands Farm will suit farmers looking to extend their acreage or as a starter unit for the next generation. “It will also appeal to investors – they will have no trouble finding someone to farm it.”

The farm buildings are described as excellent and include three on-floor grain stores served by a Skandia elevator and conveyor system, plus Brice-Baker automatic gas grain drier. Further buildings include a workshop, agrochemical store, implement store and Dutch barn.

Longlands bungalow, subject to an Agricultural Occupancy Condition, is positioned near the middle of the farm, and has its own private drive.

Longlands Farm has been owned by the Raine family for almost 50 years and is for sale due to retirement. It has a guide price of £1.7m to £2m. (Robin Jessop 01677 425 950)

Knight Frank is offering a parcel of arable investment land near Lichfield, Staffordshire.

The Grade 2 soil at Little Pipe Farm is divided into two parcels of well-drained red coarse loam over sandstone. It is suitable for cereals, sugar beet and potatoes, plus some field vegetables and fruit, totalling almost 104 acres plus seven acres of woodland.

The land is offered freehold, subject to either a five-year farm business tenancy or contract farming agreement, to be arranged between vendor and purchaser. Guide price is £1m. (Knight Frank 01285 659 771)