Choice of land and farms from Devon to Scottish Borders

Commercial units with good diversified income potential launch in several counties this week.

Pithayes Farm on the outskirts of Whimple, Exeter, has the highest price tag at £6.45m, but this is a farm with a vast range of modern farm buildings, traditional barns, 228 acres of land, and a large farmhouse.

George Alder, of selling agent, Stags, describes it as highly versatile.

“Overall, Pithayes Farm offers a combination of immediate short-term income and longer-term development or diversification potential,” he says.

See also: Cumbria livestock holding, a vineyard and bare land launches

The Grade 3 farmland is level or gently sloping and is farmed on a diverse rotation including maize, grass leys, spring barley and winter wheat.

The modern farm buildings cover about 10,320sq m of floor area, providing livestock housing, silage clamps and storage, which George says make it well suited to a large-scale beef fattening unit.

“Alternatively, these buildings offer potential for commercial uses, subject to planning permission, including storage, light industrial and workshops.”

The main farm buildings and the farmland are let under farm business tenancies until September 2027.

Traditional brick barns previously had planning consent for conversion to four dwellings, and the existing residential accommodation is a five-bedroom farmhouse.

Under a common law agreement, the sale is subject to right of occupation allowing the vendors to live in that house rent-free until 28 September 2027, and to use two buildings for storage, under a licence to store agricultural machinery,

Stags is offering Pithayes Farm for sale as a whole or as five lots.

Scottish Borders holding

Auchencrow Mains © Galbraith

At the other end of the UK, near Reston, Berwickshire, Galbraith is launching Auchencrow Mains at offers over £5.8m.

This farm has been owned by the same family for 105 years, farming it as a mixed operation with cereals, potatoes and temporary grass on 463 acres of Grade 2 and 3.1 land, which includes some woodland.

The farm also runs 150 store cattle and a flock of 400 ewes and replacements.

Housing is provided by an extensive range of modern and traditional agricultural buildings, and there are also horse stables and an outdoor riding arena.

Diversified income is generated by letting out three farm cottages.

The principal dwelling is a four-bedroomed farmhouse which has been modernised.

Versatile land in Fife

Cunnoquhie Mill © Savills

Also in Scotland, near Cupar, Savills is launching Cunnoquhie Mill, as a whole or in up to five lots.

At 275 acres across a mostly contiguous undulating block, rising from 50m to 180m, the land can grow potatoes, vegetables, cereal crops and grass in soil that is easily worked loam with good depth and relatively stone free, and includes 21 acres of woodland.

The sale comes with 59.43 units of Region 1 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) entitlements.

There are opportunities for income generation from equestrian activities such as livery or as a sales yard. 

There are eight loose boxes for stabling, each 4.5×2.9m and internally divided by timber slats that can be removed to create foaling boxes.

The period farmhouse has four bedrooms.

Savills is looking for offers above £1.92m for the whole and is offering the holding in five lots, too.

Derbyshire bare land

Two blocks of bare land are coming to the market near Barlow, Derbyshire, both guided by the Michie Group at £225,000.

Land at Hollinghill Lane © Michie Group

The 32 acres at Hollinghill Lane, once part of a mixed holding, is Grade 3 arable land with two small pockets of woodland.

The land is currently cropped with winter barley by a local farmer under a cropping licence.

The second of the launches is also farmed by a local farmer, under a cropping and grazing licence.

Land at Garesfield Lane © Michie Group

The 29 acres at Garesfield Lane has three fields, two of which are currently growing winter oats.

This sale is subject to an overage requiring the buyer to pay the vendor 25% of the uplift in value if the land is developed for non-agricultural or non-equestrian use within 25 years of purchase.