Cumbria livestock holding, a vineyard and bare land launches

A stock-rearing farm is being launched in a region of England where sales of this scale and type are now relatively rare.

New Cowper Farm, a former dairy farm at Aspatria in north-west Cumbria, comprises 232 acres and is being marketed by H&H Land & Estates at a guide price of £2.15m.

See also: Cornwall Council advised not to sell off 4,400ha farm estate

Jonathan Hird, associate director, says the land provides a good mix of cropping, silage and grazing ground, ideal for a livestock enterprise.

He expects a good level of buyer interest from established farming businesses seeking expansion or farmers seeking a well-equipped standalone unit.

“Holdings of this scale and quality are increasingly difficult to find in this part of Cumbria,” he says.

The land is a mix of Grade 3 and Grade 5, a combination of mowing, cropping and grazing ground with some areas of rougher grazing.

The steading features modern cubicle accommodation for 108 cattle, extensive loose housing, including a three- by six-bay steel portal-frame shed, and handling facilities.

Among the other infrastructure is an 886,500-litre slurry tower and a bull pen. There is also machinery storage.

The holding’s more traditional sandstone barns are used for storage.

New Cowper Farm, which is located nine miles from Wigton, also comes with a three-bedroom farmhouse.

H&H Land & Estates is selling the farm as a whole or in three lots.

Essex vineyard

In Essex, a property with a more unusual agricultural enterprise is being launched near Tendring as the owners plan to retire and downsize.

The New House is only 12 acres, but has a vineyard that was established on seven acres in 2022, when 6,000 Chardonnay vines were planted.

The New House © Ceres Property

The following year 4,500 Pinot Noir vines were introduced.

Marketing agent Oliver Lukies, of Ceres Property, says the vines are now approaching the early stages of their productive life. 

“The remainder of the land is down to grass, with the exception of a small, separate area of woodland to the south,” he says.

The soils are predominantly Grade 2, with smaller areas of Grade 3.

A range of traditional farm buildings is set within a concrete yard with good access directly from the public highway. 

A restrictive covenant applies to the farm buildings and a small area of the adjoining land, limiting use of these to agriculture.

The residential accommodation here is in a  five-bedroom detached Scandinavian-style house, with the highest available energy efficiency rating of A.

The New House is for sale at a guide price of £1.2m and is also being marketed as two lots.

Surrey and Sussex bare land

For buyers seeking bare land blocks in the south-east of England, two productive parcels have come to the market.

At South Godstone in Surrey, an 18-acre block at Eastbourne Road has been launched at a guide price of £325,000.

This comes to the market because it is surplus to the needs of the family who owns it.

The gently sloping pastureland is naturally divided by a stream and has direct access to the A22.

The land is subject to an overage requiring the buyer to pay the vendor 30% of the uplift in value if it is developed for residential or commercial use for up to 25 years after the sale.

Land off Eastbourne Road © Batcheller Monkhouse

Batcheller Monkhouse, which is marketing the land, is also launching a second 67-acre block at Pulborough in West Sussex, as the owner is retiring.

The land at Hayes Farm is currently down to pasture, has some woodland and is described as relatively level throughout.

A mix of hedges, fencing and mature trees divides the bare block into several fields and its features include a well.

Batcheller Monkhouse is seeking offers in excess of £700,000.

Land at Hayes Farm © Batcheller Monkhouse

There is also a block of bare land being launched in North Yorkshire – the 61 acres of Grade 2 arable land has a history of growing high-quality crops.

This block, which sits in a nitrate vulnerable zone at Arkendale, between Boroughbridge and Knaresborough, is currently down to winter wheat.

Robin Jessop is guiding the sale at £735,000.

Arkendale © Robin Jessop