Farmland in your area 2025: North-east England

Agents are reporting an uptick in landowners seeking formal market appraisals of farms and bare land in the north-east of England.

Firms operating in the region are confident the market will sustain a higher volume of launches but urge caution on unrealistic expectations by sellers on guide prices.

There is an industry consensus that once details of proposed inheritance tax relief reforms are clarified in this month’s Budget, it will be easier to predict land price movements.

In 2025, a big proportion of sales were concentrated in Yorkshire and Northumberland, reflecting an enduring appetite in these counties for larger, high-quality holdings.

See also: Flurry of land and farm launches from Devon to Fife 

John Coleman, head of farm agency, GSC Grays

In the first half of 2025, the farmland market in the north-east of England displayed a combination of cautious optimism and enduring resilience.

While the total volume of land offered for sale fell short of early-year expectations, it nonetheless exceeded that of recent years, marking a gradual improvement in market activity overall.

Inflationary pressures, evolving agricultural policies and shifting environmental priorities all played a pivotal role in shaping both supply and demand.

Notable transactions in 2025, such as the 1,102-acre Kirkham Estate and 259-acre Wellfield House Farm, both in North Yorkshire, illustrate the continued appeal of substantial, well-managed farmland.

Compared to previous years, the volume of land brought to market in 2025 rose by about 22% relative to the 2012-16 average.

This signalled a growing willingness among landowners to release assets – likely in response to evolving government policies and financial considerations.

Despite some headwinds, including economic uncertainty, policy reform and pressure on farming incomes, farmland has retained its reputation as a secure, long-term investment.

Harry Morshead, director, youngsRPS 

The farmland market in the North East has seen more buyers demanding “best in class” in 2025, on land type, equipment, accessibility and location.

Properties with these are commanding premium prices.

This is also the case for useful blocks of bare land that offer expansion or amenity possibilities because debt is easier to service when compared to the capital required for a farm steading.

Hill land and poorer pasture, while sought after, have seen price checks, largely due to the reduced funding pots of new subsidy schemes and general uncertainty around these.

Land prices have to a degree plateaued, but this is perhaps exaggerated by the setting of guide prices at more realistic levels, and this needed to happen.

Lotting has been widely used as a tool to extrapolate maximum value, but a property shouldn’t be over-lotted and it is important the agent is confident on values.

A notable highlight in 2025 was the private sale to a local farmer of 260 acres of mostly arable land in the Tyne Valley, with the arable land achieving about £10,000/acre.

Although I am cautiously optimistic for the sector in 2026 and further ahead, buyers and sellers should proceed with their eyes wide open and be well versed in the market.

What’s on the market?

A 159-acre block of mostly Grade 3 arable land is on the market at Dalton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire.

South Walmire Farm grows a rotation of winter wheat, oats and oilseed rape.

South Walmire Farm © GSC Grays

Selling agent GSC Grays, which sees potential, subject to planning, to re-establish the farm’s former homestead, is guiding the sale at £1.45m.

YoungsRPS has launched 104 acres of primarily arable land set in a ring fence at Hartley East Farm, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, at a guide price of £995,000.

Land at Hartley East Farm © youngsRPS

This is described as a unique sale due to its coastal location and offering significant farming, amenity and environmental opportunities.

Farms sold in 2025

GSC Grays sold the Kirkham Estate in October 2025, a residential farming estate with 845 acres of farmland and 215 acres of managed woodland. 

Kirkham Estate © GSC Grays

Guided at £25m, the estate has three farmhouses and 11 cottages and sold within six months after considerable interest and competitive bidding. 

Housty at Catton, Hexham, launched in autumn 2023 and sold in spring 2025.

Initially offered as a whole, it was sold in lots and for more than the guide price of £1m.

Housty at Catton, Hexham © youngsRPS

The decision to lot the property was taken at a later stage when competition for the whole refocused the intentions of local farmers, says selling agent youngsRPS.

It cites this as a good example of how a sale can achieve maximum value by evolving with the market.