Large-scale farmland offerings in Lincs and Aberdeenshire

The end-of-summer farmland market has been invigorated with some significant launches.

A large block of arable land in Lincolnshire is expected to attract local farming businesses and investors.

Henry King, of Savills, who is marketing the 800 acres at Holton le Moor, Market Rasen, says this has been reflected by recent market activity.

“From our spring launches we have seen strong interest for farms and land across Lincolnshire,” he says.

See also: Kennel Club to sell 7,550-acre Northumberland estate 

The gently undulating land, classified as Grade 3 and suitable for a good range of crops including sugar beet, is being sold as a business restructuring exercise by the vendor.

“The land is in one block, with good access from the public highway and a central track running through it,” says Henry.

The fields are of a good size for modern machinery and the land is on the market at a guide price of £6.8m. It is also available in four lots.

Corsindae © Savills

Aberdeenshire estate with historic house   

Arable production is also a central feature at a newly launched 1,080-acre Scottish farming estate.

The main property is a six-bedroom tower house, parts of which date from the 15th century.

Corsindae at Inverurie is the childhood home of the present owner.

The family had operated a mixed farming enterprise on the estate combining arable cropping with a herd of cattle and a flock of sheep.

After a change in policy, the farm is run by a family partnership, but with the arable operation on a contract farming agreement, and grassland let under seasonal grazing contracts.

The estate has 634 acres of pasture and arable land classified as Class 3 and 4, producing good yields of grass and cereals. Spring barley typically yields 2-3t/acre.

All grain is stored off-site but there is a good range of farm buildings, including general purpose stores, Dutch barns, cattle handling facilities and silage pits. These are on two sites.

Root crops

As well as cereals and grass, the land has historically grown root crops and kale.

Around 745 acres of the farmland lies within a designated less favoured area, meaning it qualifies for support payments.

Some 400 acres of woodland feature native broad-leaf trees and conifer plantations registered and validated under the Woodland Carbon Code.

The project has been issued with pending issuance units, representing the projected volume of carbon sequestration over the lifetime of the woodland – these will be transferred to the purchaser.

The buyer will be obliged to take on the ongoing management and verification requirements associated with the project.

Until recent seasons, the owners operated an informal shoot across the estate. The property also comes with a loch with an island and a cabin.

As well as the main house, there are three let dwellings and another that generates an income as holiday accommodation. 

There are also several redundant buildings offering potential for residential and commercial development, subject to planning consent.

Permission is already in place for the conversion of a farm store to a dwelling.

Savills is seeking offers of more than £4.4m for Corsindae.

West Blackbyre Farm © Galbraith

Versatile East Ayrshire holding

In East Ayrshire, Galbraith has launched a 169-acre unit suited to dairy, beef and other mixed farming enterprises.

West Blackbyre Farm, near Galston, has farmland classified as mostly Grade 4 with sections of Grade 5 (1) and Grade 5 (3).

The farm has a five-bedroom farmhouse. Buildings include a four-bay cattle shed, a hay shed, workshop, and a silage store with a 22,700-litre effluent tank.

There is potential to bring a three-ring redundant slurry store back into use – this has capacity of almost 600,000 litres.

West Blackbyre Farm is for sale as a whole at offers of more than £1.3m, or is available in two lots.