Agent sets hopes on farmer buyer

East Yorks agent Dee Atkinson & Harrison is hoping to take advantage of the county’s bullish land market with the launch of a 314-acre commercial arable unit.

Church Farm at Garton, near Aldbrough, Hull, has been guided at £1.415m by the firm’s David Atkinson and includes a four-bedroom house.

Mr Atkinson said he was hopeful a farmer would buy the whole farm but has lotted the land separately to appeal to neighbouring businesses.

“It is a very, very nice parcel of land.”

Vendor Ivan Knapton, who bought Church Farm 20 years ago with his brother, said falling profitability and CAP reform were factors in the decision to sell to pursue other interests.

“When I started to farm it was profitable.

Today you have to be larger scale to succeed.”

Mr Atkinson said he had valued the land, which includes single farm payment entitlements, at £2950/acre following a recent sale by fellow local agent Frank Hill & Son.

Frank Hill auctioneer Ralph Ward achieved an average of £3200/acre when he put 318 acres of land under the hammer in five lots last week, with farmers and landowners the strongest bidders.

Mr Ward said he had also just closed a private deal on 440-acre Kirkburn Manor Farm near Driffield that valued the land in excess of £4000/acre.