Pre-Christmas boom for land sales in Lincolnshire
A number of larger farms have been rushed to the market, despite the imminent onset of winter, in the hope of a Christmas completion ahead of any possible increase in market volume next year.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Lincs where, for example, it has taken agent Neville E Townend just three weeks from receiving instructions to put almost 780 acres of Grade 1 and 2 land (pictured) onto the market.
Although all farmed by the Laister and Britton farming partnership, it is split into three units and 17 lots.
About 129 acres lie at Scunthorpe, close to the M180/M181 intersection, a further 15 lots about 10 miles further north at Eastoft and Luddington, and the remaining lot even further up the Isle of Axholme, west of the river Trent, at Adlingfleet.
The business has been built up since 1898, and is now owned by three sisters who have decided to leave farming.
The land ranges from a silty warp through to a good, bodied clay.
Three lots are over 100 acres, and most of the land grows above-average yields of cereals, rape, beans and potatoes.
“I’ve a feeling there could be a lot more land on the market in the spring,” said selling agent Michael Townend, indicating that there was no reason to delay.
The closing date for informal tenders has been set at 7 December.
There is no overall guide price.
“The land is there to sell,” said Mr Townend.
“Apart from three lots with some extra amenity value, we anticipate sales in the region of 2500-3000/acre, which is what other local sales have indicated.”
At Spalding, Gosberton Fen Farm, on the market with Pygott & Crone has added over 577 acres to the Lincs fenland market, and has attracted over 100 enquiries in the first couple of weeks of marketing.
Acquired in the 1930s it was originally the family farm, but it is now separated from the rest of their farming business, which lies mostly on the north side of Boston, about 15 miles away.
“It’s too much travelling with machinery,” says the firm’s John Pygott.
“They have taken the decision to refocus the business on Boston.
Rather than wait until the New Year, we think there is a demand out there at the moment and we don’t see any point in waiting until the spring.”
Three quarters of the viewers to date have been farmers – some local, but others from as far as Ireland and Scotland.
Described as a good, bodied fen farm for cereals, peas, sugar beet and brassicas, it is offered for over 2m.
A period four-bedroom house and 22 acres are priced at 800,000 with the land at 2200-2500/acre in seven lots.