Rare chance to buy diverse Dorset estate

The Ilsington Estate at Puddletown in Dorset, on the open market for the first time since 1861, offers a diverse range of income streams, reflected in the extensive lotting of the 2368 acres, houses and buildings.

Key parcels include three let farms totalling 1439 acres, two vacant residential properties and plenty of sporting woodland.

Charles Lucas, director of Chesterton Humberts, said it was rare to see an estate of this size on the market in the area. “Ilsington will appeal to foreign or UK investors looking for a sizeable agricultural and sporting estate, while the separate lots could appeal to private individuals.”

Home and Willoughby Farm has 356 acres of arable and pasture land, with 36 acres of woodland and traditional buildings. The farm is let under a Farm Business Tenancy at £42,000 a year.

The agreement has just 2.5 years left to run, and could appeal to farmers looking for bare land but prepared to wait. Currently growing maize for an offlying dairy unit, the fine silty soils over chalk were well suited to combinable cropping, Mr Lucas said.

Home and Willoughby is guided at £2.2m. Although no house is included, the Kennels, a five bedroom Victorian detached house adjacent to the farm, could be added for further £1m.

Ilsington Farm is a 739 acre-dairy and arable unit also under an Farm Business Tenancy, though this one has 13 years to run. Rent is £50,000/year for the unit, which includes a bungalow and two cottages as well as 45 acres of woodland. The guide price is £3m.

Lower Norris Mill Farm is a 302-acre ring-fenced dairy unit let under an Agricultural Holdings Act tenancy yielding £14,600 a year. It includes a farmhouse, three cottages and farm buildings and is available for £1.5m.

Two large blocks of woodland are also available separately – 219 acres of in-hand woodland with shooting rights for £700,000, and a further 653 acres let on a long lease to the Forestry Commission for £500,000.

Mr Lucas expected keen interest from investors looking to combine the farm and woodland lots plus the two vacant properties, offering the chance to put their money into a tax-efficient investment with capital growth potential they could enjoy.

Other lots include Duck Farm Workshops, a range of former farm buildings converted into 15 business units, which produce a rent of about £25,750 a year.

There are also eight cottages let on Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreements and a three-bedroom conversion of the former kennels nearing completion.

The whole estate is guided in excess of £12m. (Chesterton Humberts 01672 519 111; Savills 01722 426 810)