Buildings enhance estate
Buildings enhance estate
By Louise Rose
NEARLY 500 acres of arable land in Wiltshire, with two main farmhouses, are now on the market due to retirement.
Norton Ferris and Homestalls Farms, Maiden Bradley include 496 acres of mainly grade 2 land which on a bare land basis David Cross, of FPDSavills which is handling the sale, values at in the region of £2250/acre.
As a whole the farm, which is in an area of outstanding natural beauty, is guided at about £2.25m. But with the continued buoyancy in the residential market Mr Cross has lotted the unit up including offering each of the four dwellings separately.
The five-bedroom Homestalls farmhouse is lotted with 77.6 acres and guided at £650,000 with Norton Ferris farmhouse and 8 acres guided at in the region of £400,000.
Also a pair of semi-detached cottages one of which is occupied on a life-time tenancy are available with 25.6 acres at a guide price of £200,000. A Woolaway bungalow with three bedrooms and 20 acres is valued at £175,000.
There are two main ranges of farm buildings and these include some modern and traditional livestock housing and grain storage. A traditional range at Norton Ferris Farm with 2 acres is guided at £75,000 which accounts for some development potential.
Blocks of bare land range from 34-140 acres and a 19-acre knoll is valued at in the region of £50,000 by Mr Cross.
Also likely to attract interest from the residential sector is Chalmington Farm, near Dorchester, Dorset. The 244-acre unit is currently managed as a dairy farm and includes buildings for a 100-cow dairy.
However, Richard Miller, Symonds & Sampson, has lotted the farm into three due to its strong amenity and residential appeal.
"It is the residential and amenity elements of farms which, in many cases, determine their value. Chalmington is a typical example and has been lotted to allow flexibility," said Mr Miller.
Lot one, which is guided at £675,000, includes a six-bedroom farmhouse and an adjoining dairy house, a range of traditional farm buildings including the dairy accommodation and 78 acres of grade 3 and 4 permanent pasture with a natural or mains water supply and 14 acres of woodland.
Most of the remaining acreage 141 acres – a block of arable and pasture land is valued at an average of £1700/acre. A bungalow subject to an agricultural occupancy condition and nearly 8 acres is guided at £190,000.
Also 542,134 litres of milk quota are available by separate negotiation.