Description
A productive commercial agricultural property including a farmhouse and cottage, a substantial range of agricultural buildings and yards with arable, pasture and woodland.
Introduction - Greenford Farm offers prospective purchasers the opportunity to acquire a productive mixed commercial farm in this sought after part of Dorset, well suited to a range of farming and commercial enterprises. The farm includes two residential dwellings (subject to Agricultural Occupancy Conditions), a large range of farm buildings, arable, pasture and woodland.
The current owners have owned the farm since 2005, producing high quality pigs and arable crops. The pig buildings have accommodated 300 sows with all progeny taken to fattening on the farm. Other useful modern farm buildings complement the overall acreage providing useful storage space for arable crops.
This excellent farm has considerable sporting and amenity appeal with mature hedgerows and an attractive valley running centrally through the farm.
Situation - The farm is situated just less than 2 miles south of the village of Maiden Newton providing village shops, garage, doctor's surgery, fuel station, public house and a primary school. The County Town of Dorchester, 9 miles to the south, provides an excellent range of retail, recreational and commercial facilities.
The A35 and A37 trunk roads and mainline stations at Dorchester provide good communication links. The area is well served by independent and state schools including the Sherborne Schools, Leweston, Milton Abbey, Bryanston and Sunninghill Prep School.
The Dwellings - Greenford Farmhouse is a detached, four bedroom dwelling constructed in 2013. The accommodation is well laid out with four bedrooms, good sized kitchen and sitting room with useful separate garage with fully insulated floor and walls should anyone wish to convert this space to further accommodation in the future (subject to any necessary consents). The house is well positioned overlooking Greenford Valley whilst being within a convenient distance of the farm buildings.
Built in circa 1990, Greenford Farm Cottage (shaded green on sale plan) is a linked detached four-bedroom cottage extending to approximately 158.2 sq metres (GIA), providing further useful accommodation. The cottage is available to the purchaser by separate negotiation to the main part of Greenford Farm with vacant possession available no earlier than Autumn 2025.
Conveniently close to the farm buildings and cottage is a partially constructed reception building and farm shop which was granted planning permission in 2012.
Construction of the building commenced within the required timeframe. Planning permission was subsequently granted to amend the use of this building to holiday accommodation, however this has since lapsed.
The Farm Buildings - The substantial range of farm buildings offer both a useful and adaptable provision of built space, suitable for arable and/or livestock enterprises with some buildings offering a potential opportunity for diversification. The buildings are predominantly used for the pig and arable enterprises, with some being used for cattle. Most of the buildings are of steel portal frame construction and concrete block under fibre cement/asbestos or metal roofs. They extend to approximately 9,540.99 sqm in all.
Please see particulars for more details.
The Land - The property extends to a total area of 289.21 acres (117.04 hectares). The arable land being 227.30 acres (91.98 hectares) has been traditionally cropped with cereals, yielding in the region of 4 tonnes/acre of winter wheat. With the pig enterprise being on the holding for a number of years, the soil is incredibly fertile.
The farmland is arranged in one ring-fenced block being over chalky soils with some clay in parts, being free draining and easily workable. The land is predominantly Grade 3 on the agricultural and classification maps.
The permanent pasture within the downland valleys extends to about 50.61 acres (20.48 hectares) and provides useful grazing all year round, as well as having conservation value. To the centre of the holding is an attractive parcel of mixed woodland extending to about 2.26 acres (0.91 hectares), providing further amenity and sporting potential.
Tenure And Possession - Freehold interest of the property is offered with vacant possession upon completion.
Completion is to be no earlier than spring/summer 2025. The vendors also reserve the right to hold over until the end of July 2025 to allow for the cessation of the pig enterprise. The vendors also reserve the right to hold a dispersal sale prior to completion.
Early entry will be permitted (if appropriate) for the purchaser to conduct tillages and sow spring crops at their risk and cost.
Services - Private borehole water supply to dwellings and farm buildings with an extraction licence of up to 25,000m³ per year permitted; a licence of £102 is payable bi-annually. Two new water storage tanks were installed in 2018 with an approximate storage capacity of 865m³. The property is also obliged to supply the neighbouring property with water. This is chargeable at Wessex Water rates.
Three-phase mains electricity to the farm buildings and dwellings.
Oil-fired central heating and private drainage systems to both dwellings.
Sporting - The farm is well known for its impressive topography and sporting quality. All sporting rights are included. The shooting rights in recent years have been let annually to a well-known local shoot operator with a very good reputation for presenting good quality partridge and pheasants. This arrangement will run until the end of the 2024/2025 shooting season. Further details available from the selling agents.
Racing at Taunton, Wincanton and Exeter. Golf at Bridport and West Dorset. Sailing on the coast at West Bay or Portland.
Planning - Greenford Farmhouse and Cottage are subject to Agricultural Occupancy Conditions. It should also be noted that Greenford Farmhouse is subject to a Section 106 tie, that restricts the sale of any parts of the property separately.
Copies of the consented plans for the reception building and farm shop, and lapsed plans for the holiday accommodation can be provided on request. Further details available from the selling agents.
Public Rights Of Way And Public Access - There are footpaths and bridleways crossing the property. Some of the land is Open Access Land, as defined by the Countryside Rights of Way Act 2000.
Third Party Rights - A solar developer currently has an option to take access through a part of the farm to neighbouring land in the event that a solar development is successful in obtaining planning consent. Planning consent has previously been applied for and refused. This option is due to end on 31st December 2024. Further information available from the agents.
Basic Payment Scheme - The delinked payments will be retained by the vendors. The land is registered on the Rural Land Register.
Environmental Schemes - The farm is not entered into any Environmental, Countryside Stewardship or Sustainable Farm Incentive agreements.
Some of the land is within a Wessex Water agreement for reversion to wildflower areas, this is due to end in March 2026.
Ingoing Valuation - If appropriate, the purchasers shall, in addition to the purchase price, be required to take over and pay for those items of tenant right including:
. Growing crops and other tillages, post-harvest sprays and other acts of husbandry to include costs of all cultivations, seeds, chemicals and fertilisers in accordance with CAAV costings, hay and straw at market value.
. All purchased stores including fertilisers, seeds, sprays, feeding stuffs, fuel and oils etc to be charged in accordance with CAAV costings.
. Tenant rights shall be paid for immediately once the valuation is agreed with the interest at 4% over Barclays Bank base rate for the time being at the date of valuation from completion to date of payment. Should the valuation not be agreed within four weeks of completion, the matter shall be referred to the decision of a single Arbitrator to be appointed by agreement or in the event of a dispute by the President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Fixtures And Fittings - All freestanding equipment and any other equipment not specifically mentioned in the details above is excluded from the sale. Please note that the mill equipment is included.
Designations - The property is within the Dorset National Landscape (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and is within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) part of the Poole Harbour catchment.
Local Authority - Dorset Council
01305 221000
www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Greenford Farmhouse council tax band D
Greenford Farm Cottage council tax band C
Directions - From Dorchester, take the A35 west towards Bridport. Proceed along this road for 2.5 miles, then turn right signposted Compton Valence. Continue along this road (straight over the first crossroads) for 3 miles, follow Roman Road until the right-hand bend and then continue for 1.5 miles, Greenford Farm is found on the right hand side.
