Northumberland estate owner seeks share-farming partner

A share-farming opportunity has arisen on a 2,300-acre hill farm in the Northumberland National Park.

Sundaysight Farm, on the Highgreen Estate between Bellingham and Rochester, is available from May on a share-farming agreement, or a farm business tenancy (FBT) with a term of between 10-15 years.

The farm is currently let on an Agricultural Holdings Act tenancy, but the tenant has served notice to quit and the estate’s owner, Sir William Morrison-Bell, would like to expand his in-hand farming operation.

It is hoped a share-farming arrangement would help extend the opportunity to farmers with lower working capital and encourage more innovative land management more suited to the long term and more engaging for both parties.

“I’m offering the share-farm option to widen the potential range of interest, and in any event will look favourably on younger, forward-looking applicants who see a promising future in hill farming,” said Sir William.

“On a share-farming basis I will provide land and buildings, the operator will provide labour and equipment, [with the] stock ownership to be split on a basis as agreed, nominally 50/50.

“My expectation under a share-farm basis is that the operator will occupy the farmhouse,” he added.

Sundaysight Farm is one of three holdings on the 5,000-acre Highgreen Estate, which also includes eight let cottages, commercial premises, a community arts centre and Highgreen Manor.  

Jointly instructed agents, Ali Gray, partner at Strutt & Parker, and Hugo Remnant, associate director at Land Factor, said most of the farm’s land was hill, but with some in-bye.

It was well equipped with modern and traditional agricultural buildings in good condition and included a 80x30ft steel portal-framed cattle shed, 60x45ft modern timber-framed sheep shed and a 60x21ft Dutch barn.

Sheep handling facilities were placed strategically across the farm and it was expected Sundaysight’s hefted flock of 900 ewes and 250 ewe hogs would be either bought by an incoming FBT tenant or “pooled” as part of a share-farming agreement, said the agents.

The farm also has a natural water source and fencing and dry-stone walls that are in good order and a three-bedroom stone and slate farmhouse adjacent to the farmstead.

BPS payments will be available under an FBT agreement and the farm is subject to a Higher Level Stewardship agreement, ending in October 2019.