High level of interest expected in scarce farmland sale launches

A newly launched livestock farm in the central belt of Scotland with potential for woodland creation and biodiversity net gain projects is expected to appeal to a wide range of buyers.

The relatively short supply of land on the market in the first few months of 2025 adds extra appeal to what is being offered, including the 251-acre West Shirva, near Kirkintilloch.

Lying between Glasgow and Stirling, this former organic holding has mostly class 3.1 and 4.2 land with permanent pasture and some rough grazing.

See also: Trickle of early launches to start 2025 farmland market 

A range of buildings includes a pair of five-bay steel portal framed cattle courts and a traditional stone-built shed.

There is also a steel portal framed four-bay storage and machinery shed and a double silage pit with an effluent drainage system.

The 1980s-built timber farmhouse has four bedrooms and West Shirva is being marketed by Davidson & Robertson at offers over £1.45m.

Senior associate Will Dalrymple believes it will appeal to commercial farmers, investment buyers and says that it also has environmental appeal.

“There are possibilities for woodland creation and for biodiversity net gain projects, with about 20 acres that have been identified for potential tree planting,” he says.

“The wetland areas offer a chance for habitat management, which is seen by developers as an opportunity to offset their activities elsewhere.”

While there are currently limited launches of well-equipped farms like West Shirva, more blocks of bare land are coming to the market.

Northern bare land

© Michie Group

In Northumberland, an 88-acre block of arable land is being sold near the village of Acton Dene.

Described as “well-proportioned” by selling agent Tim Michie, of the Michie Group, it is being sold by a large-scale farming business at a guide price of £800,000.

With three generations still involved in the business, the family is in the process of carrying out a major restructure to help mitigate measures announced in the 2024 Autumn Budget.

Tim says the Acton Dene land presents a great investment opportunity for farmers, lifestyle and investment purchasers.

The compact block of predominantly free-draining Grade 3 land with some mature woodland is split into four parcels.

“The versatile land is capable of producing consistently high-yielding combinable crops, having been well maintained as part of the vendor’s wider arable rotation,” he says.

The rotation has incorporated grass leys and regular farmyard manure applications.

The sale will be subject to a holdover arrangement until 1 October 2025, with the seller retaining the right to harvest the growing crop of winter wheat and the spring crop.

A Countryside Stewardship scheme agreement on the land will be removed prior to completion, giving purchasers the opportunity to build their own scheme. 

Grade 3 in East Sussex

© Savills

In the south of England, Savills has launched a 94-acre block of land at Hartfield in the Wealden district of East Sussex at a guide price of £750,000.

Blocks of commercial land of this size are rarely offered in this area.

The Grade 3 parcel, formerly part of Chartners Farm and sitting in the High Weald National Landscape, has mostly been used for arable cropping, with some fields down to grass and six acres of woodland incorporating a pond.

The land, at Butcherfield Lane, is currently in a share farming agreement with a local farmer. This is due to expire on 29 September 2025.

Holdover of any standing crop will be required until then with early entry to establish next season’s crop subject to negotiation.