Large Devon tenancy – 1,270 acres in six lots, flexible structure

A 1,270-acre Devon farm is to be offered on a 10-year farm business tenancy, or as a joint venture, share farming or contract farming agreement for a similar term. Unusually, it has been split into six lots.

Home Farm on the Castle Hill Estate has been let for more than 12 years to the current tenant, and the new agreement(s) will start on 25 March 2024.

The estate is looking for a tenant or farming enterprise offering high levels of husbandry and motivated to enhance the environment and soils, as well as investigating possible diversification opportunities and regenerative farming.

See also: Business Clinic – should I enter a long-term land use agreement?

A memorandum of understanding will sit alongside any tenancy agreement or other arrangements, setting out that the parties will work together to improve environmental resources and biodiversity across the holding.

The estate has an environmental stewardship agreement running until 30 June 2028 and tenants(s) will be expected to work closely with the landlord on environmental goals which are likely to include entering further schemes.

Discussions on this are encouraged on the viewing days, says letting agent Savills.

While none of the lots is offered with a house, there are four cottages available with monthly rents already set and to be reflected in tenders.

Barnstaple Lodge and Home Farm, with 387 acres of mainly Grade 3 land and substantial buildings including a dairy, is one of two main lots. The land here is permanent pasture, grass leys and arable ground.

With 494 acres, East Clatworthy and Deer Park Farm make up the largest lot.

East Clatworthy has a range of buildings with a milking parlour (20:20 herringbone) and about 327 cubicles on mats across the buildings, along with collection pens, a workshop and a slurry lagoon.

There are similar buildings at Deer Park Farm, as well as a covered silage clamp and lagoon. The land here is mainly level areas of permanent pasture with a good range of field sizes.

Three further lots offer either purely arable ground or a mix of permanent pasture and arable.  

Parkland

The final lot is 153 acres of parkland, which is Grade 1 listed and will be offered on a grazing licence from year to year or on a contract farming arrangement, allowing the estate’s owners to steer the direction of farming on this portion.

Viewing is on 12 and 14 July, with tenders closing at noon on 4 August 2023.