Quality arable opportunities in farm sales and tenancies

The launch of a 405-acre arable farm in East Yorkshire this week will pique the interest of buyers looking for high-quality land.

Highthorpe Farm is being sold on behalf of the executors of George and Jean Conner, a couple who had owned and farmed the land for many years. 

Oliver Stones, of marketing agent AFP Consultants, expects the sale to generate interest from local farmers looking for expansion opportunities and from regional and national buyers in the market for a commercial arable unit. 

See also: Investment owner puts 2,000 acres of let land on market

The farm sits between Beverley and Driffield, with most of the land around the village of Kilnwick with the exception of an outlying 16 acres. 

While recently farmed in an arable rotation, Oliver says the holding’s productive Grade 2 and Grade 3 land, and deep, fine loamy soils make it very suitable for mixed farming.

Some of the ground could have natural capital value or biodiversity net gain potential.

The farmstead includes a modern grain store, a covered cattle yard, and a period cottage in need of modernisation.

Part of the farmstead sits within the village development limits of the East Riding Local Plan Update.

Highthorpe Farm is on the market at a guide price of £4.675m for the whole or is available in up to nine lots.

A large parcel of highly productive arable land launching in the south-east of England will also tick a lot of boxes for many buyers, according to Peter Mason, of Ceres Property.

Cropping on the 316 acres has included sugar beet, winter wheat, spring barley, and beans.

Land at Good Easter © Ceres Property

The block of bare land, in and around the Essex village of Good Easter, is mostly Grade 2, and has been farmed under a contract agreement, with vacant possession on 29 September 2025.

The land is entered into a Mid Tier Countryside Stewardship scheme until 31 December 2026 and there is also a Sustainable Farming Incentive agreement running until 31 January 2027.

Ceres Property is launching the land at Good Easter on Monday (28 April) at offers in the region of £3.25m for the whole.

Shedpark © Savills

In Scotland, a 228-acre property called Shedpark and Blackpark has woodland, sporting, and environmental appeal.

It is part of the Barrachan Estate which has been owned by the same family since 1948.

Situated near Barrachan in Dumfries and Galloway, the farm is mostly down to permanent pasture, let seasonally to local farmers.

All the land has Less Favoured Area Support Scheme status and is interspersed with ancient woodlands, wetlands, and 16 acres of native broad-leaves planted in 2022.

The sale includes a three-bedroom farmhouse, a two-bedroom bothy and traditional farm buildings.

Marketing agent Savills is seeking offers of more than £1.030m.

Crown Estate environmental tenancies

Abbey Garth Farm © Carter Jonas

Carter Jonas is handling the lettings of three Crown Estate farms, all being offered on a 15-year environmental farm business tenancy.

This is a new type of tenancy, developed by the Crown Estate in collaboration with the Tenant Farmers Association, and is designed to support food production and nature recovery.

The largest of the three is the 495-acre Abbey Garth Farm, a productive equipped farm near Hull, East Yorkshire, where wheat, barley and oilseed rape are grown.

The largely ring-fenced land is predominantly Grade 3 with some classified as Grade 2. It has been mostly in arable production in recent years but with 30 acres of pasture for grazing.

Set on the edge of Swine village, the holding comes with modern and traditional buildings and a seven-bedroom farmhouse.

Trevethoe House Farm © Carter Jonas

In Lincolnshire, the Crown Estate is letting Trevethoe House Farm at Holbeach, which has 358 acres of Grade 1 land.

Aside from the land, the farm comes with about 4,000 tonnes of potato box cold storage.

Boatmere Farm © Carter Jonas

The third tenancy is also in Lincolnshire, on 81 acres of Grade 1 bare land at Boatmere Farm, Gedney Marsh.

Tenders for all three must be submitted by midday on 30 May 2025, with the tenancies starting on 11 October 2025.