There are two modern ranges of buildings which could go in separate lots and the potential for up to three houses. The letting will be on a 10 year farm business tenancy, which is much longer than usual.
“Although the farms are being marketed nationally to a wide range of people, the estate trustees would look favourably on a new entrant who puts forward the right proposal,” said Charlotte Pearson-Wood of agents Batcheller Monkhouse, who manages the estate.
One of the lots would be Old Brick Farm with 264 acres in the middle of the estate which has a three bedroom cottage, modern agricultural buildings and some traditional buildings which are used as lambing pens. Another lot is Socknersh Farm which has a yard, large modern agricultural buildings which could be suitable for cattle and either a one bedroom or three bedroom house with 136 acres. The third lot would be 112 acres of bare land to the north of the River Dudwell.
“This is the perfect set up for someone starting out because there is accommodation, a good range of buildings and land,” said Ms Pearson-Wood. The estate has a history of encouraging new entrants. One of the trustees is involved with the Princes Countryside Fund and a young farmer, Jamie French, has just started a tenancy at the estate on what was arable land which he is converting back to grass. As the ground was in poor order, he has been given the land at a substantially reduced rate for the first four years in return for fencing the land and installing a water system.
It is unusual for such a large area of land to come up for letting in the area. “I used to be a land agent in Wiltshire and perhaps one or two parcels of land would come up each year for letting in a much larger area of the Midlands. So this is a rare opportunity.” Ms Pearson-Wood added that those starting out in farming can usually expect to pick up bits of grassland on a handshake. “But there is no continuity or security in that for the landowner or farmer. Farmers need longer term security to invest in the land to establish a business which will lead to improved management of the land, an important objective of the trustees of the estate. The trustees do not want a short term approach to this letting.,” Ms Pearson-Wood explained. “They are looking for farm tenants looking to establish themselves over time and thrive.
The farm has been farmed in hand by the estate for many years. But the trustees now wish to find a new tenant to take on the farm and “are excited at the opportunity that this presents for both new entrants and those looking to expand established business,” said Ms Pearson Wood.
The estate has been in the same ownership for some time and is in a very rural area unaffected by the high levels of development seen elsewhere in the South East. “The move from in hand farming to a more traditionally let estate may seem out of kilter with modern trends but this is the right route for the estate to take, and gives them the opportunity to give new farming entrants an exciting opportunity to establish themselves.”
Batcheller Monkhouse will be running two open days on 12 March and 23 March when Ms Pearson-Wood and her colleagues will be on site at different locations. Tender documents should be submitted by noon on 4 May before drawing up a short list and making a decision in early summer.
Etchingham, East Sussex
TO LET
512 acres
Charlotte Pearson-Wood | c.pearson.wood@batchellermonkhouse.com | 01892 509280 | www.batchellermonkhouse.com
