Highfield House Farm on the privately-owned Swinton Estate is a 605-acre “substantial, first-class” livestock farm being offered on a fifteen-year Farm Business Tenancy.
Swinton Estate has been in the ownership of the Cunliffe-Lister family since the 1880s and covers 20,000 acres in total, from the River Ure through lowland and hill farming country up to the open moorland, where it borders the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The long-term Highfield House Farm Business Tenancy will run from October 2023 for fifteen years, with the productive grassland extending to 245.09 hectares (605.61 acres).
The new tenant will have the opportunity to work alongside a progressive landlord and jointly deliver a wide sustainability strategy on this excellent farm in the heart of beautiful Nidderdale, North Yorkshire.
The farm also benefits from 128 sheep grazing stints on the neighbouring Ilton Moor.
The hefted flock of Swaledale sheep is to be bought by the incoming tenant, with the stints reserved exclusively for the seasonal grazing of the flock.
The letting also benefits from an existing Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier Agreement, which began on January 1st, 2023 and includes a range of grassland revenue options and capital items.
House and farm buildings
The four-bedroom Highfield House farmhouse, close to the market town of Masham, overlooks the Swinton Estate with breathtaking views of the surrounding farmland.
The property is currently undergoing “significant” investment in preparation for the arrival of the new tenant.
Moreover, there is also a range of modern farm buildings at the farmstead that have been structurally overhauled to “create a blank canvas” for the incoming tenant.
The land is all productive grassland with a mixture of meadow, pasture, rough grazing and moorland.
The majority of the holding has been in higher-level stewardship for the past 10 years and has been managed extensively on a low input, high nature value system.
The land has been let on short-term grazing agreements over winter 2022/23 and summer 2023.
Agent comments
Guy Coggrave, managing director at GSC Grays, is overseeing proceedings.
GSC Grays are an independent firm of chartered surveyors, land and estate agents operating throughout the UK but principally within the North of England.
Coggrave said: “Highfield Farm is at the heart of a fantastic estate and presents a rare opportunity to rent a first-class expansive livestock farm from a progressive landlord and to assist Swinton Estate in its commitment to helping the environment.”
“An opportunity to rent a farm as sizeable as this on a long-term FBT in such a desirable location does not come around often.”
Viewing and tenders
Viewing dates on June 23rd, June 29th and July 7th, 2023.
Tenders to be submitted to GSC Grays no later than noon on July 20th, 2023.
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