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A very rare opportunity to rent a substantial livestock farm on one of the largest privately owned estates in England has come to market.
Highfield House Farm on the Swinton Estate is a 605 acre first-class livestock farm and is being offered on a fifteen-year Farm Business Tenancy. 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.
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 Estate’s tenancy agreements promote environmental sustainability and nature-friendly production as the key to thriving post-subsidy farming.
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 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.
In accordance with current best practice guidance issued jointly by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA} and Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), the tenancy agreement will contain a joint Sustainability Statement to set out the guiding principles by which the parties will work together during and beyond the agricultural transition period.
The letting also benefits from an existing Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier Agreement which began on 1st January 2023. This scheme includes a range of grassland revenue options and capital items.
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.
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.
Guy Coggrave, Managing Director, GSC Grays “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.”
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 low input, high nature value system. The land has been let on short-term grazing agreements over winter 2022/23 and summer 2023.
Viewing dates are 23rd June, 29th June and 7th July. Tenders are to be submitted to GSC Grays no later than 12 noon on 20th July 2023. Tel: 01423 590500.