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953.97 acres, Birchen Knoll Farm, East Sussex
For Sale - Guide Price £10,340,000

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• As a Whole or in 5 Lots
• Commercial mixed farm
• High Weald Natural Landscape
• Popular Fairlight location
• Farmhouse and annexe accommodation
• Range of farm buildings
• Commercial let fishing lake

Description
Birchen Knoll Farm and adjoining land is a commercial mixed farm that has been farmed as a whole and extends to approximately 953.97 acres. The farm consists of suitable farmhouse accommodation with an adjoining annexe and two mobile homes located in the main farmyard. The land is mainly arable with 792.48 acres of Grade 2 & 3 land. In addition, there are small areas of permanent pasture 73.21 acres and 78.78 acres of woodland.

This provides a good sized holding that will enable any purchaser looking to purchase the whole with a sustainable sized farming unit with the potential to modernise the farming and diversify into alternative uses making use of this popular area in East Sussex.

The property will be offered as a whole or in the lots described more specifically below.

The main farming unit of Birchen Knoll Farm has been the centre of operations for the holding with the off-lying farms all easily accessed from the central holding. All off-lying farms are within a 2.8 mile radius or less of Birchen Knoll Farm.

Lot 1 – Birchen Knoll Farm
Birchen Knoll Farm is an equipped former mixed farm extending to 184.55 acres. The property consists of a three bedroomed farmhouse with a two bedroomed annexe, two mobile homes and approximately 35,569 sq ft of farm buildings. The farm is located in an elevated position to the north of Fairlight and adjoins the small village of Batchelors Bump which adjoins the larger town of Hastings. There are far reaching sea views over Rye Bay to Winchelsea Beach and Camber Sands.

Lot 2 – Land at Church Farm, Guestling
The Land at Church Farm extends to approximately 361.45 acres and is a large block of predominately arable land. All of the land is predominantly Grade 3 land under the MAFF Provisional Agricultural Land Classification. There is approximately 289.78 acres of arable land, 56.61 acres of woodland, consisting predominately of the ancient woodland known as Kitchen Wood, and finally 13.51 acres of permanent grassland.

The land has predominantly been used for conventional arable farming and benefits from large easily worked field parcels. More lately the land has been entered into a Countryside Mid Tier agreement benefitting from the option 2-year legume fallow. The majority of the land is within 1 large, ring-fenced block with 1 separate field parcel located to the south of Church Lane, adjoining the main block.

The fields are mainly enclosed by mature hedgerows, boundary trees and woodland shaws and benefit from a good network of access points around the farm. The topography of the land is typical to this area of the High Weald with a gentle rolling gradient and much of the land being south facing. The soil survey of England and Wales records the soils as being mainly Soilscape 6: freely draining acidic loamy soils.

Lot 3 - Land at Cadborough, Rye
The Land at Cadborough extends to approximately 315.26 acres and is a large block of arable land located on the coastal flats to the west of Rye Harbour. All of the land is of a Grade 2 MAFF Provisional Agricultural Land Classification.
The land has been used for conventional arable farming and maize production. The field parcels are divided by wet drainage dykes, however there are several well constructed culverts to cross into adjoining field parcels that provide easy access around the farm. The land is intersected by the Hastings to Rye railway line, and there is a gated farm crossing providing access to the north of the railway with clear visibility down the line. The majority of the land is located to the south of the railway line.

The soil survey for England and Wales records the soils as being mainly Soilscape 21: Loamy and clayey soils of coastal flats with naturally high ground water. The internal drainage board rates are payable on this land.

Lot 4 – Land at Downoak Farm, Westfield
The Land at Downoak Farm consists of a ringfenced single block of arable land with small woodland shaws. In total the land consists of 89.35 acres of which there is 84.70 acres of arable land and 4.65 acres woodland, ponds and track.
All of the land has been used for conventional arable farming growing predominantly combinable crops. The fields are mainly enclosed by mature hedgerows and boundary trees and benefit from a good network of access points around the farm. The topography of the land is typical to this area of the High Weald with a gentle rolling gradient.

The soil survey of England and Wales records the soils as being mainly Soilscape 18: slowly permeable seasonally wet slightly acidic but base rich loamy and clayey soils.

Lot 5 - Buildings at Downoak Farm, Westfield
The buildings at Downoak Farm consist of two farm buildings that are located in a former farmyard, most of which has now been redeveloped for residential or commercial uses. The site measures 0.57 acre and the buildings provide 4,800 sq ft of floor space.

The machinery store is a concrete portal frame building with corrugated roof and concrete block walls. There is a concrete floor and sliding tin clad door to the north facing gable. The former workshop consists of a concrete portal framed building with concrete block elevations under a corrugated roof. There is a small concrete yard between both buildings.

The buildings now provide potential for alternative uses subject to the necessary consents.

Guide Price: As a Whole £10,340,000
Or in Lots:
Lot 1 - £2,900,000
Lot 2 - £3,150,000
Lot 3 - £3,300,000
Lot 4 - £790,000
Lot 5 - £200,000

Please download our brochure for further details.