400-acre farm has development potential

A Hertfordshire farm combining nearly 400 acres of arable land with homes, grain storage and development consents, has been brought to market at a £5m guide price.

Kingswoodbury Farm at Clothall, near Letchworth Garden City, is being marketed by Savills. It comprises a working Grade Two and Three arable business, a let seven-bedroom farmhouse and two former homes with planning permission, widening the scope beyond farmland alone.

“Kingswoodbury Farm is a very pretty and productive arable holding that lies between the villages of Clothall to the west and Rushden to the east,” said Oliver Carr, director in Savills’ rural agency team in Cambridge.

Land base

The arable acreage has been farmed in-hand on a traditional cereal and environmental crop rotation. Savills said the fertile soils sit in large, workable fields suited to modern agricultural operations.

Land makes up the core of the holding – amounting to some 460 acres in total. As well as the arable land, the remaining area comprises grassland, woodland and miscellaneous land, including buildings, ponds and tracks.

The farm’s gently undulating ground includes pockets of woodland, pasture, ponds and a lake. It lies in an attractive setting while retaining connections to nearby towns and transport routes, according to Savills.

At the centre is a 19th-century seven-bedroom farmhouse extending to about 4,311 sq ft. The let property has an entrance hall, sitting room and dining room, both with fireplaces, plus a kitchen, study, utility room, store room and bathroom on the ground floor. “While in need of some updating, the farmhouse enjoys a prominent yet private setting within mature gardens,” said Mr Carr.

A redundant four-bedroom cottage has consent for a part two-storey extension. A former four-bedroom bungalow has permission to convert its adjoining garage into living space.

The buildings provide storage for machinery, crops, seed and fertiliser. It includes a 1,200-tonne grain store and other steel-framed barns. Mr Carr pointed to the additional assets as a way for buyers to shape the holding.

“With a variety of additional buildings – including two cottages and various farm buildings that may also have potential for alternative uses – this is a farm that offers purchasers ample opportunity to add their mark,” said Mr Carr.