CLOSING DATE - NOON WEDNESDAY 23rd AUGUST 2023

An exceptional dairy and arable farm including nearby blocks of land within a desirable location

Description

Sandyford Farm is a well presented dairy and arable farm within an accessible location, situated just off the A77.

Sandyford Farmhouse sits centrally to the farm, adjacent to the farm buildings. An attractive courtyard of stone and slate buildings splits the farmhouse from the main workings of the dairy farm. There is an extensive range of farm buildings including a modern 30:30 rapid exit milking parlour, cubicle accommodation for 280 cows, silage pits, slurry store, an 8,000 litre milk tank and feed stores. A pair of semi-detached cottages are located a short distance from the farmyard.

The land is dissected by two public roads and extends to 302 acres. Historically the land surrounding the core of the farm has been used for summer grazing and / or silage production, with the remaining land utilised for growing cereal crops such as wheat, barley and maize. There are additional outlying blocks of land within 5 miles of Sandyford, at Torcross (available in two lots) extending to 165 acres and at Smithfield extending to 28 acres, including a disused cubicle shed and a derelict traditional building on Burn Street, Tarbolton.

Sandyford is offered for sale as a whole or in the following four lots:

Lot 1 - Sandyford - A farmhouse, two cottages, farm buildings and land extending to 302 acres

Lot 2 - Torcross West - land extending to 78 acres

Lot 3 - Torcross East - land extending to 87 acres

Lot 4 - Smithfield - farm building, derelict building and land extending to 28 acres

LOT 1 Sandyford
Sandyford Farmhouse - Sandyford Farmhouse is an attractive red sandstone farmhouse under a slate roof, set within the traditional courtyard of buildings which provide privacy from the working farm. The private tarred driveway leads from the public road and forks to access the farmhouse and courtyard or the farm buildings. To the south and west of the farmhouse is a well maintained garden area, mostly laid to lawn with a greenhouse and borders filled with mature plants and shrubs, along with a pleasant patio area for outdoor dining. In addition, there is a gated driveway to the front of the house, flanked by established hedgerows, leading directly from the road. The farmhouse benefits from spacious accommodation over two floors.

Sandyford Cottages 1 and 2 - A pair of semi-detached cottages of brick and slate construction located approximately 100 metres northwest from the farm steading, just off the public road. The cottages have mirrored layouts, both having three bedrooms and a bathroom. The cottages have a garden and driveway to the front and drying lawns to the rear.

Farm Buildings - The farm buildings at Sandyford are purpose built or adapted for dairy farm use. Of particular note is the ability to leave the farmhouse and travel on foot to the parlour / cubicle shed with minimal need to step outside. The modern farm buildings are well thought-out with a state of the art milking parlour, cubicles for 280 cows, a slurry tower with capacity for 360,000 gallons and two silage pits all accessed from a concrete yard area.

Land at Sandyford - The land within Lot 1 extends to 302 acres and comprises 285 acres arable and 11 acres of pasture which is classified as Class 2 and 3 (1) by the James Hutton Institute for Soil Research. The farm lies between 19 metres at its lowest point within field 1 and 44 metres above sea level at its highest point within field 16. The land is generally flat lying and well suited to being worked. The soil is a mixture between mineral gleys and brown soils. Typically the land at Sandyford has been used to graze cattle and produce silage. In previous years potatoes have been grown. This year, there are more crops being grown on the farm as a result of the dispersal of the dairy herd in June; cropping includes winter wheat, spring wheat, spring barley, winter barley and maize. Typical average yields are 3 to 4 tonnes per acre for winter crops and 2.5 to 3 tonnes for spring crops.

LOT 2 Torcross West
Located approximately 3 miles north east of Sandyford, to the south of the Westport Road which leads to Tarbolton, is Lot 2 - Torcross West. This lot comprises four fields extending to 77 acres of Grade 3(2) land. The land is south facing, lying between 75 and 130 metres above sea level and is accessed from the roadside and interlinking gates. The land is currently used for to grow cereals such as barley and wheat, produce silage and livestock grazing.

LOT 3 Torcross East
Adjoining Lot 2 to the east is Lot 3 - Torcross East, extending to 87 acres. It consists of two fields to the north of the public road and three fields to the south. The farmland extending to 87 acres is used for silage production and livestock grazing. The land sits between 100 and 132 metres above sea level and is predominantly Grade 3(2). The land is accessed directly from the public road.

LOT 4 Smithfield
Smithfield is located within 1 mile east of the land at Torcross and is contiguous with the village of Tarbolton. There is a disused steel portal frame cubicle shed with brickwork walls, concrete slatted floors and a corrugated roof. Adjoining there is a derelict parlour. A slurry pit sits to the east and a silage pit is located to the south. Within this lot and adjacent to the farm building is a modern steel portal frame shed which is to be dismantled and removed, as shown hatched red on the sale plan. In addition, to the west of this lot, and within the village of Tarbolton on Burns Road, there is a derelict stone and slate building which is included within the category C listing of the adjoining Old Townhouse. The building is also within a Conservation Area.

Land at Smithfield - The land within Lot 4 extends to 28 acres comprising five fields including 13 acres of arable and 12 acres of pasture. The land is currently down to grass and utilised for livestock grazing or haylage production. The land lies between 72 and 100 metres above sea level and is classified as predominantly Grade 3(2). The land may have potential for long-term future development due to the proximity of the village of Tarbolton.

Smithfield benefits from access from the B744, and a well maintained farm track.

Location

Located within an accessible and popular area of South Ayrshire, Sandyford Farm sits adjacent to the A77 with views towards the Isle of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre beyond. The local area is renowned for its productive farmland due to the land quality and the mild wet climate, creating the perfect combination for grass based farming.

The village of Monkton is about 3 miles west where there is a primary school, fuel station with Marks and Spencer food hall and post office. Prestwick (4 miles) is the closest town, where there is a greater choice of shops, supermarkets and professional services, as well as secondary schooling.

The county town of Ayr adjoins Prestwick to the south and is well known for its first class racecourse and the long established livestock market. There is a wide range of local facilities including shops, supermarkets, leisure and professional services as well as nursery and primary and secondary schooling (including Wellington independent school). The racecourse is home of the Scottish Grand National meeting held annually in the spring. Ayr United, formed in 1910, is the local football team and there are both rugby and cricket clubs in the town. Ayr also has a swimming pool, ten pin bowling, an ice rink and a choice of golf courses as well as river and park walks. The Scottish Rural University College (SRUC) has a campus in the town and the nearest livestock market, Craig Wilson Ltd sits on the outskirts.

Travel connections in the area are good with excellent access to the A77, linking the ferry port at Cairnryan (near Stranraer) to Glasgow. Within Ayr there is a railway station providing regular services north to Glasgow as well as services to the south, terminating in Stranraer. Prestwick Airport is a short drive from the farm (5 miles) and Glasgow International Airport is 38 miles to the north and offers a wide range of domestic, European and international flights.

South Ayrshire is a picturesque mixture of rolling countryside, extensive woodlands and rugged coastline, making for an especially attractive setting and providing a wealth of opportunities for outdoor pursuits including golf (several courses around Ayr, Prestwick and Troon), shooting, cycling, hill walking and water sports.




Acreage: 496 Acres

Directions

For Lot 1 - From the north or south, travel on the A77 signposted for Ayr. Sandyford Farm is located off the Sandyford Toll roundabout on the B742, signposted for Mossblown. The farm entrance is on the lefthand side.

For Lot 2 and 3 – When exiting the Toll roundabout for Mossblown, take the first left on to the A719 towards Galston, after approximately 1.5 miles turn right onto the Westport Road. Follow the road for another 0.5 miles, Lot 2 will begin on the right hand side following the junction.

For Lot 4 – Follow directions as above. Continue along Westport Road into Tarbolton. At the staggered crossroads go straight ahead on to Garden Street. Follow the road out of the village. The road to Smithfield is on the right hand side on the bend.

For sat nav purposes the postcode for Sandyford is KA9 2SP.

what3words - Lot 1 - ///because.unpacked.eggplants
Lot 2 and 3 - ///defended.downfield.starters
Lot 4 - ///kinds.bagpipes.cassettes

Additional Info

Viewing - Strictly by appointment with Savills -[use Contact Agent Button]. Given the potential hazards of a working farm, we request you take care when viewing the property, especially around the farmyard.