4 bedroom property with land for sale

Higher Farm, Higher Farm Lane, Podimore, Somerset BA22 8JQ

Somerton 5.1 miles, Yeovil 8.4 miles, Castle Cary 9 miles, Taunton 22 miles, London 125 miles

Features:
Five bedroom farmhouse

Two, 2 bed semi-detached cottages

Range of modern farm buildings

Attractive court yard of traditional farm buildings

Arable, Pasture and Woodland

About 678 acres as a whole (274 ha)

Available as a whole or in three lots

Lot 1 - Higher Farm
About 520 acres (210.44 Ha)

Farmhouse
Higher Farmhouse sits central to the farm at the end of a long drive surrounded by its own land together with the yard and buildings. It is constructed of local limestone and is grade
two listed.

The house has been well cared for by the current occupier although is in need of modernisation. The house is currently heated by solid fuel burners in the living room and kitchen as well as night time storage heaters. Hot water is provided from one solid fuel burner as well as immersion heaters.

Higher Farm cottages
Halfway up the main farm drive are two semi-detached two bedroom cottages each with their own garden and parking. Both cottages have mains electricity and water. Cottage one is heated by night storage heating whereas cottage two uses oil fired heating. Both are in fair condition but would benefit from some modernisation. Cottage one is currently occupied under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) and cottage two is vacant.

Farm buildings
The buildings comprise;

1. Large traditional stone barn with slate roof

2. Court yard with a mix of traditional stone and concrete block barns with tiled roofs

3. Large traditional two floor barn with slate roof.

4. A former milking parlour - Concrete block walls, concrete floor and sheeted roof

5. Two Dutch barns with a lean to

6. Machinery barn with sliding door – concrete floor and block walls with sheeted sides and roof

7. Old cubicle shed concrete floor and block walls with steel frame and sheeted roof

8. Silage clamp

9. Concrete collecting yard with gates and cattle handling facilities

The court yard and the other traditional stone buildings have excellent potential for conversion into residential units subject to the necessary planning consents.

The land
The land at Higher Farm comprises 520 acres. Currently the land is farmed under a contract farming agreement with 105 acres in permanent pasture and 403 acres in an arable rotation of Oats, Barley, Wheat and Temporary Grass. The land is predominately contained within a single ring fenced block with distinguishable boundary hedges. Access to individual fields is available from the centre of the farm. The land lies within a soil type that is naturally high in fertility with lime rich typically clay loamy soils.

In 2018 there were informal plans for a new garden town with up to 15,000 homes over the farm. The plans were formulated by a private firm and were never formally lodged with the Local Authority.

The Farm also benefits from an additional source of income derived from Podimore Shooting School who utilise two pasture fields for clay shooting. There has been planning permission granted subject to a restriction on hours and days the site can be used. Further details are available from the vendors agent.

Lot 2
About 31 acres (12.54 ha)

U.H.F Receiver Station
Lot 2 comprises 31 acres of flat, well fenced permanent pasture that lies north of the Air Museum. It has easy access onto the Podimore road that leads directly to the A303. The Ministry of Defence have a lease of a U.H.F receiver station with access rights across the land. This currently generates an annual rent of £14,270. Further details are available from the vendors agents. The land is currently let within an FBT.

Lot 3
About 126 acres (50.99 ha)

Land at Courtry and Speckington
Lot 3 comprises 126 acres of flat permanent pasture split into four fields with the southern boundary adjoining the River Yeo. The land has far reaching views overlooking the runway used by the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. There is good access onto Speckington Lane and West Camel Road. There is a public bridleway that runs from Speckington across the land to the southern boundary. The Ministry of Defence has a lease over part of the land for landing lights and emergency access, which produces a separate income. The land is currently let within an FBT.

General

Method of Sale
Higher Farm is offered for sale as a whole, or in up to 3 lots by private treaty.

EPCs and Council Tax
Higher Farmhouse, council tax - £1730.36.
No 1 Higher Farm Cottage, EPC - E, council tax - £1345.83
No 2 Higher Farm Cottage, EPC - E, council tax - £1345.83

Local authority
South Somerset District Council, Brympton Way, Yeovil BA20 2HT

VAT
The holding is opted for VAT, and VAT will be payable in addition to the sale price. Further details are available from the Vendor’s agent.

Basic payment
The entitlements to the Basic Payment are included in the sale. In the event that the property is sold in lots the entitlements will be included with the eligible land on a pro rata basis at the discretion of the vendor (or their representatives).

A claim has been submitted for the current scheme year and will retain the payment for this scheme year in its entirety. The vendor will use reasonable endeavours to transfer the entitlements to the purchaser as soon after completion as the transfer rules allow.

Holdover
Holdover is reserved to permit the harvesting of all growing crops and for the storage of grain in the grain stores. Further information is available from the Vendor’s agent.

Ingoing valuation: In addition to the purchase price the purchaser will be required to pay for: Growing crops and all beneficial cultivations, sub soiling, moling and acts of husbandry since the last harvest at current CAAV rates or contract rates where applicable;

Seed, fertilisers, manures and sprays applied to the growing crops since the last harvest at invoice cost; All seeds, sprays, fertilisers, fuel, oil and other consumables in store at invoice cost. Enhancement of £30/ acre/ month from the date of establishment to completion.

Lime and chalk applied since the last harvest at invoice cost of the materials and spreading.

Sporting and timber rights
All sporting and timber rights are included in the freehold sale in as far as they are owned.

Mineral rights
The minerals are reserved from the sale, but the rights to work or search for those minerals are not reserved. Further information is available from the Vendor’s agent.

Overage
Overage of 35% shall apply across the farm. Further details are available from the Vendor’s agent and in the online data room.

Designations
Higher Farm lies within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).

Wayleaves, Easements and Rights of Way
The property is being sold subject to and with the benefit of all rights including, rights of way, whether public or private, light support, drainage, water and electricity supplies and other rights and obligations, easements and quasi-easements and restrictive covenants and all existing and proposed wayleaves for masts, pylons, stays, cables, drains, water and gas and other pipes whether referred to in these particulars or not.

Health and safety
Given the potential hazards of a working farm we ask you to be as vigilant as possible when making your inspection for your own personal safety, particularly around the farm buildings and machinery.

Solicitors
Farrers & Co LLP, 66 Lincolns Inn Fields, Holborn, London WC2A 3LH.

Dataroom
An online data room is available for the sale. Please contact the Vendor’s agent for access.

Fixtures and fittings
All items usually regarded as tenant’s fixtures and fittings and equipment, including fitted carpets and curtains, together with garden ornaments and statuary, are specifically excluded from the sale. These may be available to the purchaser by separate negotiation.

Postcode
BA22 8JQ

Viewing
Strictly by confirmed appointment with the vendor’s agents, Strutt & Parker in Salisbury[use Contact Agent Button] or London on[use Contact Agent Button].

Situation
The core of Higher Farm is in a ring fence set in a rural location surrounded by pasture and arable land located north of the A303. The farm is accessed by a tarmacadam drive and farm road bridge from the village of Podimore. The village facilities include a local shop, church, pub and bus stop at the end of the drive. The area is renowned for its famous Fleet Air Arm Museum at just over a mile away from Podimore.

The larger town of Yeovil is located to the south of the property and benefits from a wider range of shops, public houses and restaurants.

The A303 is just over a mile from the farmhouse and provides easy access to London and the south west. The A37 from the same roundabout provides communications to Castle Cary (9 miles) and Bath (33 miles) both of which benefit from train services to London Paddington with travel times of 85 minutes.