Land for sale

North Lees Grange and Snow Close Farms, together are versatile and diversified arable farms with three residential properties and over 460 acres of Grade 2 and 3 soils.


Description

*Closing date - 12 noon on Tuesday 20th July 2021*

North Lees Grange farmstead is located in the northern part of the holding and has the bulk of the modern farm buildings, including grain stores and livestock buildings together with the farmhouse and annex. Snow Close Farm lies on the fringe of Ripon to the south and includes an extensive range of traditional farm buildings, utilised as a livery yard together with Close Cottage off-lying the farm and livery entrance.

North Lees Grange farmhouse sits off the farm entrance and is a large detached red brick property with slate roof. Ground floor accommodation includes porch, living room with open fire, kitchen with range of fitted units, pantry, dining room and sitting room. Both the dining and sitting room benefit from large bay windows, which let a lot of light into the rooms. Many of the rooms have open fires and traditional features such as coving. First floor accommodation includes four bedrooms and a family bathroom. The property has solid fuel central heating. The property would generally benefit from some updating and improvement, but makes for a well-proportioned family home with a pleasant outlook and garden, opening to the parking area and farmyard.

Attached to the farmhouse and linked on the first floor via an internal door is a two bedroom annex. This element of the property does require modernisation. Accommodation includes a ground floor kitchen and living room, with two first floor bedrooms and a shower room with wash basin and WC. There is further store and outside WC also attached onto the annex.

Snow Close farmhouse is a detached brick built rendered property with a slate roof. The property is attached to a large range of traditional farm buildings which form the livery accommodation at the property. Ground floor accommodation includes pantry and utility rooms, large kitchen, snug and sitting room with open fire. First floor accommodation includes four bedrooms and a family bathroom. The property has solid fuel central heating system and would benefit from renovation and improvement. There is a private residential drive and parking area, small garden and orchard to the south and west elevations.

Close Cottage is a detached brick built property with Rosemary tile roof, sitting on the farm entrance to Snow Close Farm. The accommodation on the ground floor includes kitchen with a range of fitted units, dining room and living room with fireplace. The first floor accommodation includes three bedrooms and a family bathroom. Adjacent to the house is a modest prefabricated garage and parking area. The property has oil fired central heating and UPVC double glazing. There are small gardens to both the front and rear end elevations and the property benefits from views over the adjacent farmland.

The farm buildings at North Lees Grange include a traditional range in a linear format, close to the farmhouse. These are constructed from a mixture of red brick and stone with slate and fibre cement roof coverings. These have been occupied as stores more recently. Arranged around a hardcore and concrete yard is an extensive range of modern farm buildings which have historically been used for dairy farming, with significant livestock housing, general purpose buildings, grain storage and workshops.

The farm buildings at Snow Close Farm have been repurposed for livery accommodation with 26 stables in all. Many of these are formed from the traditional red brick and stone built farm buildings and barns. There is an additional tack room and further private storage areas within these buildings. In addition there are two ranges of purpose built timber stables which sit within the yard complex and surrounding the Dutch barn, used for feed and hay storage. Beyond the yard area is an outdoor arena (40m x 20m) with a sand and rubber surface.

The farmland lies in a ring fence surrounding the farmsteads and adjacent to the Ripon - Masham Road. There is further access from Kirkby Road and Harries Lane, close to Snow Close Farm. The land has a range of access tracks which run through linking the various parcels. The farmland gently undulates which is common for the area. The land is classified as Grade 2 and 3 under the MAFF Provisional Agricultural Land Classification. There are some areas where the land drainage requires attention and improvement. The land is a loam with clay elements and has been farmed in a typical cereal location and some areas of permanent grassland in low lying areas. The land is bound by mature hedgerows and small wooded areas, which together with the undulation make for a very attractive setting.

Location

North Lees Grange and Snow Close Farms are situated on the fringe of the Vale of York, a renowned farming area. Surroundings are predominantly arable fields interspersed with attractive woodlands and shelterbelts, which border the fringe of Ripon City.

The farm has good transport connections, being only 27 miles from York railway station, from which some services to London Kings Cross take less than 2 hours. The A1 is only 5.5 miles to the east and provides excellent north-south connectivity. Racing can be enjoyed at York, Thirsk, Ripon or Wetherby all within 30 miles. Ripon City Golf Course is about 1 mile to the east.





Acreage: 461 Acres

Directions

Nearest Post Codes
North Lees Grange - HG4 3HW,
Snow Close Farm - HG4 2QZ,
Close Cottage - HG4 2RA,


Additional Info

Rights of Way, Easements & Wayleaves - The property is sold subject to, and with the benefit of all existing wayleaves, easements and rights of way, public and private whether specifically mentioned or not. Public footpaths and bridleways cross the farms, local electricity lines also cross the farmland.
Services - Mains electricity (three phase at North Lees Grange), mains water supplies with an additional private borehole at North Lees Grange, private drainage (North Lees Grange), mains drainage at Snow Close.
Designations and Restrictions - The farm lies within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.
Subsidies & Grants - The land is registered on the Rural Land Registry (RLR) and sold with the benefit of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) Entitlements. The Entitlements are currently held by and have been claimed in 2021 by the outgoing tenant. It is intended Entitlements will be transferred to the purchaser(s) in readiness for the 2022 claim.
Field Plan and Back Cropping - RLR field plans and back cropping are available upon request.
Early Entry - Early entry to the farm by the purchaser for post-harvest cultivations will be allowed on payment of a double deposit (20%).
Sporting Rights - The sporting rights are included in the sale insofar as they are owned.
Minerals - The mineral rights are included in the sale insofar as they are owned.
Sale Conditions - The property is sold subject to a development overage to capture uplift in value as the result of the grant of any planning consent, for a period of 90 years from the date of completion of the sale. Excepted forms of development are agriculture (including renewable energy crops), equestrian, forestry or open field horticulture. The relevant overage percentages are as follows: Lots 1, 2 & 3 - 25% - Lots 4, 5, 6 & 7 - 40%
Tenure - The freehold of the farm is offered for sale with vacant possession following the expiry of the current Farm Business Tenancy 30th September 2021. Holdover has been granted to hold a farm machinery dispersal and store crops until 30th November 2021.
VAT is payable in addition to the purchase price on the non-residential elements of the property, being the agricultural land and buildings. An apportionment of the price agreed will be made by Savills. For the avoidance of doubt, Stamp Duty Land Tax is payable on the total price of the property including VAT. All offers will be assumed to have been made on a VAT exclusive basis unless otherwise stated.
Council Tax - North Lees Grange – Band F, Snow Close Farmhouse – Band F, Close Cottage – Band D
Business Rates - The current rateable value for Snow Close Farm Livery is £6,100.
Method of sale - North Lees Grange and Snow Close Farm are offered for sale by private treaty as a whole or in seven lots, offers for part may be considered. All prospective purchasers are encouraged to register their interest with Savills as soon
as possible.

Marketed by: Savills, York