Rare opportunity with farm for sale near Whitby and a £3.5m price tag

Included in the price is a four-bedroom farmhouse and two farm cottages. Agents GSC Grays say the traditional stone-built farmhouse has benefitted from investment to modernise the facilities and boasts a large contemporary kitchen, separate dining room, living room, utility and bathroom on the ground floor, with four good-size bedrooms upstairs, as well as a family bathroom.

The semi-detached stone-built, three-bedroom farm cottages have mirrored accommodation over two floors and although one has been recently occupied both would benefit from modernisation.

The extensive range of modern and traditional farm buildings has potential for further development, including a double-storey stone-built granary, subject to the necessary consent.

The farm buildings feature farrowing units, livestock housing, grain stores with around 850 tonnes capacity and general-purpose sheds to provide excellent facilities to manage a productive mixed arable and livestock enterprise. High Waupley is served by a private spring water supply.

John Coleman, head of land and farm sales at the firm, said: “High Waupley is a ring-fenced farm currently operating successfully with arable and livestock enterprises with potential opportunities for further investment.”

The sale comes as another leading Yorkshire agent, Savils, revealed that average farmland values in the North of England have continued to increase year on year across almost all land types, according to the latest research.

Quarterly analysis from Savills shows that prime arable land is now trading at an average of £11,277 an acre in the North – up 4.5 per cent compared to the same period last year. This compares to an increase of 2.5 per cent for prime arable land across Great Britain, to an average of £10,200 per acre.

According to the Savills survey, a total of 30,736 acres of farmland have been publicly marketed in the North of England so far this year, but this includes the 9,500 Rothbury estate in Northumberland. This is a big increase on previous years with 18,639 acres, 15,725 acres, 19,196 acres and 23,065 acres being marketed across the North to the same period in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Andrew Black, who leads the rural agency team for Savills in the North of England, said the amount of farmland being openly marketed could increase again next year as farmers make more informed decisions about the future of their business.

He added: “The agricultural transition is progressing and it is now clearer what schemes such as Environmental Land Management and the Sustainable Farming Scheme will require or incentivise.

“Consequently, farmers can now make more informed decisions about the future of their business and property, which in some instances may involve retirement and sale.