ENFORD FARM BLANDFORD FORUM DORSET
ENFORD FARM DURWESTON, BLANDFORD FORUM, DORSET, DT11 0QW An impressive beef and sheep farm with an attractive 19th Century thatched Farmhouse and a superb range of modern farm buildings set in a secluded valley enclosed by beech forest. Blandford Forum 3 miles, Sturminster Newton 5 miles, Poole 15 miles, Salisbury 22 miles. Attractive 19th Century modernised thatched Farmhouse Ring fenced and well drained chalk downland Maturing broad leaf woodland Good track access through the valley Impressive far reaching views of the Stour Valley Extensive range of modern farm buildings Immediate access to bridleway network and the Jubilee Way Superb sporting potential In all about 120 acres (48.56 hectares) as a whole Shaftesbury Office Minster House, The Commons, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8JL T: 01747 852242 E: shaftesbury@w-w.co.uk www.w-w.co.uk
SITUATION Enford Farm is located in a secluded valley overlooking the River Stour, Hambledon Hill, Hod Hill and the Cranborne Chase. The Farm has good road access on to the A357 and is situated approximately ½ mile from the village of Durweston and 3 miles from Blandford Forum where there is a range of services and facilities to cater for most everyday requirements. The nearest major business centres of Poole, Bournemouth and Salisbury are easily accessible via the A357, A350 and A354. There are main line rail services to London Waterloo from Salisbury (approx. 1hr 30 min) and Poole (approx. 2 hr 15 min). The expanding international airports at Bournemouth and Southampton are within an hour of the property and have a developing network of flights. There are numerous sporting and recreational opportunities to be found locally via a network of bridleways and footpaths popular with horse riders, walkers and cyclists. Of particular note is the bridleway running along the edge of the farm that links into Jubilee Way and also the Stour Valley Cycle and Track Way linking Sturminster Newton to Stourpaine and following the old railway line in parallel with the River Stour. There is racing at Wincanton, Taunton, Bath and Salisbury and hunting is with the Portman, Blackmore & Sparkford Vale and Wilton. Golf can be enjoyed at Rushmore at Tollard Royal and Ashley Wood located between Blandford and Wimborne. Sailing and watersports are available at Poole Harbour and Weymouth (sailing venue for the 2012 Olympics). Dorset has excellent private and state schools including renowned girls Prep Schools at Knighton House and Hanford. Clayesmore School at Iwerne Minster, Bryanston at Blandford, Milton Abbey and Canford near Wimborne offer excellent Secondary education. The primary school in the nearby village of Child Okeford has a particularly good reputation and there are secondary modern state schools at Blandford and Sturminster Newton. DESCRIPTION Enford Farm has formerly been run as a dairy farm but is now established and successfully managed as a beef and sheep enterprise utilising the particularly good range of modern farm buildings and well drained chalk land. The farmhouse is believed to have been originally constructed as a farm building in about 1820, converted into two cottages in 1867 and subsequently into a single dwelling in 1979. The current owners purchased the farm from the Crown Estate in 1996 and subsequently set about improving the layout by creating an impressive entrance hall with an oak staircase leading to a central landing with polished oak floorboards and passageways leading to the bedrooms and bathroom facilities. The house was rewired, replumbed and new kitchen and bathroom fittings were added and double glazed windows were installed. The original tile roof was also replaced at this time with thatch and part of the old Shippen was converted and added to the overall accommodation and is currently used as a snooker room. There is potential to convert more of this single storey range of traditional buildings and there is space to extend the farmhouse, subject to planning. The farm, whilst run as a beef and sheep enterprise is adaptable and the buildings, well drained land and bridleway access offer potential for an equestrian enterprise.
CHALK LAND The land is located within a valley known as Enford Bottom and is sheltered on three sides by mature woodland, managed in part by the Forestry Commission. Apart from a small paddock and area of woodland the farm is located within a ring fence with excellent access from a central track running up the valley. The fields are fed by a private water supply to field troughs and are enclosed by well maintained stock proof fence boundaries. Most of the fields are traversable by tractor. The soil is understood to be light/medium loam over chalk. METHOD OF SALE Enford Farm is offered for sale as a whole by Private Treaty. WOODLAND There is about 15 acres of woodland on the farm comprising four blocks of mature broad leaf woodland and most impressively of all Kite Hill Coppice that was previously managed by the Forestry Commission and is established as maturing beech.
FARM BUILDINGS The original range of buildings was increased in size and three new barns have been erected, as has a most impressive workshop with lean-to barn. The rainwater is recycled into holding tanks and water troughs. Please note that the holding tanks are not included in the sale and for identification, please refer to the Agents. In addition there is a concrete silage bay and muck storage area that drains into a dirty water tank to be piped up the valley. The barns consist of (see block plan): 1. Dutch Barn with Lean-to Livestock Bays - 18.29m (60ft) x 15.24m (50ft) Steel frame and rolled steel roof, concrete panel walls. Chalk base. 2. Machinery Store - 27.43m (90ft) x 6.1m (20ft) Mono pitch, steel frame, open fronted, steel clad, box profile, steel roof. Chalk base. 3. Lean-to Hay Store - 24.38m (80ft) x 7.62m (25ft) Steel frame, block walls and timber cladding. Chalk base. 4. Work Shop - 24.38m (80ft) x 7.62m (25ft) Brick built and part steel clad (box profile) corrugated roof. 15.24m (50ft) concrete mezzanine, roller shutter door. 5. Feed Passage, Lean-to - 33.83m (111ft) x 6.71m (22ft). Steel frame lean-to, corrugated roof, concrete floor. Covered Yard - 33.83m (111ft) x 6.71m (22ft) Apex design, part brick, block and timber sleeper walls. Feeding rails against feed passage. Chalk base. Covered Yard - 20.12m (66ft) x 9.14m (30ft) Irregular shape, concrete retaining walls, feed rails. Chalk base. 6. Straw Barn - 13.72m (45ft) x 6.71m (22ft) Concrete frame, corrugated roof, block walls and part corrugated steel walls. Chalk base. 7. Lean-to Cow Stall - 13.72m (45ft) x 6.71m (22ft) Block walls, concrete frame. Chalk base. 8. Covered Cattle Race and Sorting Shed - 5.18m (17ft) x 13.41m (44ft) Block wall, timber roof clad in galvanized steel. 9. Sheep Race concrete yard area. 10. Mono pitch Store - 13.03m (42ft 9in) x 7.62m (25ft) (Including overhang). Steel frame, open front, brick built with some timber cladding, corrugated steel roof, concrete floor, and enclosed garage with roller shutter door and steel frame carport. 11. Car Port - 4.57m (15ft) x 3.05m (10ft) Concrete frame. 12. Cold Room - 9.14m (30ft) x 4.57m (15ft) Brick built. 13. A range of stalls and outbuildings - 8.23m (27ft) x 5.18m (17ft) Block construction, apex roof, block internal walls. 14. Store Rooms (The Old Dairy) - 21.34m (70ft) x 4.57m (15ft) Arranged as two rooms, block walls under a clay tile roof. 15. New Barn - 36.58m (120ft) x 12.19m (40ft) Apex design, concrete sides, steel frame, with part Yorkshire boarding and part enclosed steel sheeted sides under a steel roof. 16. Silage Pit Concrete sides and base, open top. 17. Muck Store Concrete sides and base, open top 18. Quarry Barn - 30.48m (100ft) x 15.24m (50ft) Steel frame, fibre cement roof. Chalk base. Lean-to, Feed and Loafing Area - 18.29m (60ft) x 6.71m (22ft) steel frame. Chalk base. Cattle Sorting and Isolation Pen - 12.19m (40ft) x 6.1m (20ft) Chalk base. Farmbuildings Plan
SPORTING POTENTIAL The steep sided valley and significant areas of woodland as well as a former chalk quarry, when combined with the private and secluded position of Enford Farm, offer an exciting opportunity to establish a small family shoot. The farm was sold by the Crown Estate with the benefit of fishing rights along a stretch of the River Stour. TENURE AND POSSESSION The tenure of the property is Freehold and Vacant Possession will be given upon completion, subject to right of holdover. SERVICES Mains electricity (3 phase), water (metered) and gas are connected. The farm is served by a private septic tank drainage system. The farmhouse has gas fired central heating, a gas fired Aga, two electric night storage heaters in the snooker room and a woodburner in the sitting room. The Aga can also heat the hot water in addition to the gas boiler and an electric immersion heater. The land is served by a mains water supply from the farm. The current owner has previously commissioned a report that concludes a bore hole could be installed together with a reservoir to supply the farm. Field 6376 is served by a private metered water supply from the neighbouring farm. AUTHORITIES North Dorset District Council; 01258 454111 Dorset County Council; 01305 251000 DEFRA; 0845 933 5577 Natural England; 0845 600 3078 DESIGNATIONS The farm lies within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is also designated an Environmentally Sensitive Area. Part of Field 2500 is identified as a site of Archaeological Importance and Field 8600 is classified as a site of Nature Conservation Interest. The farm is located within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). COUNCIL TAX The Council Tax for Enford Farmhouse is Band E. SINGLE PAYMENT SCHEME AND ENTITLEMENTS The Entitlements held: Number (Ha.) Type Region 2010 Euro Value/Ha. 2010 Value/Ha. 40.59 Normal Lowland 317.50 273.03 These Entitlements will be made available to the purchaser. If the purchaser does not wish to purchase the Entitlements, then the vendors reserve the right to sell the Entitlements to third parties. For the avoidance of doubt the 2011 claim will be retained by the vendors. ENTRY LEVEL STEWARDSHIP AGREEMENT (ELS) The farm is entered into the ELS scheme and the agreement was renewed on 01 August 2010. The purchaser will be required to continue this agreement until the termination date of 31 July 2015. Further details are available from the vendors agents.
VAT Any guide prices quoted or discussed are exclusive of VAT. In the event that a sale of the property or any part of it or any right attached to it becomes chargeable for the purposes of VAT, such tax shall be payable by the Purchaser. FISHING RIGHTS When the Crown Estate sold Enford Farm in 1996 it was their understanding that they held the Fishing Rights but the documentation could not be found. The extract below, taken from the sale contract, states that any rights that the Estate possesses over this part of the River Stour will be transferred to the owner of Enford Farm. The benefit of such estate right and interest that the Commissioners have in that part of the River Stour which forms part of the Property hereby conveyed and also in that part of the said River adjoining the land hereby conveyed including (for the avoidance of doubt) all rights of bathing boating and fishing therein including a right to make use and enter that part of the said river which adjoins the Property hereby conveyed for the purpose of access to the river banks for the maintenance and repair of the banks. DEEDS, RIGHTS OF WAY, EASEMENTS AND BOUNDARIES Enford Farm is sold subject to and with the benefit of all rights of way whether public or private, light, support, drainage, water and electricity supplies and other rights and obligations, easements quasi-easements and restrictive covenants and all existing and proposed wayleaves, poles, pylons, drains, water pipes whether referred to in these particulars of sale or not. The purchaser shall be deemed to have full knowledge of the boundaries and the ownership thereof. A bridleway runs along the western boundary of the Farm as identified on the plan. Consumables and all other stores, fuels, oils at cost RMVs & UMVs will be charged at 15 per acre on all farmland VAT will be paid in addition if applicable No counter claim will be allowed for dilapidations of any nature The valuation money is payable on completion and interest will be charged at the rate of 4% above the then prevailing Lloyds TSB base rate on any amount outstanding Should the valuation not be agreed within four weeks of completion, the matter should be referred to the decision of a single Arbitrator to be appointed by agreement or in the event of a dispute by the President of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers. FIXTURES AND FITTINGS All fixtures, curtains, carpets, ornamental and wall lights, garden ornaments, garden furniture, stone troughs and plant pots, etc are specifically excluded from the sale of the freehold but may be available by separate negotiation. HEALTH AND SAFETY Given the potential hazards of a working farm, we would ask you to be as vigilant as possible for your own personal safety when making your inspection, particularly around the buildings. HOLDOVER The vendor reserves the right to exercise holdover until 30th September 2011 for all crops and clamped silage, if required INGOING VALUATION The purchaser shall, in addition to the purchase price, be required to take over and pay for the following items; All standing crops of market value All silage either bagged or clamped, at market value or consuming value whichever is greater in accordance with CAAV All harvested crops in store at market value Leys at face value Any cultivation, seed sown, fertilisers spread, sprays or lime applied, from which a crop has not been taken in accordance with CAAV costing at the time
DIRECTIONS From Shaftesbury proceed South along the A350 and after passing through Stourpaine turn right at the traffic lights on to the A357 signposted to Durweston. Proceed through the village and after passing through an area of woodland, Enford Farm will be found on the left. Alternatively from Blandford Forum proceed North along the A350 to the traffic lights before turning left, passing over the River Stour to Durweston on the A357.
VIEWINGS Strictly by prior appointment only Shaftesbury Office Minster House, The Commons, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8JL T: 01747 852242 shaftesbury@w-w.co.uk www.w-w.co.uk