A versatile smallholding with boarding kennels and equestrian facilities within an attractive and accessible location
Hartfield Farm was run as a commercial livestock farm until the spring of 2024 when the majority of the land was sold for tree planting. The remaining smallholding provides a blank canvas for a new owner to explore further rural business opportunities (in addition to the existing boarding kennels) such as equestrian/livery, commercial storage or simply to enjoy a country lifestyle opportunity.
The farmhouse provides modernised accommodation with four bedrooms and one reception room and is attached to further stone buildings should a new owner wish to extend the accommodation (subject to the appropriate consents). The steading traditionally supported the livestock enterprise and consequently there is an extensive range of portal framed buildings with associated slurry storage which could convert to other uses.
There are presently five stables within the traditional stone building range and a floodlit outdoor arena with a sand and fibre surface.
The farmland extends to approximately 21.09 acres (8.54 hectares) used for grazing purposes and dog exercising (in conjunction with the boarding kennels).
Hartfield is approached via a charming mature tree-lined single track public road from which the farmhouse and steading are accessed. The farmhouse is a stone and slate dwelling presented over 1.5 storeys with dormer windows to the rear elevation. The dining kitchen benefits from dual aspect windows and features a modern country kitchen with fitted floor and wall units and bespoke locally sourced solid wood worktops. There is an electric Cuisinemaster Pro range cooker, a fridge and integrated dishwasher. Off the kitchen is the utility area with a small range of built in cupboards and worktop, and space for both washing machine and tumble dryer. There is a shower room off the utility room.
The living room is accessed from the kitchen and has dual aspect windows and a wood burning stove. There are two downstairs bedrooms, a bathroom and a sun room which completes the ground floor accommodation.
The stairs to the first floor lead to the landing, off which there is a principal bedroom suite with dressing room and en suite shower room. Also on this level is a WC and a further bedroom.
The farmhouse benefits from a good sized garden which is enclosed by stone dykes and wooden fencing, and includes an outbuilding and paved patio, raised vegetable beds and a large area of lawn.
Attached to the rear of the farmhouse are traditional buildings which house the 75kW Heizomat biomass boiler (which also provides underfloor heating in the kennels). The boiler is registered for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) running to 2035. The rest of this building serves as a general storage/tack room and there are solar panels mounted on the roof (with feed in tariff). A further traditional range on the opposite side of the yard houses loose boxes/stabling for up to five horses which can be exercised in the floodlit outdoor arena. There are a number of portal framed buildings which traditionally housed cattle, machinery and silage but which could be converted to further stabling, storage or other uses (subject to any necessary consents). One of the buildings to the northwestern corner, accessible from the public road, is being retained by the seller, but with a right of pre-emption to be granted to the purchaser of Hartfield.
The Hartfield Boarding Kennels and Grooming business was opened by the current owners in 2017 and runs profitably with a loyal client base, providing 30 heated kennels. The business is licensed by the Local Authority to board up to 55 dogs. The kennels have been developed from both existing and purpose built outbuildings and feature a reception/shop area, grooming room, various ancillary rooms (such as kitchen, WC, stores), an indoor exercise area (with astroturf) as well as the kennels themselves which are laid out in two blocks of 17 and 13 kennels respectively. Externally there is a small paddock adjacent to the building with high fencing for dogs as well as two further dog-fenced walking paddocks to the north of the public road which are used to exercise the dogs (about 2.91 acres). The kennels business currently employs three full time staff. It is our client's intention to close the business in November 2024 unless a buyer is identified who wishes to take over the running of the business, in which event the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations would apply to the staff.
In addition to the dog exercise paddocks mentioned above, there is a large paddock to the east of the farm steading which extends to about 18.18 acres. The land is classified by the James Hutton Institute of Soil Research as predominantly Class 4(2) which is land capable of producing a narrow range of crops, primarily on grassland with short arable breaks of forage crops. It is generally sloping ground with an altitude ranging from 195m to 215m above sea level.
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