Over the past three years, Somerset Council has sold nearly 300 acres of farmland, generating upwards of £9.1 million in revenue, Somerset Live can reveal. The local authority, facing significant financial challenges, has utilised the proceeds from these sales to help support front-line public services.
Data obtained through a freedom of information request shows that the council’s farm estate, which consisted of 53 holdings covering 2,995 acres in April 2023, had reduced to 33 holdings spanning 2,696 acres by April 2026.
In November 2023, the council agreed to review its county farms as part of a broader assessment of its assets, land, and property portfolio. This review was undertaken following a government directive for the council to improve its financial position. Notably, the council received special permission to allocate funds from farm sales towards essential day-to-day services, including adult social care.
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The Donyatt holding near Chard remains the largest farm within the council estate, covering about 1,206 acres. This includes Pond Farm, an 83-acre property situated between Ilminster and Chard. Previously, the council sold a small five-acre section of Pond Farm along with associated buildings. In the most recent transaction, the council offered for sale a three-bedroom bungalow and an additional 45 acres of pastureland from Pond Farm, priced at £925,000.
Despite these sales, approximately 31.3 acres of the land are being retained by the council and may either be leased to tenant farmers or potentially used for rewilding projects.
In August, Lawrence Farm, a 75-acre livestock and residential farm near Wincanton and close to the A303, was also placed on the market with an asking price exceeding £1.3 million. The farm includes a detached farmhouse and various livestock buildings alongside pastureland. The farmhouse has stood vacant since March after the council and the previous tenant agreed to end the tenancy.
When questioned about the intended use of the proceeds from these farm sales, the council declined to disclose details, citing commercial sensitivity. Despite a formal FOI request, the council stated it does not hold information specifying how the funds will be allocated.
George Dunn, Chief Executive of the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), expressed concern over the long-term implications of these sales for local communities. He highlighted that while local authorities face many financial demands and the country has become increasingly urbanised, food production remains important, as does the management of the countryside.
Mr Dunn emphasised that county farm estates provide vital opportunities for new farmers who might otherwise lack the capital to enter the agricultural sector. He argued that such estates should be regarded as national assets with coordinated management rather than being focused primarily on their capital value.
The TFA is wary of a growing emphasis among some local authorities, including Somerset’s, on generating immediate financial returns from farm estate sales to address other community challenges. The association advocates for a strategic, long-term approach to managing these estates that supports aspiring farmers while allowing councils to benefit financially.
In summary, Somerset Council’s significant reduction in farmland holdings is part of a wider strategy to manage financial pressures, but it raises important questions about the future of local agriculture and community access to farming opportunities.