Somerset Council has announced the sale of a substantial farm near the A303, aiming to raise funds to support vital front-line services across the county.
Lawrence Farm, located on Moor Lane just south of the dual carriageway on the outskirts of Wincanton, includes a farmhouse, various outbuildings, and approximately 75 acres (over 30 hectares) of agricultural land.
In November 2023, the council voted to review its county farms portfolio as part of a wider assessment of its land, assets, and property holdings. The goal is to identify and dispose of properties considered surplus to requirements, redirecting any proceeds towards essential services.
READ MORE: Couple Who Transformed Bath Suburb Celebrate 60th Wedding Anniversary
READ MORE: Council Approves £50,000 Repair for Fire Alarms at Frome Leisure Centre
The farm will be marketed on the open market, divided into four separate lots. Although the council has not shared an estimated value for the sale, it has confirmed that an uplift clause will be included to ensure it benefits financially from any future development of the land.
The farmhouse has been vacant since March, following the council’s negotiations with the previous tenant who agreed to end their tenancy. Meanwhile, the farm buildings and remaining land are currently under a six-month tenancy set to expire at the end of September.
Lawrence Farm is bordered by Brains Farm to the east, a solar panel installation to the south, and a Wessex Water waste treatment facility to the west. The River Cale traverses a significant portion of the property.
David Ashton, a property officer with Somerset Council, explained that plans to submit a planning application for converting the farm buildings to residential use have been put on hold due to flood risk concerns and the associated delays and possibility of refusal.
“Our estates team has halted submitting a planning application to convert the farm buildings for residential use, due to flood risk issues that have arisen and the associated lengthy delay and risk of refusal,” said Ashton. “The asset will be disposed of via the open market, in various lots, with the appropriate covenants and/or uplift in place.”
Typically, capital receipts from asset sales cannot be used to fund routine spending on front-line services. However, Somerset Council has obtained government approval - for the third consecutive year - to use proceeds from asset disposals to support these essential services alongside its ongoing transformation programme.
The council has withheld details regarding the expected revenue from the sale, citing commercial sensitivity.