About this property

Detailed Description

INTRODUCTION
Hole Farm extends in total to approximately 171.34 hectares (423.44 acres). With its combination of a period 6 bedroom Farmhouse, a useful range of modern and traditional buildings, together with 161.28 hectares (398.58 acres) of productive arable land, Hole Farm is a rare offering in the market.

Hole Farmhouse is located in the centre of the farm with good access from the Public Highway providing a secluded and private family home.

The productive arable land has been farmed "in hand" with circa 3.21 hectares (7.92 acres) of grassland providing grazing for livestock. There are some small areas of woodland that give amenity and sporting potential plus a vineyard planted in 2019.

LOCATION AND SITUATION
Hole Farm lies to the north of the village of Finchingfield (2.5 miles) and to the west of Sible Hedingham (8 Miles). The town of Braintree lies 10 miles to the south. The farm has direct access off the Public Highway, Stambourne Road, with a private drive leading to the farm buildings and house, part of which is shared with an adjoining property. Direct train services to London Liverpool Street are available from Braintree (approx. 1 hour).

LOT 1 - HOLE FARMHOUSE, OUTBUILDINGS AND GRASSLAND EXTENDING TO 3.80 HECTARES (9.41 ACRES) COLOURED BLUE ON THE SALE PLAN
Hole Farmhouse / The Old Farmhouse
The private drive leads to the front of the property with the residential drive sweeping in front of the house and leading to a private courtyard to the rear. Here there is a stable block and range of outbuildings.

The house has rendered elevations under a double pitched peg tiled roof with a later extension off the kitchen with a slate roof. To the front of the house lies a large garden mainly laid to lawn with flower beds and a hedge border. The garden sweeps round to the side of the house to a patio area which has views over the adjoining land. There is also a pond.

The dwelling was modernised five years ago to a high standard, including renewed bathrooms and a well-appointed kitchen. It has in recent years been operated as a holiday let.

The accommodation is arranged over three floors, as shown on the floor plan and comprises the following:

Ground Floor
Front door leading into;
Entrance Hall - Timber floorboards and doors leading to; Drawing Room, Dining Room, Sitting Room, Cloakroom, Utility and Kitchen.

Sitting Room -A dual aspect room with a bay window overlooking the front garden. Inglenook fireplace with log burner, timber floorboards and exposed beams.

Dining Room -Timber floorboards, open fireplace with log burner. A bay window overlooks the front garden with a door leading to the Hall and an open wall leading to the Kitchen.

Drawing Room -Inglenook fireplace with a log burner, timber floor boards, exposed beams and doors leading to Hall and Side Hall through to Office Room.

Lobby - External door leading to the side of the property and door leading to the Office.

Family Room - Timber floorboards, exposed beams and dual aspect windows overlooking the courtyard to the rear.

Cloakroom -Wash handbasin, WC and tiled floor.

Utility - Rear door, sink and fitted units.

Kitchen - Central kitchen island, fitted kitchen units above and below with Belfast sink and Rangemaster. Tiled floor and glazed sliding doors leading to the patio.

First Floor
Staircase leading from Entrance Hall onto the;

Landing ;
Bedroom 1 - A double room with a window overlooking the front of the property, fireplace, small storage cupboard and an en-suite shower room with wood floor, WC, wash handbasin and shower cubicle with power shower.

Bedroom 2 - A double room with windows overlooking the side of the property, storage cupboard and a door leading to en-suite shower room with WC and wash handbasin.

Bedroom 3 - A double room with a window overlooking the front of the property.

Bedroom 4 - A double/twin room with a window overlooking the side of the property.

Family Bathroom - Bath and power shower, wash handbasin and WC.

Second Floor
Stairs leading from the First Floor landing to 2 further attic bedrooms. Windows in the gable ends and Velux windows in the roof. The space is divided into two areas with limited headroom due to eaves.

Outside
The formal gardens extend to the front of the property with a fenced area to the side providing a secure dog run. To the rear of the property lies a range of useful outbuildings including;

Old Granary (4.7m x 5.6m) - A two storey former granary recently re-clad with timber weatherboarding under fibre cement roof sat on brick plinths. Water is connected.

Garage - Single garage clad with timber under a tile roof with an up and over door to the front and pedestrian door to the rear.

Stable Block (12.2m x 5.5m) - A range of stables including two smaller pony stables and two horse stables overlooking the courtyard. Water connected.

Small Barn - A timber framed and clad building under a tile roof with double doors to the front and a pedestrian door currently utilised as a farm office.

Cart Lodge - Attached to the Small Barn an open fronted double bay cart lodge with brick plinth walls, clad with timber under a tile roof with concrete floor.

Building Plot - To the rear of the Small Barn and Cart Lodge an area of land was granted full planning permission (Ref. No.: 20/00832/FUL) for the demolition of barn and erection of a single dwelling, along with garden space, parking and access. The proposed dwelling has 5 bedrooms. The building was demolished in 2022 following the discharge of conditions 4,6,7 and 8 under application 21/02674/DAC.

Subsequently an application for a Lawful Development Certificate has been submitted to the council to confirm that the works have been undertaken lawfully and that the planning permission remains extant. Further detail regarding the applications can be viewed on the Council's website.

Grassland
The grassland extends to approximately 3.21 hectares (7.92 acres) and lies to the north of the farmstead providing useful grazing land for livestock and/or horses.

LOT 2 - AGRICULTURAL LAND AND BUILDINGS EXTENDING TO 167.54 HECTARES (414.03 ACRES) COLOURED YELLOW ON THE SALE PLAN
Land
The land is accessed from the main drive with arable fields extending to the north and south as shown on the Sale Plan. The land has been farmed under a combinable crop rotation with field sizes suitable for modern agricultural practices. The land includes 0.73 hectares (1.80 acres) of woodland belts which provide amenity and potential sporting value.

The vineyard was planted in March 2019 and extends to approximately 7.89 acres. This is registered with the Foods Standard Agency and contains a mixture of grape varieties. Further information can be obtained from the Selling Agents.

Farmyard
The farm buildings are located in the centre of the farm close to the house and includes: -
An extensive concrete yard provides access to;

Grain Store (18.24m x 18.29m) - Steel portal frame with fibre cement roof and cladding, part concrete block walls and part grainwalling, concrete floor and sliding doors.

Machinery Store (22.47m x 17.4m) - Steel portal frame with box profile cladding and part concrete panel walls, a fibre cement roof, concrete and roller shutter door.

Lean-to (22.47m x 9.33m) - Steel portal frame with part concrete block walls and box profile sheeting under a fibre cement roof. One bay is open.

Store - A recently renovated timber clad building on a brick and concrete plinth under a tiled roof. Glazed sliding doors overlook the farmland and vineyard.

Grain Store (36m x 24m) - Constructed in 2021, a steel portal frame with concrete panels and steel cladding under a fibre cement sheet roof. Concrete floor. The building comprises four bays, each accessed via a roller shutter door, and can store a total of 2,000 tonnes of grain.

Lean-to - A steel portal frame partly enclosed with box profile sheeting. This lean-to houses a batch grain dryer which is available by separate negotiation. The 30-tonne batch dryer is fed from a large concrete block reception pit with an auger then feeding dried grain into the right hand bay of the grain store.

GENERAL REMARKS AND STIPULATIONS
METHOD OF SALE
The freehold of the property is offered for sale by Private Treaty as a whole or in two Lots with vacant possession.

COMPANY PURCHASE
The majority of Lot 2, approx. 106.50 hectares (263 acres), is owned by Crossbrook Farms Limited. The Vendors preference is to sell 100% of the issued shared capital of Crossbrook Farms Limited. The land owned by Crossbrook Farms Limited has been farmed by Berwick Hall Farm Ltd under a simple FBT arrangement, and otherwise this company has done very little as all commercial arrangements for the farm are made by Berwick Hall Farm Ltd. Further details available form the Vendors Agents.

EXCHANGE OF CONTRACTS AND COMPLETION
Exchange of contracts to take place 21 days after receipt by the Purchaser's Solicitor of the draft contract with completion post-harvest.

A deposit of 10% of the purchase price will be payable on exchange of contracts. If early entry is required then purchasers will be asked to pay an additional 10% at that stage.

LAND CLASSIFICATION
The soils are mainly of the Hanslope Series being described as slowly permeable clayey soils. The farm is shown as Grade 2 on the Provisional Ministry of Agricultural Classification Map for the Eastern Region.

PAST CROPPING
The previous cropping includes a rotation of combinable crops. A past Cropping Schedule is available from the Vendors Agents.

STATUTORY DESIGNATION
The land lies within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.

WAYLEAVES, EASEMENTS AND RIGHTS OF WAY
The farm is sold subject to and with the benefit of all existing rights, including rights of way, whether public or private, light, support, drainage, water, and electricity supplies and other rights, easements, quasi-easements, and all wayleaves whether referred to or not in these particulars.

There are Public Footpaths and a Bridleway crossing parts of Lot 2.

A right of way will be granted, as required, benefitting Lot 1 over the main access track as marked A-B on the Sale Plan.

There is a right of way providing alternative access to part of the land in Lot 2 as shown marked blue between X - Y on the Sale Plan.

There are overhead electricity cables and pylons crossing the property.

LAND DRAINAGE
The majority of the arable land is under drained and the Vendor has some plans which can be viewed by appointment.

SERVICES
The Farmhouse has mains electricity and water, a private sewage system and oil-fired central heating. The buildings benefit from mains electricity. The grain dryer is operated by a generator which is available by separate negotiation.

OUTGOINGS
As the Farmhouse is currently run as a holiday let, the dwelling is subject to Business Rates. The current Rateable Value is £2,500, with a future Rateable Value of £3,600 (from 1st April 2026).

Previously the Farmhouse was in Council Tax Band F. General Drainage charges are payable to the Environment Agency in respect of the agricultural land.

VAT
Should any sale of the farm, or any right attached to it become a chargeable supply for the purpose of VAT, such tax shall be payable by the purchaser in addition to the contract price.

SPORTING, MINERALS AND TIMBER
All sporting and mineral rights and timber or timber like trees (except as reserved by Statute or to the Crown) are included in the sale.

TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING
The Purchaser will be deemed to have full knowledge and have satisfied themselves as to the planning matters that may affect the property.

Regarding planning permission Ref. No. 20/00832/FUL an application for a Lawful Development Certificate has been submitted to the Local Planning Authority.

FIXTURES AND FITTINGS
All fixtures and fittings are excluded from the sale unless specifically referred to in these particulars.

PLANS AREAS AND SCHEDULES
These have been prepared as carefully as possible and based on Ordnance Survey data. The plans are published for illustrative purposes only and although they are believed to be correct, their accuracy is not guaranteed.

VIEWINGS
Strictly by appointment with Brown & Co. Please contact:

Robert Fairey - 07768 465741 | robert.fairey@brown-co.com

Nicholas Staton - 07788 362305 | nicholas.staton@brown-co.com

USEFUL ADDRESSES
Braintree District Council
Causeway House, Braintree, Essex, CM7 9HD
T: 01376 552525

Essex County Council
County Hall, Market Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1QH
T: 0345 7430430

WHAT 3 WORDS LOCATION SEQUENCE
Farm Access - ///parks.even.segregate