Talla Farm, Tweedsmuir, Biggar, Scottish Borders, ML12

CLOSING DATE SET FOR TUESDAY, 10 December 2024 AT 12 NOON.

SITUATION
Talla Farm is wonderfully positioned in one of the most scenic areas of the Scottish Borders, on the south eastern shores of the Talla Reservoir, approximately 4 miles southeast of the village of Tweedsmuir and some 40 miles south of Edinburgh. The farm enjoys a secluded position benefiting from uninterrupted views over the surrounding countryside along the Talla Reservoir to the north and of the surrounding valleys and hills.

The village of Broughton about 12 miles to the north offers day to day amenities including a local primary school, community shop and tea room and an independent garage, and since 1979, the village has been home to Broughton Ales, Scotland’s original independent microbrewery. There is an active rural community, which recently opened the Wee Crook Café as a vibrant village hub in 2023, on the site of the famous Crook Inn where Rabbie Burns used to write.

The surrounding area has become famous for its all year round sporting and recreational amenities, including salmon fishing on the River Tweed, grouse and pheasant shooting on local estates, golf courses at Peebles, Biggar and Moffat, and there are several highly regarded and challenging walking and cycling routes including the “Wall of Talla” which forms part of southern boundary of the farm.

The former market town of Biggar is 14 miles north west and provides all necessary services and amenities alongside many independent retailers. Further afield, Peebles, 22 miles to the north east, offers a wider range of retail and cultural opportunities as well as the world famous Glentress mountain bike venue. Secondary school children would travel by bus to Peebles High School following their primary education at Broughton.

The M74 motorway is situated approximately 20 miles to the south west providing access to the South and North West England, with the Edinburgh City By-pass and M8 located 36 miles to the north east and 39 miles to the north respectively, providing further access to the majority of central Scotland and the North.Edinburgh with all the facilities of a capital city is about 40 miles to the north and offers a wide range of amenities including retail centres, leisure and business facilities, and provides regular mainline railway connections and international airports.

HISTORY
Talla farm originally formed part of the larger The Talla and Gameshope property which was a substantial sheep farm extending to some 5,300 acres, until the wider property was divided up back in 2017 and Talla was then sold to the current owners. The wider area is famed for its historical links during the 13th century as a stronghold for campaigns for independence led by William Wallace as well as being a battleground for the endless disputes across the Scottish Border.
In more recent times, Talla has been used in conjunction with the seller’s wider farming operations since 2017, and due to it being located within one of the most spectacular locations in Southern Scotland, the farmhouse and surrounding land have also been used as the location for several films and TV adverts such as TK Maxx and H&M.

DESCRIPTION
Talla Farm is centred on a charming traditional 4-bed farmhouse benefiting from a private area of garden grounds, with a useful and adaptable traditional outbuilding, currently used as a stable and store, a modern-built sheep shed and a former Bothy. The residential property is surrounded by a contiguous block of productive pasture land and upland grazing, with a large area of recently planted mixed amenity woodland which in all extends to approximately 308.52 Ha (762.35 Acres) including roads, yards and buildings.
The farmhouse and buildings are situated in a private and secluded location and benefit from views over the surrounding countryside and the Talla reservoir which was opened in 1905 to supply the increasing water demands of the expanding city of Edinburgh. The land extends to north and east of the farmhouse and buildings and comprises a mix of in-bye pasture, hill ground and recently planted broadleaved woodland. The farm and surrounding area are a haven for wildlife and sightings of Black Grouse, Golden Eagles, Peregrine and Ospreys are all common in and around the reservoir and surrounding land forming Talla.

METHOD OF SALE
Talla Farm is offered for sale as a whole or in 3 lots.

LOT 1: TALLA FARMHOUSE, OUTBUILDINGS AND LAND EXTENDING TO 6.84 HA (16.90 ACRES)
Farmhouse
Talla farmhouse is situated on the south eastern shores of the Talla Reservoir and presents an attractive traditional stone-built farmhouse under a slated roof enjoying a southernly aspect, and outstanding and ever changing views across the surrounding countryside. The farmhouse provides spacious accommodation set out over two levels including a large kitchen diner, living room, sitting room, utility room, two shower rooms and 2 double bedrooms on the ground floor, with a further 2 double bedrooms and a large landing area on the first floor. The accommodation and room dimensions are set out in more detail within the floor plan contained in these particulars.

Garden Grounds
The farmhouse benefits from a large area of garden ground which surrounds the property and is mostly laid to lawn. There are a number of mature trees located to the rear of the property which provide privacy and shelter. The property is accessed via a private gated driveway which leads from the public road to a large area of hard standing adjacent to the farmhouse and buildings, providing ample space for parking or additional storage needs.

Farm Buildings
Talla Farm is well equipped with both traditional and modern outbuildings which lie adjacent to the farmhouse and include a sizeable yard area. The traditional buildings on Talla may present future opportunities for conversion and development to alternative use, subject to obtaining necessary planning consents. The buildings comprise:

Log Store/Stable/Garage (5.81m x 5.98m + 5.78m x 5.92m)
Of traditional stone construction under a slate roof with a concrete floor and small loft space above.

Modern Sheep Shed (31.40m x 12.90m)
Of timber frame construction under a box profile roof with a concrete floor, timber and Yorkshire board side cladding. The building is also equipped with recently installed LED lights and roller wind breakers.

Kennels
There are 6 timber-built dog kennels under a felt roof with a concrete floor.

Bothy (8.27m x 4.28m)
Of traditional stone construction under a slate roof and earth floor. There are also range of external stone built sheep pens adjacent to the bothy.

The Land
The land within Lot 1 extends to approximately 6.84 Ha (16.90 Acres) in total including roads, yards and buildings. The land immediately surrounds the farmhouse and outbuildings to the north, east and south and comprises an area of productive in-bye pasture split into several enclosures and is currently utilised for grazing sheep. The land has been principally classified by the James Hutton Institute as Grade 5.1 with a small section of Grade 6.1 towards the south west. The land rises from approximately 293.5m above sea level at its lowest point on the western boundary of Lot 1, to 345m above sea level on the south eastern boundary. The fields are of a good practical size and would be well suited the grazing of livestock or for equestrian use and are predominantly enclosed by dry stone walls.

LOT 2: LAND EXTENDING TO 228.17 HA (563.81 ACRES)
The land within Lot 2 extends to approximately 228.17 Ha (563.81 Acres) in total and runs parallel with the northern shore of the Talla Reservoir and is bound to the south by the minor public road. The land in Lot 2 forms a steep area of hill ground, which is of south westerly aspect and rises from approximately 292m above sea level at the lowest point adjacent to public road to 700m above sea level at its highest point to the north east of Lot 3. The land has been principally classified as grade 6.1 and 6.3 by the James Hutton Institute and is enclosed by an area of deer fencing. The land in Lot 2 forms part of an existing Scottish Rural Development Priorities (SRDP) Scheme Contract which was entered into in 2013 with respect to a native woodland creation scheme. The majority of Lot 2 apart from a section of the land to the north west of the holding, has also been designated as being within the Tweedsmuir Hills Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

LOT 3: LAND EXTENDING TO 73.51 HA (181.64 ACRES)
The land within Lot 3 extends to approximately 73.51 Ha (181.64 Acres) in total and extends north and east of the farmhouse and comprises an area of hill pasture ground, and the Talla Water which runs along the southern boundary of Lot 3 before entering the Talla Reservoir.
The majority of the land is utilised for sheep grazing and rises from approximately 295m above sea level at the lowest point to the west of the land and adjacent to the public road, to approximately 600m above sea level at the highest point to the north of Lot 3. The land within Lot 3 has also been designated as being within the Tweedsmuir Hills Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

POST CODE
ML12 6QP

DIRECTIONS
The road leading to Talla off the A701 is located at Tweedsmuir about 8 miles south of Broughton and is sign posted Talla. Follow this road to the dam and then up the north shore of the reservoir. Talla Farmhouse is situated at the head of the reservoir on the left.

WHAT3WORDS
To find this property location to within 3 metres, download and use What3Words and enter the following 3 words:
Lot 1:
Lot 2:
Lot 3:

VIEWING
Strictly by appointment with the Selling Agents.

IACS
All the farmland is registered for IACS purposes.

NITRATE VULNERABLE ZONE (NVZ)
The land at Talla Farm is not included within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.

BASIC PAYMENT SCHEME (BPSE) 2024
Any BPSE payments relating to the 2024 scheme year will be retained by the Seller. If applicable, the Purchaser(s) will be responsible upon occupation of the subjects of sale to comply fully with the Statutory Management requirements to maintain the farmland in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) as laid down under the Cross Compliance rules of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) for the remainder of the scheme year.
The Seller may enter discussions with the Purchaser to transfer the right to receive Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) Entitlements in addition to the heritable property by separate negotiation. Further details are available from the selling Agents.

SCOTTISH RURAL DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES (SRDP) CONTRACT SCHEME
There is a Scottish Rural Development Priorities (SDRP) Contract Scheme which covers all of the land forming Lot 2 with respect to Native Woodland Creation scheme, which was entered into on 20th of December 2013 providing an additional source of grant income. The purchaser(s) of Lot 2 will be responsible upon occupation of the subjects of sale to comply with all ongoing management requirements to maintain the woodland as laid down under the SRDP scheme for the remainder of the scheme until 2030. Further details are available from the Selling Agents.

LESS-FAVOURED AREA SUPPORT SCHEME (LFASS)
All of the land has been designated as being within a Less-Favoured Area

MINERALS
In so far as these rights form part of the property title they are included within the sale.

TIMBER
All fallen and standing timber is included in the sale as so far as it is owned by the seller

SPORTING RIGHTS
In so far as these rights form part of the property title they are included within the sale.

FIXTURES AND FITTINGS
No other items are included unless mentioned in the sales particulars. The furniture within the farmhouse (Lot 1 ) would be available to purchase in addition by separate negotiation.

CLAWBACK AGREEMENT
The missives of sale will be subject to an existing Minute of Agreement in favour of a previous owner, to clawback 30% of net income of energy development, in the event of planning permission being granted for any renewable development purposes within any of the subjects of sale being obtained subsequent from date of entry until to 17 May 2032. It is a condition of sale that the purchaser(s) upon entry will take on the existing clawback liability from the Seller, and in addition to the existing clawback agreement, the missives of sale will be subject to the purchaser(s) granting a new agreement in favour of the Sellers to clawback 30% of net income of energy development, in the event of planning permission being granted for development for any renewable purposes, over the subjects of sale, being obtained subsequent from the 17th of May 2032 for a further period of 20 years until 17th of May 2052. Further details are available from the Selling Agents.

THIRD PARTY RIGHTS AND SERVITUDES
The subjects are sold together with and subject to all existing rights of way, servitudes, wayleaves and others whether contained in the Title Deeds or otherwise, and purchasers will be deemed as having satisfied themselves in respect thereof.

EPC Rating = E