Housty Farm, Catton, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47

An accessible and productive ring-fenced smallholding/livestock farm, comprising of circa 27.68 acres, a range of both modern and traditional farm buildings and a recently refurbished farmhouse.

DESCRIPTION
Housty Farm as whole comprises of approximately 27.68 acres, a range of buildings both modern and traditional and a recently refurbished three-bedroom farmhouse with an additional attic room currently utilised as a study.

Housty Farm has all of the component parts of a well presented, fully equipped, ring-fenced small holding and/or equestrian property. The farmhouse is briming with character and has been exceptionally well modernized. The buildings are in good condition and offer huge potential for development offering huge scope for diversification and/or additional residential accommodation. Whilst in their current form offer excellent animal housing and storage options.

In addition, the property, despite benefiting from breathtaking views and complete tranquility is readily accessible being approximately 9.4 miles from Hexham and 2.1 miles from Allendale. Such accessibility coupled with all the absolute requisites of a small holding are hard to find.

FARMHOUSE
The farmhouse at Housty dates from 1786 and is built from traditional Northumbrian stone. It has been fully refurbished within the past 3 years. The refurbishments have been done to the highest of standards and consequently the house is immaculately presented and finished to a high specification. In doing so the current owners have created a modern and comfortable property yet with many of the original features both maintained and restored.

On the ground floor there is a modern open plan kitchen and sitting room. The kitchen units comprise of fitted wall and floor units. Within the kitchen there is an induction hob with an integrated extractor fan, an electric oven and a sink with a mixer tap and a boiler tap. In addition, there is an integrated fridge/freezer and a dishwasher. The sitting room benefits from a wood burning stove which sits on stone flagstones within an inglenook framed by traditional stone lintels. There is further character created by the exposed wooden beams.

Adjacent to and accessible from the kitchen/sitting room is a conservatory which is currently used as a dining room. The conservatory faces south and consequently benefits from the natural sun light and has far reaching views across and down the East Allen valley.

On the ground floor there is also a modern and fully fitted utility room with an integrated wash/dryer and a downstairs bathroom which includes a modern freestanding double ended bath.

On the first floor there are three bedrooms, two of which are doubles with the third being a single bedroom which is currently utilised as a nursery. As is typical of this house, the bedrooms are immaculately presented and yet are full of character with exposed beams, exposed stonework and an exposed now redundant fireplace. Also, on the first floor there is a modern shower room which includes a walk-in shower, a WC and “his and hers” bowl sinks which sit on a marble topped vanity unit.

Housty benefits from a large attic room on the third floor currently utilised as an office. The large attic space offers huge versatility and could be used for a variety of purposes.

The farmhouse has recently been fully rewired and includes Bluetooth speakers in the kitchen, and main bedroom, “cat” cables in the bedroom and attic room to assist with the superfast broadband which serves the property. The property also benefits from HIK Vision CCTV which covers farm buildings and several fields.

The farmhouse benefits from primarily triple glazing, bar the conservatory and Velux windows and a recently installed oil-fired central heating system, which provides underfloor heating downstairs and fires the radiators upstairs. It is served by mains water, mains electric and private drainage.

LAND
The land at Housty as whole totals approximately 27.68 acres which in the main is all permanent pasture with the exception of the steading area and small strips of woodland which provide amenity and shelter benefits. In terms of the agricultural land, it is classified as being Grade 4 and is productive in its nature, with the majority of land on offer being annually cut for hay/silage.

In the main the land is flat and is easily accessible from the steading which is centrally located. Aside from the meadow land there is good pasture land and some rougher grazing land, both of which are ideal for livestock grazing and offer a diversity of accommodating livestock either over the winter or when the meadow land is shut up for silage/hay making. The land benefits from excellent access internal access and immediately surrounds the steading.

The land is currently farmed in hand and is an excellent example of a desirable small holding with its productive and equipped nature ensuring it is ideal for this purpose.

The land’s infrastructure like the house, has undergone extensive maintenance in recent years with capital grants utilized to improve the farm’s boundaries. In the main the boundaries consist of dry-stone walls and post and wire fences. The nature of the boundaries and the availability of government schemes suggest that further grant funding maybe available for future works.


STEADING
The Steading at Housty comprises a mixture of traditional and modern buildings. The traditional buildings are grand in nature and design and are two storied. They are built from traditional stone under a slate roof and from an impressive “U” shape around a courtyard which benefits from outside lighting. They are in good condition and are currently utilised for informal livestock housing and storage but may offer further development opportunities subject to planning. The traditional buildings have had new lighting and electrical sockets installed.

In terms of modern buildings there are two of note. One is a large (10.25 m x 18.00m) sheep/cattle shed, which is steel framed with block walls, Yorkshire boarding, a fibre cement roof and a concrete floor. The second modern building (11.90m x 9.00m), is again steel framed with block walls and Yorkshire boarding and a fibre cement roof with an earth floor. This building is used for loose housing and the storage of fodder. There is a third “Atcost” building however this is in need of repair.

Lying to the north west of the steading and west of the farmhouse is a useful brick built building which was a former piggery. Currently used for storage it offers opportunities for additional animal housing and/or stabling.

The current owners have initial architect’s drawings for this to be converted to a two bed property and this could offer a further development opportunity subject to the relevant planning consents. These drawings are available on request.

LOCATION
Housty Farm is located approximately 0.8 miles to the south east of the village of Catton and 2.1 miles to the north east of Allendale. The major town of Hexham lies approximately 9.4 miles to the north east.

The property is ideally located within the heart of Allen Valley and within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As is typical of properties in this unspoilt area, the property benefits from spectacular views. These views and the accessible yet unspoilt nature of the locality ensures that properties like Housty are highly sought after.

Catton benefits from a village pub which serves excellent homemade food whilst in Allendale there are several public houses and a primary school which is graded “good” by Ofsted. Allendale benefits from a local supermarket, a butcher, a pharmacy, a doctor’s surgery and many other local shops and tea rooms.

Hexham is the major market town of the area and boasts a plethora of shops both national and local and includes numerous supermarkets. Hexham benefits from an outstanding high school and in addition has excellent schooling for all ages. Further benefits include a range of professional and leisure facilities and a modern hospital.
For the marketing of Livestock, Housty is well located with Hexham Auction Mart being highly accessible, whilst the auction marts of Longtown, Carlisle are all within easy reach.

For the commuter the A69, A1, A1(M) and M6 provide links with the major commercial centres of the North. East and West Coast railway services run from Hexham and Haydon Bridge (6.8 miles to north of the property). Newcastle upon Tyne (with International Airport) can be reached within 40 minutes

What3Words: ///clearcut.seated.triathlon

DIRECTIONS
From Hexham follow the B6305 then turn left onto the B6295 signposted Allenheads/Allendale/Catton. Within the village of Catton turn left up the hill just before Catton Methodist Church. The entrance to Housty is the second on the right.

From the A69 coming from the West, turn right off the Haydon Bridge Bypass onto the A686, then turn left onto the B6295 signposted Allenheads/Allendale/Catton/Langley, then at staggered crossroads continue on the B6295 into Catton. Within the village of Catton turn left up the hill just before Catton Methodist Church. The entrance to Housty is the second on the right

GENERAL REMARKS & STIPULATIONS
Clawback
There is an existing clawback agreement in place over part of the land and the steading. There is an agreement in place, which is being formalized by solicitors, to have the clawback removed, leaving the property within the sale free from any clawbacks. The intention is that this will be done prior to completion.

Services
The property benefits from mains water, mains electric and oil fired central heating. Drainage is to a septic tank.

Council Tax
Housty Farmhouse is scheduled within Band C, payable to Northumberland County Council.

Energy Performance Certificate
Housty Farmhouse has a C rating.

Environmental Schemes
Part of the land is entered into a Mid Tier Countryside Stewardship, which does also include capital works, much of which has been completed.

Sporting Rights and Mineral Rights
Included in the sale in so far as they are owned.

Tenure
Freehold with Vacant Possession on Completion.

The buyer can take on this scheme if they wish or they can “transfer out” of it and in doing so seek to add additional capital works and/or revenue payments. YoungsRPS will handle any transferring of the scheme be it to take it on or to terminate it at a cost of £300 plus VAT payable by the buyer.

The buyer will ensure that no scheme rules are broken from the date of completion to the date of any transfers of the scheme and will indemnify the sellers is this is the case.

The nature of the land at Housty and the possibilities currently available via government and/or third party funding suggests that further revenue can be generated from the land.

Method of Sale
The property is to be offered for sale as a whole by Private Treaty.

The Seller reserves the right to amalgamate, withdraw, or exclude any of the property shown at any time or to generally amend the particulars or order of sale.

Lotting/Additional Land
The property is offered for sale as whole, however individual, separate lotting and/or additional land would be considered. Any enquirers in this regard are encouraged to speak to the selling agent direct and at the earliest opportunity.

Local Authority
Northumberland County Council. Any enquiries regarding planning or statutory matters should be directed to the Local Authority.

Burdens
The property is sold subject to all rights including rights of way, whether public or private, rights of light, support, drainage, water and electricity supplies and other rights, obligations and easements, quasi easements and restrictive covenants and all existing and proposed wayleaves for masts, pylons, stays, cables, drains and water, gas and other pipes, whether or not constituted in the title deeds or referred to in these particulars. There are public rights of way which cross the property and there is a right of access over the track for the benefit of Stone Hall Farmhouse.

The Purchasers will be held to have satisfied themselves as to the nature of such burdens.
Anti Money Laundering Regulations
Prospective Buyers should be aware that in the event that they are successful, they will be required to provide us with documents in relation to Money Laundering Regulations, one being photographic ID, i.e. driving licence or passport and the other being a utility bill showing their address.

Viewings
Viewings should not be unaccompanied and are by prior appointment only. Arrangements can be made by contacting YoungsRPS, Hexham Mart

Photographs taken: September 2023