Silt Fen Farm , Denver, Downham Market, PE38 0EG

Offers by informal tender to be received by 12 noon on Tuesday 1 July 2025

On behalf of the Environment Agency

Silt Fen Farm, Denver, West Norfolk

TO LET - 239.14 acres at Silt Fen Farm

Location

Silt Fen Farm is located in West Norfolk town of Downham Market (3 miles north east). Bordered by the River Great Ouse, the Cut Off Channel and the River Wissey, the farm is accessed off Sluice Road via a right of access to the north.

Detailed Description

Silt Fen Farm offers a unique opportunity for a Tenant to take on a mixed holding, comprising productive Grade 1 silt, riverbank grazing and established environmental conservation habitats and features.

To the north of the Holding is a  30.27 acre block of permanent pasture for grazing. The central 115.40 acre block is Grade 1 silt previously cropped with wheat, onions, potatoes and sugar beet, alongside rotational HLS options. Full back cropping records are available from the Letting Agent. The arable land is identified as being of the Adventurers' 1 soil series, described as  'fen peat' that is generally suitable for the growing of cereals, sugar beet, potatoes and field vegetables.

On the southern block of the farm, the current tenant has created and maintained a conservation wetland of 59.30 acres for breeding waders and seasonal grazing of livestock. The area benefits from an  enclosed, electrified predator fence.

The boundaries to the rivers and cut off channel provide additional river bank grazing extending to 33.21 acres.

BUILDINGS

At the heart of the holding is a general purpose storage building covering approximately 3,255 sqft (300 sqm). There is a further small range of stores which are included the tenancy, but will be declared as redundant.

Early Entry & Holdover Rights  

Subject to agreement, early entry to establish crops after harvest and before the tenancy commences may be available at the incoming tenant's risk.

Holdover on all the existing HLS plots and whole parcels will be required for the outgoing tenant to fulfil their conservation management to 31 December 2025.    

FARM BUSINESS TENANCY

The Holding will be let on a Farm Business Tenancy (FBT) in the Environment Agency's standard format on the following specific terms. Please note that a copy of the draft FBT Agreement will be available from the Letting Agents from the week commencing 09 June 2025. It is therefore necessary that all interested applicants register their interest with the Letting Agents to receive the documentation. The following specific terms are proposed for inclusion;

1.       Commencement Date: 11 October 2025
2.       Term: 13 Years ending 10 October 2038
3.       Break Dates: At Year 3 (30 November 2028) to coincide with the end of the existing HLS agreement, and five years thereafter on the anniversary of the term date at Year 8 (10 October 2033).
4.       Rent: Payable in two equal instalments in advance on 11 October and 6 April in each year.
5.       Third Party Occupation: Cropping and grazing by third parties under seasonal cropping/grazing licences will be permitted. There will be a bar on sub-letting and assignment. 
6.       Rent Reviews: To be conducted in accordance with the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 no more often than every three years and on either party serving 12 months' valid notice of their intention for the rent to be reviewed
7.       Repair Obligations: The Tenant will be responsible for the land and buildings on a Full Repairing and Insuring basis.
8.       The Tenant will also be responsible for insuring their own crops and maintaining Public Liability Insurance of no less than £10,000,000.
9.       The Tenant will be wholly responsible for managing the HLS Agreement and for making all revenue claims and dealing with the transfer from the outgoing tenant.
10.   Sporting, Mineral and Timber Rights are all excluded from the Letting.

Services

There are no services, such as mains electricity or irrigation, to the property. The electrified predator fence is powered by a 8000v solar supply.

OUTGOINGS

Drainage rates will be the responsibility of the tenant and apportioned at the commencement of the Tenancy. 61.060 acres of the land is subject to annual rates payable to the Stoke Ferry Internal Drainage Board. 

HIGHER LEVEL STEWARDSHIP AGREEMENT

The current  ELS & HLS Agreement has been in place since 1 December 2012 and ends on 30 November 2028 and generates income of £27,924 per annum (£118 per acre). The outgoing tenant will retain holdover on the areas currently under option until the end of this scheme year to 31 December 2025 and will keep revenue for this period. The incoming tenant will be required to take on and be responsible for the Agreement from 1 January 2026. A copy of the HLS Agreement is available from the Letting Agents.

There will be provision in the tenancy agreement for the incoming tenant to enter an appropriate new scheme thereafter, subject to Landlord's agreement.  

EASEMENTS, WAYLEAVES, RIGHTS OF WAY & ACCESS

The land is let subject to and with the benefit of all existing wayleaves, easements and rights of way, public or private, whether specifically mentioned or not.

There is a public bridleway along the southern and western riverbanks. 

Access to reach the land will be over a shared access track from Sluice Road, over the area hatched brown on the letting plan. Applicants should take note of any width restrictions on bridge crossings used to reach the land.  The Tenant will be responsible for a fair and reasonable proportionate share of the cost of maintaining, repairing and replacing the track according to user.

The Agency will reserve a right to access the pumphouse  (excluded from the tenancy) on the northern part of the property. 

METHOD OF LETTING

The land is being offered To Let by Informal Tender on a 13 year Farm Business Tenancy.

Tenders should be submitted no later than 12 noon on Tuesday 1 July 2025 to Brown&Co, King's Lynn. Tenders must be submitted on the Tender Form available from the Lettings Agents. The envelope should be clearly marked 'Land at Silt Fen Farm , Denver, FBT Tender'. Tenders not so marked are liable to be opened before the Tender date.

All Tenders shall be Subject to Contract and should clearly state any particular conditions under which the offer is made.

The Landlord reserves the right not to accept the highest, or indeed, any offer.



Viewing

Strictly by appointment only with the Letting Agent.