Faulkners Nursery, Markfield Road, Ratby, Leicester, Leicestershire

CASH BUYERS ONLY – Let your imagination run wild with this four-bedroom detached property situated on a roughly 1.89-acre plot. This opportunity includes a spacious four-bedroom detached home and a large triple garage with a converted space upstairs. The extensive grounds feature a fishing pond and multiple plant nurseries. Please note, this property is subject to an agricultural tie.

Who Can Live in a Property with an Agricultural Occupancy Condition?

To comply with an AOC, the occupant must be employed in agriculture or a related rural business. This typically includes farmers, farm managers, foresters, equestrian workers, or even those working in horticulture or other land-based industries. The condition will usually also extend to the dependents of the agricultural worker, such as a spouse or children, or widow or widower of such a person.

The definition of "dependents" has been broadened in recent years, as seen in legal cases like Shortt v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Shortt v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Shortt v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 2014. In this case, the court ruled that a "dependent" could include a spouse who is not financially dependent on the agricultural worker but still shares the home with them. This interpretation has widened the scope of who can lawfully reside in a property subject to an AOC, making it more inclusive for families. Consequently, the Shortt case could provide a way for a family to lawfully occupy an AOC dwelling always provided that an adult is genuinely employed in agriculture. However, ‘hobby farming’ or the keeping of a few horses would not be sufficient and the best policy would be to seek confirmation of the proposal from the local council by way of a Certificate of lawfulness.