Poppinghole Lane, Robertsbridge

New Pond Farm presents purchasers with a fantastic opportunity to acquire a mixed grassland and a former fruit farm in a secluded and tranquil yet well connected location in East Sussex. The farm comprises a four bedroom farmhouse (subject to an Agricultural Occupancy Condition), and an extensive range of traditional and commercial farm buildings. In all the farm constitutes approximately 164.38 acres (66.55 hectares).

History
New Pond Farm was purchased in 1960 by Denis McKay, a fruiterer from London who bought the farm to provide produce for his retail outlets and in time the farm became very productive. To this day there is a plethora of former top fruit orchards that are strategically positioned across the farm and the fruit trees remain. The family moved to New Pond Farm from London and each of them worked on the farm in a hands on way, each of the children earning their crust. In more recent years the farm has ceased fruit production but has been run as a mixed livestock enterprise.

At the entrance to the farm lies New Pond Farmhouse, a recently refurbished four bedroom farmhouse (subject to an Agricultural Occupancy Condition), with large reception rooms, swimming pool and garaging. Three collections of farm buildings. Static caravan (with a Certificate of Lawful Use) set in a wonderful unspoilt location in the centre of the farm, surrounded by rolling grassland, woodland and trees.

New Pond Farmhouse
New Pond Farmhouse is a four-bedroom detached house built in the 1960s and extended in the early 1970s. The farmhouse is subject to an Agricultural Occupancy Condition. Further details surrounding the decision notice are available from the vendor’s agent. The farmhouse offers a modern and light kitchen, breakfast room, sitting room and dining room on the ground floor. The four bedrooms and a bathroom are well spread across the first and second floors, alongside a separate W.C. The property was rewired and refurbished in 2023 and a new oil fired boiler has been installed. Large windows create a wonderful airy feeling with large rooms across the ground floor and there is multiple access to the garden and swimming pool. Currently New Pond farmhouse is vacant. The gardens are simple but well kept. Paving surrounds the house and with herbaceous borders beyond, and to the rear of the house is a private swimming pool that serves and supports the farmhouse. There is also a garage.

Farm buildings
There are three sets of farm buildings which are strategically positioned around New Pond Farm that service and support the farm. The farm buildings are situated across several locations within the property. The main set of buildings are positioned in close proximity to the farmhouse and Poppinghole Lane, with additional buildings located more centrally within the holding. In total, the buildings provide a combined footprint of approximately 25,103 sq ft (2,332 sq m). Those buildings located near the farmhouse include purpose built controlled atmosphere stores each with a 60-tonne capacity and a fully enclosed packhouse, all set within a concrete farmyard. Additionally, there is a brick built stable block comprising three stables and a tack room, along with further redundant cold storage facilities. Further along the farm track, yet still within close proximity to the main yard, there is a substantial five-bay concrete portal frame barn. Situated more centrally within the property are the Lambing Shed and the Sheep Handling Shed. The Lambing Shed is a 10-bay steel portal frame building (extending to approximately 11,892 sq/ft), with a pitched steel box-profile roof, an earth floor, and open elevations on all sides. The purpose-built Sheep Handling Shed is of mixed steel and timber frame construction with well-designed, integrated handling facilities. In the centre of the farm bordered by two streams both of which are tributaries of the River Rother, is a collection of six mobile homes which were historically used by fruit pickers. Additionally, a further caravan has been adapted to be a dwelling with an attached extension. A Certificate of Lawful Use has been granted for the existing use of this unit for a continued residential use as a single dwelling house. This offers a wonderful opportunity to build a new residential unit in the heart of the farm, subject to planning.

The farmland
The land at New Pond Farm is well positioned within a ring-fence to the north of Poppinghole Lane and the main farmyard. The land is classified as Grade 3 on the agricultural land classification maps of England and Wales and is of the Curtisden soil series; such soils are described as silty soils over siltstone with slowly permeable subsoils, some similar well drained coarse loamy soils over sandstone. The land is undulating and rises above the valley to provide wonderful views. There is a bridle path adjacent to the northern boundary of the farm which gives access to an extensive network for riding. The land itself is farmed in hand and mainly comprises permanent pasture and some historical fruit orchards. The farm has been well looked after by the current owners and follows both sides of the valley. The grassland is interspersed with mature trees and an array of flora and fauna and boasts an extensive range of environmental and amenity benefits. Some of the land is let to a local farmer for grazing.

Tucked away off the popular Poppinghole Lane, New Pond Farm lies in an enviable position a short distance from the village of Robertsbridge within the High Weald National Landscape. Robertsbridge is a thriving community with a range of local amenities and a mainline railway station with direct lines into London and the Coast. The A21 London Road is located 1.2 miles away giving excellent transport links to the national motorway network, the nearby towns of Battle and Hastings and to the north, Tunbridge Wells.