A huge publicly-owned farm in Somerset is to be sold by the county council in an effort to balance its finances.
Following a declaration of financial emergency in November 2023, Somerset Council has been reviewing its land, property and other assets, which were inherited from previous councils in May 2023.
The central government has permitted the local authority to sell these assets and utilise the proceeds to fund daily services under a 'capitalisation directive', with £36.9m of receipts being incorporated into the 2024/25 budget.
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East Farm in Lympsham, near Weston-super-Mare, is the latest asset to be sold, with the council planning to sell the farm buildings and part of the land for residential redevelopment.
Located on Purving Row to the east of the village, just north of the A370 Bridgwater Road linking Weston-super-Mare to junction 22 of the M5, the farm covers a total of 79.5 acres (around 45 football pitches) and includes a listed farmhouse and associated buildings.
The farm was leased to a tenant by the council until 2023, with planning permission secured by the council in early October 2025 to convert the agricultural buildings into houses.
The farmhouse and accompanying new structures will be placed on the open market alongside a modest parcel of agricultural land, whilst 40 acres (16 hectares, equivalent to nearly 23 football pitches) will be kept back for either active farming operations or to deliver biodiversity enhancements offsetting new residential developments locally.
In her written report, Felicity Haigh, the council's lead surveyor for estates operations, said: "Our asset management strategy sets out an objective to ensure that our estate is financially sustainable, efficient, and effective.
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"In response to our requests for exceptional financial support, the previous government agreed a capitalisation directive and encouraged us to sell non-operational assets, along with commercial properties, and use the receipts to fund essential services.
"As a result of our financial position, and reliance on a capitalisation directive, we are committed to a rationalisation of our property and land portfolio, reducing holding and management costs and achieving capital receipts.
"The estimated receipt is considered to be commercially confidential to ensure that we obtain the best market value for this and other future disposals, and to protect the confidential commercial interests of the buyers."