Herefordshire Council has confirmed it will put its smallholdings estate on the market on Monday, April 24th. 59 lots will be marketed in total.

The council is continuing to follow the recommendations provided by Fisher German, its appointed agent. These recommendations include offering the smallholdings estate to the market:

• By way of informal tender to ensure the market is comprehensively canvassed for the best buyers to generate the highest selling prices(s) within a fixed timeframe; and

• As a whole, as sub-estates, as individual farms, and as smaller parcels of land and groups of buildings, to widen market coverage and ensure best value is obtained.

The smallholdings estate will be subject to open market competition and all tenants who have expressed an interest will have the opportunity to bid for their own farm.

Farm Business Tenants have been granted a lease extension until September 2017, and end of tenancy compensation settlements for these tenants have been finalised.

Councillor Harry Bramer, Cabinet Member for Contracts and Assets, said: “The council is committed to its duty of care to the local community and to tenants. As we find alternative ways to fund the statutory services we have to provide, we need to prioritise which activities the council can support.

"The smallholdings disposal plan will help us ensure best value for money for taxpayers.”

Herefordshire Council and Fisher German will continue to support and update existing tenants during the sales process, which is expected to last until September 2017.