£2m for five farms and half of Hoddlesden (From Lancashire Telegraph)

£2m for five farms and half of Hoddlesden

2:20pm Monday 5th December 2011 in Hoddlesden By Catherine Pye, Reporter

PURCHASERS have the chance to get their hands on an historic East Lancashire village estate for £2million.

The Hoddlesden Estate, accounting for roughly half of the land surrounding Hoddlesden, near Darwen, is being offered publicly for the first time in more than 80 years.

It includes more than 300 acres of moorland, additional bare pasture land and over 30 acres of mixed species woodland.

There are also three investment farms, a recently-vacated small farm — including house and adjoining barns, five residential properties, 266 yearly chief rents on freehold properties and 97 allotments and garage plots.

The sale includes inland sporting rights over 748 acres.

Currently the land generates a gross annual income of more than £40,000 Tom Whitehead, senior associate at estate agent Carter Jonas, said: “The moorland was shot on a very informal basis by former owners although the property offers significant potential to develop this angle further.

“The estate offers realistic scope for investment at a relatively affordable level.”

And East Rural Councillor Julie Slater said the land used to belong to the mill-owning Carus family, who lived in the village, before being sold privately five years ago to a Preston-based firm called Synergy.

Synergy then sold the Vernon Carus Mill site in Johnson New Road for development, but developer McInerney Homes has now gone into administration.

Coun Slater said: “I’d welcome new owners.

“Repairs are needed and maintenance such as grass and tree cutting needs to be carried out, especially now the council won’t help out because of budget cuts.

“The new owners need to step up responsibility and create a better relationship with the village community, as that will benefit everybody.

“I would like to see a more local owner who understands and loves the area, rather than someone who is looking to make a quick buck from the purchase.”