Somerset Council is pressing ahead with the sale of Lawrence Farm, a 75-acre holding on the edge of Wincanton near the A303, as part of a wider strategy to raise funds for essential public services. The property will be marketed on the open market in four separate lots, with the proceeds intended to support front-line services across the county.
Why Lawrence Farm is being sold
The disposal follows a comprehensive review of Somerset Council's county farms estate, agreed by councillors in November 2023. The review was part of a broader assessment of the authority's assets, land and property, with the aim of identifying sites that were no longer needed for core operational purposes. Lawrence Farm was subsequently deemed surplus to requirements, paving the way for its sale.
The farm consists of a farmhouse, associated outbuildings and 75 acres (just over 30 hectares) of land. It is bordered by Brains Farm to the east, a solar farm to the south and Wessex Water's waste water treatment plant to the west. The River Cale runs through a significant part of the site, which may influence how the land can be used in the future.
Tenancy details and vacancy
The farmhouse at Lawrence Farm has stood empty since March, following negotiations between the council and the former tenant to surrender the tenancy. In the meantime, the farm buildings and surrounding land are being managed under a separate six-month tenancy arrangement, which is due to expire at the end of September.
The sale will proceed in four distinct lots, allowing potential buyers to bid for individual parts of the property or the whole site. Each sale will include an uplift clause, ensuring that the council benefits from any future increase in land value should the property be developed after the sale.
Flood risk blocks residential conversion
In a written report, David Ashton, one of the council's property officers, revealed that a planning application to convert the farm buildings for residential use had been halted. He said: "Our estates team has halted submitting a planning application to convert the farm buildings for residential use, due to flood risk issues that have arisen and the associated lengthy delay and risk of refusal."
Ashton added: "The asset will be disposed of via the open market, in various lots, with the appropriate covenants and/or uplift in place." The decision to abandon the residential conversion route reflects the potential for planning delays and the risk that permission might be refused because of flood risk concerns.
Government approval allows capital receipts to fund services
Under normal circumstances, capital receipts from the sale of land or property cannot be used for day-to-day expenditure on front-line services. However, Somerset Council secured special permission from central government in February, for the third consecutive year, to direct proceeds from asset sales towards both front-line services and its ongoing transformation programme.
The approval gives the council greater flexibility in how it manages its finances at a time when local authorities across the country are facing mounting cost pressures. By selling surplus assets, Somerset can unlock funding that would otherwise be restricted to capital projects, allowing it to maintain services that directly affect residents.
Commercial sensitivity and sales process
So far, the council has declined to disclose the anticipated proceeds from the farm sale, citing commercial sensitivity. This is a standard approach in public sector disposals, as revealing an estimated value could affect the marketing process and the final sale price achieved.
The farm's location near the A303, a major arterial route linking the South West with London and the South East, is likely to attract considerable interest. Potential buyers could include agricultural operators, investors and possibly developers, although constraints such as flood risk and the imposed covenants will shape the land's future use.
As the council moves forward with the disposal, its estates team will manage the marketing of the four lots, with the aim of securing the best possible return for the public purse. Further updates on the sale are expected to be published as the process progresses.
