Cambridgeshire County Council is looking for entrepreneurial and enthusiastic tenants for three rural business opportunities with tenancies starting in October 2023.

The council’s 33,000 acres estate is the largest of its kind in England and Wales and has over 160 progressive tenants aged 21 to over 90 and carrying out a wide range of enterprises. The farms are mainly arable, and many are exploring regenerative farming and are in schemes which benefit biodiversity and the environment. The properties available this year are located at Chatteris, Great Chishill and Warboys.

Applicants should have some experience in the enterprise they propose to undertake and have a sound business plan which takes into account the council’s Net Zero and Doubling Nature targets and the changes that are currently under-way in farming.

The application deadline is April 24 and interviews will be held in May.

Chair of Cambridgeshire’s strategy and resources, Cllr Lucy Nethsingha said: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for enthusiastic individuals who envisage getting onto the farming or climbing the rural business ladder’’

“The farms available within this letting programme offer great opportunities for tenants to establish a successful enterprise with a family home, with the support of the County Farms Team. We hope that applications will consider climate change issues and be mindful to enhancing biodiversity.”

“The holdings available are suitable for a range of farming systems, rural businesses, and diversification initiatives, which provide an opening to achieve a sustainable business. In 2022 the Estate welcomed eight new tenants and I encourage new entrants and existing farmers wanting to move up the farming ladder to get in touch and not miss out on the great opportunities the estate is providing”

Full details about the farms and the application process available at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/rural-business-opportunities

Picture caption: Halls Farm in Guyhirn was one of the county council’s to be let last year. Photo: Cambs County Council. (63288790)

Source: www.fenlandcitizen.co.uk

More news like this can be found in The Country Smallholder magazine. Subscribe here.

For FREE updates from the world of smallholding, sign up for The Country Smallholder newsletter here.