Cooke & Arkwright

Monmouthshire farm sold for almost £1m at auction

31/05/07

It is rare these days for a farm with its own land to be offered for sale in the sought after county of Monmouthshire, so the arrival of Cefn Ila Farm on the market attracted a good deal of attention.

Acting on behalf of the vendor Coleg Gwent, agents Cooke & Arkwright sold the farmhouse, its outbuildings and over 130 acres of agricultural land at a bespoke auction on 31st May 2007 at the Glan-yr-Afon House Hotel in Usk. The property was sold in two lots: the first comprising a three bedroom farmhouse, farm buildings and about 59.06 acres (23.90 hectares) of land, and the other extending to just over 71 acres (29 hectares). Both lots went to the same bidder.

Rod Perons of Cooke & Arkwright said that the farm is situated in Llanbadoc, about two miles from the historic town of Usk. “The farm is private and elevated,” he said. “The farmhouse offers considerable scope for improvement and extension and is surrounded by fertile, productive terrain that has been used for stock rearing and arable production.”

Cefn Ila has been in the ownership of Coleg Gwent for about the last 25 years. The college, which is the largest further education college in Wales and one of the largest in the UK, recently changed its focus to facilitate new course syllabuses which are designed to concentrate more on animal care and rural activities rather than straight agriculture. Cooke & Arkwright leased its principal holding at Rhadyr Farm in 2006, under a Farm Business tenancy in which the farm is being established as a ‘centre of excellence’ providing educational opportunities and demonstrating best farming practices.

“Cefn Ila had become surplus to the college’s ongoing requirements,” explained Mr Perons.

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