Co Durham land comes to market with opportunity for nitrate offsetting

Productive arable land in County Durham has come onto the market, with a unique opportunity for nitrate offsetting.

Land of nearly 220 acres at Eldon Moor farm, near Middridge, which includes four well stocked fish ponds, has come to market through GSC Grays.

The land has a guide price of £1,910,000 with an additional opportunity for the land to be used for nitrate offsetting, as it falls within the Tees Valley catchment.

The large parcel of productive Grade 3, mainly arable land, is divided naturally into two blocks with good access.

It is currently sown to winter oilseed rape, with each field having a 6m grass margin.

The land benefits from ponds of varying sizes which are naturally stocked with trout and perch.

Whilst currently let on an informal basis to the local Angling Association, GSC Grays says buyers might be able to enhance these features as well as consider arable reversion to assist with nitrate offsetting amounting to 1,800 nitrate credits.

Nutrient neutrality has recently become mandatory in some catchments in the North of England including the River Tees.

John Coleman, head of farm sales at GSC Grays said: “We have valued the land for agricultural use but also expect serious interest in the 1,800 nitrate credits which could be gained from the land."

He explained that this was an emerging market, adding that it would be interesting to see what value the market puts on this opportunity.

"This is especially in light of the limited number of credits recently auctioned by Natural England at £1,825 per credit and for which I understand there was significant demand," he said.

“Nitrate offsetting could be delivered by land use or management changes that reduce the nutrients entering a watercourse by wetland creation, woodland planting or arable reversion.”

The Eldon Moor Farm land is currently on the market with GSC Grays with a guide price of £1,910,000, as a whole or as two lots.