Earnieside Farm, Dunning Glen, Dollar, Perth & Kinross

Earnieside Farm Dunning Glen, Dollar, Perth & Kinross

A productive hill farm in central location with amenity and sporting potential

• 41 acres (16.5 ha) of improved in-bye pasture

• 440 acres (178 ha) of hill pasture

• 210 acres (85 ha) of moorland and rough grazing

• Modern general purpose shed of about 600m2

• Scattered amenity woodland and five ponds

• Excellent sporting potential

About 700 acres (283 ha) in total

Approximate Mileage

Dollar 7 miles • Perth 19 miles • Stirling 20 miles

• Edinburgh 33 miles • Glasgow 40 miles

Edinburgh office 22 Young Street Edinburgh EH2 4JB t 0131 344 0880 edinburgh@smithsgore.co.uk

Situation

Earnieside is situated in the Ochil Hills, in a peaceful yet highly accessible area of central Scotland. The Ochils are typically covered with heather and grass and therefore produce good grazing for sheep and cattle. The summits on Earnieside afford spectacular views of the surrounding area and on a clear day there are views north to the Highlands, east across Fife, while Berwick Law and the Bass Rock can be seen across the Firth of Forth. It is hard to believe that Edinburgh is only 33 miles away.

The property has a wonderful combination of undulating pasture with glen, burns and heather hill offering excellent opportunities for farming, wildlife, sport and leisure.

Land

The lands of Earnieside extend to around 700 acres (283 hectares) and rise from the bottom of Glen Queich at 245 metres (800 ft) above sea level, to the farm buildings at about 270 metres (885 ft). The three hills: Third Hill, Linn Hill and Nether Town hill converge on Mellock Hill at about 475m above sea level and are divided by gullies with substantial burns.

Most of the in-bye fields surround the steading and are well-stocked and maintained. The majority of fences have been replaced or re-wired.

The hill and moorland is divided into three hefts and is dominated by productive grasses, which provide excellent summer grazing, but is also rich with young heaths, mosses and peat hags. Evidence of ancient fanks surrounds the hill which attests to the long-running use of the hill land for agriculture.

There are a few ponds around the property that host a range of wildlife and provide flighting opportunities. Roe deer emerge from the woodland at dawn and dusk to drink from the South Queich burn and browse the regenerating woodland in Glen Queich.

Land type Hectares Acres Improved pasture 17 41 Hill pasture 178 440 Moorland 85 211 Wetland 1.5 4 Roads, buildings, amenity ground 1.5 4 Total 283 700

Historically, more than 600 head of sheep and some cattle were grazed but the current owners have implemented a controlled reduction in stocking rates over recent years. This has encouraged further regeneration of heather on the hill and a rich diversity of

habitats for invertebrates – both of which in turn have helped to increase the populations of wild birds including Red grouse, snipe and curlew. Several protected species are regularly seen at Earnieside including ravens, Peregrine falcons and kestrels.

There are currently 20 spring calving Luing cows and followers kept on the holding along with 250 Scottish Blackface ewes. A further 50 yearling cattle are summered on the ground from May to Autumn. Lambing is all outside from mid-April, and around 120% lambing average is typically achieved. 60 to 70 ewe hoggs are over-wintered on the farm and pigs have also been reared at Earnieside in the past. The current owners also have five Highland ponies with the hill ground, together with access to nearby Forestry Commission land, providing excellent and extensive off-road hacking.

The unit is effectively run as an organic enterprise, with little or no chemicals or fertiliser being applied to the land. Although previously part of an environmental stewardship grant scheme, the only scheme that is currently live now is for a small, 1.1 hectare woodland that was planted in the northern extent of the property. There are opportunities for a purchaser to apply for any woodland, agricultural or environmental initiatives on offer.

Owing to the diversity of the landscape, and the naturally undulating terrain, the land lends itself to the creation of an exciting driven partridge or pheasant shoot. Existing and additional woodland plantings, coupled with deep gullies, could provide some stunning drives. In addition, the heather on the hill is in good condition and there is a small stock of Red grouse. There are five ponds on Earnieside which, along with the adjoining water course, give excellent duck flighting potential. Being situated in close proximity to large commercial forests, there is a significant population of Roe deer which venture onto the estate and provide excellent stalking.

Farm Buildings

There is a new farm storage building that is based around a modern steel portal-framed shed (80 x 40 ft) with concrete floor and insulated roof and walls. There is also a temporary office and large yard. Portable handling systems for sheep and cattle are used and these are available separately.

Potential House Site

There is no house on the unit as the farm was divided in 2008 and the original farmhouse was sold.

Plans for a large new house to be situated close to the farm buildings were submitted in 2010 but consent was refused on grounds that were specific to that application. Details of the planning history can be found on the Perth Council Planning website with reference to 10/00759/FLL.

The nearby village of Yetts o’ Muckhart (3 miles) provides local shopping facilities including a primary school, pub, store/gift shop/tea room, community hall and church. There is also a primary school at Crook of Devon (6 miles) and a secondary school in Kinross. Private schools in the region include Dollar Academy and Strathallan. Kinross and Dollar both offer a wider range of shops, amenities and services. Perth and Stirling are close by.

There are excellent opportunities for country sports with shooting and fishing available on many local estates, and several miles of excellent off-road hacking through the adjacent Forestry Commission woodlands. There is an 18 hole golf course at Muckhart, and the internationally famous Golf Club at Gleneagles Hotel and its associated golf courses lie only 10 miles to the north west.

Despite its remote feel, Earnieside lies within commuting distance of Edinburgh, Perth, Stirling and Glasgow. The M90, the main route from Edinburgh to Perth, is only about 8 miles from the property and the A9 is about 9 miles north.

Site of Special Scientific Interest

The Glen Queich Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) covers a small part of Earnieside by virtue of its flora. It boasts an unusual range of vegetation including woodland tall herb communities, and outcrops with arctic alpine species which would normally occur at significantly higher altitudes. The glen supports a great number of plant species, several of which are uncommon in the southern part of Perth and Kinross. The nationally scarce plant Spignel grows here.

Services

Mains electricity, private water and private drainage are connected to the site with water available to all fields.

Access & Reserved Rights

A right of access is reserved over the track and bridge leading to Earnieside Farmhouse from the public road to gain access to the lower fields, and along the track parallel to the road to the gate to the hill (on the corner of the track).

Sporting Rights

The sporting rights are in hand.

Mineral Rights

In so far as they are owned the mineral rights are included in the sale.

Timber

All standing and fallen timber is included in the sale.

Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme

Earnieside lies within a Severely Disadvantaged Less Favoured Area. Any payment made by SGRPID under the above scheme in relation to the 2015/16 farming year will be retained by the seller. The purchaser will be responsible for any claims made by SGRPID under the scheme against the seller in respect of any payments made prior to completion which are the result of the purchaser’s actions.

Single Farm Payment Scheme Entitlements

There are no entitlements included with the sale of the property. These may be available by separate negotiation.

Planning Permission

Prospective purchasers should be aware that an application for a scoping opinion regarding the extension of the Green Knowes windfarm in Glendevon which is situated to the west of the property was submitted to Perth & Kinross Council planning department in October 2014. We not aware of any further developments in this regard.

Viewing

Strictly by appointment with the Selling Agents.

Closing Date

Offers should be submitted in Scottish legal terms to the Selling Agents. The owner reserves the right to sell without imposing a closing date and will not be bound to accept the highest or indeed any offer.

Entry

Entry will be available be agreement.

Deposit

On conclusion of missives a deposit of 10 per cent of the purchase price will be paid with the balance payable at the date of entry. This deposit will be non-returnable in the event of the purchaser failing to complete the sale for reasons not attributable to the Seller or their agents.

Ingoing Valuation

The purchaser(s) of Earnieside shall, in addition to the purchase price, be obliged to take over and pay for at a valuation to be agreed between two valuers, one acting for each party, or an arbiter appointed by the valuers, or failing agreement as to the appointment by the President, for the time being, of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Scottish branch), the following:

1. All hay, straw, fodder, roots, silage and farmyard manure and other produce at market value.

2. All oils, fuel, fertilisers, sprays, chemicals, seeds and sundries at cost.

If the amount of the valuations has not been agreed on the date fixed for completion, then the purchaser shall pay to the seller such a sum as Smiths Gore shall certify on account at the valuation pending agreement. Should the payment not be made within seven days then the interest will become payable on outstanding monies at 5% over Bank of Scotland borrowing rate.

Date of information

Particulars prepared – April 2015

Photographs taken – between 2010 and April 2015

Important NoticeWhilst every care has been taken in the preparation of these particulars, all interested parties should note: i) The description and photographs are for guidance only and are not a complete representation of the property. ii) Plans are not to scale, are for guidance only and do not form part of the contract. iii) Services and any appliances referred to have not been tested, and cannot be verified as being in working order. iv) No survey of any part of the property has been carried out by the Vendor/Lessor or Smiths Gore. v) Measurements are approximate and must not be relied upon. Maximum appropriate room sizes are generally given, to the nearest 0.1 metres. Outbuildings are measured externally (unless otherwise stated) to the nearest 0.5 metres. For convenience, an approximate Imperial equivalent is also given. vi) Only those items referred to in the text of these particulars are included. vii) Nothing in these particulars or any related discussions forms part of any contract unless expressly incorporated within a subsequent written agreement.

Directions

From the M90 Forth Bridge to Perth motorway take junction 6 (the A977 turn-off). After approximately half a mile take the B918 minor road signposted towards Burnbrae. After about 11/2 miles, at the junction with the A91, turn left and continue towards Yetts o’ Muckhart. On reaching Yetts o’ Muckhart, at the junction with the A823, turn right towards Glendevon. Take the immediate minor road on the right hand side, the B934, and continue for approximately two miles. On reaching a long sweeping left hand bend, Earnieside Cottage can be seen on the hillside to the north east. Ignore the turning on the right which would take you over a small bridge. Instead, continue for another 500 metres and take the next turning on the right crossing a small bridge and follow track up to the farm buildings.