Woodland for sale

Hotts Hill Forest, Waterbeck, Lockerbie DG11 3HA

About 67.33 hectares (166.4 acres)

Offers above £950,000

Hotts Hill Forest is a recently planted high production commercial woodland in South Scotland on the edge of Eskdale Muir, one of Scotland’s largest productive forest areas and with close access to a range of sawmills, timber processors and biomass power plants.

The woodland comprises about 71.9% high yielding Sitka spruce and 9.6% Norway spruce with potential to produce more than 25000 tonnes of timber within 40 years.

The property is sold with all sporting rights.

General Information

Map

The sale map has been drawn from aerial images and the FGS contract maps.

General Description

Hotts Hill Forest is a recently planted high production woodland in South Scotland on the edge of Eskdale Muir, one of Scotland’s largest productive forest areas and with easy access to a range of sawmills, timber processors and biomass power plants.

The woodland was planted in 2019 with support from Scottish Forestry’s Forestry Grant Scheme, a copy of which can be supplied on request. The wood has been well maintained and has high stocking density of most species and tree types and is considered by vendor to meet the grant contract obligations.

The woodland composition is described below.

Table 1 woodland composition (as per FGS contract)

Species Area % Yield Class

Sitka spruce 41.10 71.9% 20

Norway spruce 5.54 9.6% 12

Scots pine 1.89 3.3% <8

Mixed broadleaves 2.90 5.1% <4

Open space 5.71 10.1%

Grant aided area 57.14 100.0%

Wayleaves and other open space 10.19

Total 67.33

Purchasers are advised to make their own assessment on stocking density, but drone imagery of the crops is available on request to support this assessment.

The Forestry Research on-line tool, Ecological Site Classification estimates that Sitka spruce at Hotts Hill Forest is likely to achieve a yield class of about 20m3/ha/yr. and Norway spruce 12 m3/ha/yr. These two crops will provide most of the future timber production and Forestry Commission yield models for unthinned crops indicate that Sitka spruce will produce about 684m3 / ha and Norway spruce 327 m3 / ha in 40 years.

Grant Schemes and Conditions

The woodland was established under the Forestry Grant Scheme contact reference number 17FGS21797-001

dated 12-02-2018. The grants comprised of capital and annual payments totalling £199,933.80 and it is understood these have all been claimed and paid in full. A copy of the contract is available on request.

Purchasers should be aware that they will be required to sign and agree to take on the contract and all binding obligations for the full duration of the contract which is for 20 years from the receipt of the first grant payment.

Tenure and possession

The property is offered for sale freehold with vacant possession upon completion.

Access

Access to the woodland is from the M74 via the B725 to Waterbeck and from there Northeast for 2km on the B722. These roads are classed as “consultation routes” via the Timber Transport Forum and these are defined as: Recognised as key to timber extraction but which are not up to Agreed Route standard. Consultation with Local Authority is required, and it may be necessary to agree limits of timing, allowable tonnage etc. before the route can be used. These are typical of many minor roads throughout Scotland, and these are unlikely to impose any significant restrictions.

Access to the woodland from the B722 is via a good farm track to the river. Establishment and maintenance operations to date have been completed by fording the river but future timber extraction will require the construction of a bridge at this point and new sections of forest road into the wood.

The wood adjoins an unclassified public road at the north. This is unsuitable for future timber access and is classified as an excluded route.

The maintenance of the farm road (A-B on the map) will be agreed based on use and form part of the contract. The double gates off the public road can be replaced and / or new gates set back 30m to allow timber lorries unimpeded access off the public road.

Viewing is available by appointment

Viewing can be made by parking at the bottom of the farm track (B on the map) and accessing the wood site via the ford. This may not be possible in spate conditions but in normal flow conditions it can be easily crossed in wellington boots

Access on foot can be also made from the north where the wood adjoins the public road (C on the map). Parking is restricted at this point.

Method of sale

The property is offered for sale by Private Treaty. Offers should be submitted to the vendor’s agent, David Atkinson, Edwin Thompson, FIFTEEN Rosehill, Montgomery Way, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA1 2RW. The vendors reserve the right to fix a closing date for offers, change the method or sale or sell the property without notification. Therefore, prospective purchasers are advised to register their interest with the selling agents.

Rights, Easements and Outgoings

There are two power lines running through the property.

Sporting Rights

The property is sold with all sporting rights and fishing rights along the river within the property boundary.

General Reservations

The right is reserved by the vendors to amend or incorporate fresh provisions as appropriate in respect of all the above matters.