Description
Pump Farm is a 32.4 hectare (80 acre) upland livestock farm in the village of Warslow in the Staffordshire Moorlands area of the Peak District National Park. The farm is approximately 10 miles north of Ashbourne and 10 miles South of Buxton, access is directly off the B 5053 Longnor to Warslow road.
The land lies approximately 300 metres (985 feet) above sea level and gently falls from the farmstead in the village to the edge of the steep dale of the Manifold Valley. The farm is situated on the divide between the gritstone South West Peak and the limestone White Peak National Character Areas and is mainly limestone and drier than other nearby land. The land is all permanent pasture and falls within the disadvantaged area classification. The land is in three separate blocks Pump Farm, Pump Farm East and Dale land.
The farm is identified on the plan at Appendix 2.
Two new farm buildings have recently been erected to the rear of the farmhouse. These are a six bay cattle shed and farm yard manure store and a three-bay store shed. The buildings are planned to accommodate a maximum herd size of 25 suckler cows and their followers (or equivalent).

Lotting
The letting is split into two lots.
LOT 1: Farm buildings and 80 acres on a 5 to 7-year Farm Business Tenancy
LOT 2: Farmhouse on a 3 -year AST
These Particulars are for LOT 1. Please refer for separate document titled Pump Farmhouse for LOT 2 Particulars.

Applicants can apply for both lots of just LOT 1 or LOT 2

Pump Farm
The Peak District National Park Authority (the Authority) invites management proposals and tenders for the letting of Pump Farm.

Pump Farm, in Warslow, Buxton, Derbyshire is one of 12 tenanted farm holdings on the Authority’s Warslow Moors Estate. Historically it was a dairy farm but has been run as a suckler beef farm for many years. It has been let on seasonal ‘grass keep’ since 2019, when the previous tenant retired. Since then, the holding has undergone an extensive programme to provide a fully refurbished 4 bedroomed farm house, two modern farm buildings for cattle and storage and new external and some internal boundary fencing.

The site is shared with an Authority base/local office in converted traditional stone barns opposite the farm yard.

Tender Process
The Authority does not bind itself to accept the highest or any other tender. The information contained within these particulars is given in good faith but cannot be guaranteed. Applicants should ensure themselves of the accuracy of any of the information contained herein by inspection and enquiry of the Authority’s Rural Surveyors at the farm viewing day or afterwards at the National Park Authority’s office—Tel: 01629 816209

Applications will not be accepted from those who have not visited the farm on the official viewing day on Monday 2nd June.

Prospective applicants are asked not to visit the farm at any other time.

Farm Management Plan

General
Until 2019, the farm was managed on a semi intensive basis. Since then, the Authority has managed the farm on a low-input mixed-grazing system and wishes to continue this approach.

This low-input system aims to restore, enhance and maintain the holdings pastures and meadows. It prohibits most forms of agricultural improvement, including ploughing, levelling, cultivation, drainage and the application of inorganic fertilisers, pesticide or herbicide (except to spot treat) slurry or lime.

Most importantly, this low-input system aims to minimise off-farm inputs and optimise on-farm resources to make the farm more sustainable and profitable.
As part of this low-input system, the Authority is seeking a tenant who will build pasture resilience through varied grazing practices, in line with the following:

Pump Farm
- Mixed grazing
- Maximum of 1.5 LSU

Pump Farm East & Dale Land
- Cattle grazing
- Limited sheep grazing in November and December to manage injurious and other weeds (number of sheep to be agreed annually with the PDNPA).
- Maximum of 1.0 LSU.

Conservation Interest
Some of the land is already of conservation interest, representing a full range of upland vegetation characteristic of the South West Peak National Character Area and supports several important species assemblages such as upland breeding birds.
(a) Pastures
The farm has a range of pastures from semi-improved to species-rich grasslands. There are a couple pastures of particular interest where cattle grazing only is permitted and care must be exercised to avoid poaching in wet conditions. A summary of management requirements has been produced for the parcels that contain ecological interest. This summary will be available on the viewing day.

(b) Hay Meadows
On Pump Farm East, several parcels will be restored as species-rich wildflower meadows through a collaboration between the Authority and the tenant. These meadows have recently been ring-fenced to allow them to be shut up and cut after the 15th of July, allowing later flowering plants to flower and seed. A summary of the management and restoration plan for these meadows will be provided on the viewing day.

Both, species rich pastures and hay meadows, must continue to be managed or restored as a condition of the Farm Business Tenancy.

There is scope for the tenant to identify further environmental enhancement opportunities.

Boundaries
Alongside pasture and meadow management, the tenant will be expected to restore and maintain the farm’s boundaries. Most of the boundaries are marked by hedgerows, which provide essential food, shelter, and breeding habitats for small birds, as well as support a variety of woodland ground flora. Even remnant hedgerows hold historical significance, revealing how the land was divided over time as well as continuing to provide food and habitat for small birds and insects.

In March 2025, the farm's external boundary was nearly entirely ring-fenced with post-and-stock netting to facilitate hedgerow restoration and future management from both a historic field boundary and wildlife corridor perspective. It is expected that the new tenant will actively manage on a rotation at least two-thirds of the hedgerows (including remnant hedgerows) and their associated fences. This management plan can be developed and implemented with support from the Authority and Environmental Land Management Schemes.
Alongside hedgerow boundaries, dry-stone walls, stone squeeze/step stiles, and stone gate posts should be preserved and maintained.

Financial sustainability
Pump Farm provides an opportunity for a farmer who is passionate about delivering nature recovery as well as producing food. However, the Authority fully understands that the size of the farm and the proposed low-input system will mean that the new tenant will need to rely on utilising other income streams such as environmental schemes, diversification and off-farm employment to sustain their business.

Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMs)
The farm is not currently in any Environmental Land Management Schemes. It was intended that the new tenant would be able to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive as soon as they took entry. It is hoped that this scheme will be available again sometime in 2026. The Authority’s experienced farm advisors will be available to help with any application should the new tenant wish for any assistance at no cost to the tenant.
Alongside the above ELM schemes, the farm is located within the Morridge Hill Country (MHC) Landscape Recovery Project area. Hosted jointly by the Authority and the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, the project is an ambitious landscape recovery initiative which includes most of the Warslow Moors Estate. The project is in the two-year development stage with the hope of entering the implementation stage in 2026.
It is hoped that the new tenant at Pump Farm will collaborate with the MHC project to explore the creation of new and biodiverse habitats on the farm over the period of the tenancy. This may include wood pasture across parts of the holding.
The degree of collaboration with the project will be at the tenant’s discretion. However, applicants who clearly demonstrate a genuine ambition to work with the Project will score higher in the application process. It is vital requirement that applicants support the Authority’s broader vision for the farm to become an exemplar model of nature focused agricultural practice and land management and a hub for landscape recovery across the Estate and the Project area.

Diversification
The Authority welcomes and encourages ideas for farm diversification. Opportunities might include a ‘bed and breakfast’ in the farmhouse, a small campsite or shepherd hut (subject to the tenant achieving planning permission), meat boxes and educational and visitor engagement activities.

Off farm income
The PDNPA acknowledges that the uncertainty surrounding Environmental Land Management Scheme payments could impact an applicant’s ability to tender. Additionally, the PDNPA recognizes that any farm diversification will require time to become established. As a result, there will the opportunity for a review of the land management, ELMs proposals and the rent 18 months after the start of the tenancy, taking these factors into account.
Therefore, tenders should reflect resources currently available. It is anticipated that off farm income will be an essential part of this business plan.

The Tenancy Agreement

Main Provisions
Set out below are the main provisions of the Tenancy Agreement that the successful applicant will be required to sign.

Statutory Basis of Occupation of Farm
The holding will be let under the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 for a term of five to seven years.

Entry and Possession
The holding is to be let on a Farm Business Tenancy Agreement from 1st October 2025. The tenancy will run for a fixed term of five to seven years. Possession and entry of the farm buildings and land are subject to the successful completion of negotiations and signing of the Tenancy Agreement. Early entry of the farm buildings only in August 2025 may be negotiated.

Payment of Rent and Outgoings
Rent will be payable monthly in advance.
The rent will be reviewed 18 months after the start of the tenancy. Subsequent rent reviews will take place every 3 years thereafter.
All outgoings, including Council Tax, will be the responsibility of the Tenant.

Repairs
(ii) The Landlord is responsible for repairs as set out in the standard agreement and in the Agriculture (Maintenance Repair and Insurance of Fixed Equipment) Regulations 1973 as amended and subject to any subsequent amendments to the Regulations.
(iii) The Tenant’s repairing liabilities are set out in the standard form of agreement and appropriate statutory regulations mentioned above.

Buildings
The Tenant will require Landlord’s written consent before carrying out any alterations or erecting any new buildings or structures.

Reservations to the Landlord
1. Sporting Rights (except the Tenant’s right to take ground game). No hunting of any sort shall be permitted on the land. 
2. All timber and natural and cultural capital rights
3. The right to enter the land and/or part of the land into current and future Environmental Land Management scheme agreements including landscape recovery
4. The right to carry out management to restore priority habitats on the farm.
5. Shared access to estate base and right of way to Dale side woodland
6. The right to permit filming or photography
7. The other usual reservations as set out in the standard farm tenancy agreement.

Public and Private Rights of Way, Easements and Wayleaves
The farm is let subject to all existing public or other rights of way, easements and wayleaves, together with the Landlord’s right to create concessionary footpaths or bridleways. A plan showing the definitive rights of way and areas of open access will be available on the viewing day.

Viewing Arrangements and Applications Procedure
Only persons having a copy of these letting particulars may view the farm. The viewing day will be Monday 2nd June 2025. To register your interest and book a viewing slot, please call 01335 342201

Application and tender forms will be available at the viewing day, to be completed and returned to the address below by Midday on Friday, 4th July 2025

Head of Finance
Peak District National Park Authority
Aldern House
Baslow Road
Bakewell
DE45 1AE

Short listed applicants may then be invited to attend an interview in July 2025. This process may require a visit to applicants current holding (if applicable).

Financial and other references will then be obtained with a view to making a formal offer of tenancy in writing by 31st July 2025.

It is anticipated that the final selection of a tenant will be made in order to allow ample time for 1st October entry to the holding.

Agents Notes
Bagshaws LLP have made every reasonable effort to ensure these details offer an accurate and fair description of the property. The particulars are produced in good faith, for guidance only and do not constitute or form an offer or part of the contract for sale. Bagshaws LLP and their employees are not authorised to give any warranties or representations in relation to the sale and give notice that all plans, measurements, distances, areas and any other details referred to are approximate and based on information available at the time of printing.