CORNWALL Council has placed two farms in its ownership up for sale — with a cumulative guide price of £2.7-million.

While the council routinely sells assets such as strips of land and former toilets that were in its ownership, the two farms, in Portscatho and Port Isaac represent by some margin the largest assets presently listed for sale.

The property in Port Isaac was previously occupied as a tenanted farm, while the Portscatho property was formerly a bed and breakfast.

However, as the council seeks to raise money to plug holes in its finances, including considering a proposal to sell off a majority of its car parks to a private operator, potentially bagging near to £3-million for the two farms could help fill the reported gap.

In Port Isaac, a five-bedroom character property with seven acres for land is for sale for £1.2-million, marketed by Lodge and Thomas on behalf of the council.

It is described as a substantial historic four to five bed farmhouse for improvement with a range of outbuildings, a two-storey detached barn which is set within seven acres with a prominent frontage onto the approach road to Port Isaac.

It was further described as: “A former Cornwall Council farmstead with outbuildings and productive land wrapped around a large, old Grade II Listed farmhouse on the rural fringe of Port Isaac.

“The property is centred on a very old and characterful farmhouse that in its listing is suggested to possibly date back to the early/mid-18th century. The front door opens onto a spacious hallway, where a slate flagstone floor extends into a dining room, the inner hall and the rear lobby.

“In addition, the ground floor comprises a lounge with Inglenook style fireplace, a generous kitchen, a utility/wc and a boot room. A turning staircase ascends from the inner hall to the four bedrooms, bathroom and shower room/wc on the first floor and a further full width staircase continuing onto a huge attic room.

“Whilst some improvements have been carried out there remains plenty of scope for further repair and refurbishment.”

Meanwhile, over in Portscatho, near Truro, a Cornwall Council owned eight-bedroom manor with pastureland of approximately 8.32 acres and within proximity to the coast is on the market for £1.5-million. It is marketed by Carter Jonas on behalf of the council.

Known as Trewithian Farm, it is described as: “Detached eight bedroom Grade II listed farmhouse previously run as a guest house and working farm is set within quaint walled gardens, a significant range of traditional and modern farm buildings and approximately 8.4 acres on the Roseland Peninsula.”

“Having been in the same ownership since the early 20th century, it is now available with no onward chain.”