Value of farmland in the North shows resilience

Farmland values in the North of England have continued to demonstrate resilience during the first half of the year, despite fewer acres coming to the market and ongoing challenges facing the farming sector.

According to the latest analysis from Savills, the volume of publicly marketed farmland across the North fell by 5.2 per cent during the first six months of 2026, with 13,528 acres brought to the open market compared with 14,266 acres during the same period in 2025.

In the same period average farmland values have held firm with no discernible movement, only a rise of 1.3 per cent year-on-year, increasing from £7,417 per acre in June last year to £7,510 per acre in June, outperforming downward trends in other regions and underlining continued demand for good quality farmland.

Andrew Black and Will Douglas, directors in the northern rural agency team at Savills, believe the market continues to be supported by strong underlying demand, particularly for productive farmland that offers opportunities for business growth and diversification.

Mr Black said: “While the volume of farmland coming to the market has softened slightly, demand remains robust across much of the North. We continue to see strong interest from established farming businesses looking to expand, alongside a range of other buyers attracted by farmland’s long-term investment credentials.

“The quality, location and strategic relevance of a property remain key drivers of competition, with the strongest demand focused on productive farms and blocks of land that complement existing operations.”

Mr Douglas added that buyers are increasingly recognising the wider opportunities land can provide, including environmental schemes, natural capital projects and renewable energy initiatives.

He said: “As a result, confidence remains in the market and we are continuing to see well-presented and strategically located farmland attract strong levels of interest, helping to support values despite the wider challenges facing the agricultural sector.”

Although supply was lower than during the first half of 2025, the volume of farmland marketed in the North remains below longer-term averages, reflecting the limited availability of farmland in some areas. With relatively few opportunities coming to the market, competition for well-located and productive land continues to support values.

The continuing effects of policy uncertainty remain one of several factors influencing the farmland market. Since March this year, alongside more frequent climate-related challenges, farming businesses have also faced increased input costs linked to wider geopolitical events.

At a national level, policymakers have recently provided some further clarity on the government’s proposed future direction farming and land management - through the Land Use Framework for England, which seeks to balance the competing demands of food production, development, infrastructure and energy generation. It largely remains to be seen how this will be translated into practice.