A recent review of the county council’s rural estate recommended that farms would not be re-let in future without ‘considering the options for sale’.

The council was quick to dispel any rumours that this would spark a wholesale disposal of the county council’s farms.

However, Liberal Democrat councillors have challenged the Tory-led council on the legality of the review’s recommendation to ‘consider selling off land’.

The NFU is also heavily involved and remains deeply suspicious of the council’s priorities, claiming that the estate faces a ‘slow death’ as the council looks to cash in on its capital assets.

Over the past 10 years, more than £13m has been made in selling off land from the Gloucestershire Estate.

The review, instigated when the Conservatives came to power at the council in May 2005, suggests there is the potential to make much more from the 8,700 acres available.

Source: farmersguardian.com