Porth Gwylan

Vision & Lettings Particulars – Porth Gwylan PORTH GWYLAN Vision & Particulars 1 Vision & Lettings Particulars – Porth Gwylan Contents 1. The Opportunity 2. What are we looking for? 3. Background to the National Trust and to Porth Gwylan 4. Vision for Porth Gwylan - New Ideas and Approaches 5. The Land 6. Management Restrictions and rights 7. Buildings and infrastructure 8. Skills and resources 9. Tenancy and applications 10. Miscellaneous information 2 Vision & Lettings Particulars – Porth Gwylan 1. The Opportunity The National Trust invites management proposals and tenders for the tenancy of Porth Gwylan to help create an exemplar farm that demonstrates how nature friendly farming can benefit land, nature and the people that inhabit it. The farm is offered on a 10-year Farm Business Tenancy from 1st March 2020 (or earlier by agreement) Porth Gwylan is an attractive coastal small holding on the Lleyn Peninsula extending to 21.88 hectares (approximately 54 acres) with a fully refurbished three bedroomed farmhouse & range of farm outbuildings. 2. What are we looking for? We’re looking for individuals who have an interest in managing this attractive and recently improved coastal small holding as an exemplar nature friendly farm by combining sensitive land management and conservation practices with agriculture for the principal benefit of nature. This will help to transform Porth Gwylan, achieving what we call ‘High Nature Status’, where the land is rich in wildlife and farmed sustainably. You will need to have experience and enthusiasm for the challenges of running a nature friendly farming system within the current climate. You’ll bring a willingness to work in true partnership with us, in accordance with our nature conservation aims and objectives. Your ideas and drive will make a success of the holding and achieve the required outcomes. 3. Background to the National Trust The National Trust is an independent conservation and access charity which cares for special places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We are supported by some 5 million members and circa. 60,000 volunteers. We are one of Europe’s leading conservation bodies and one of the largest landowners in the UK, managing approximately 255,000 hectares of land for the benefit of the nation. The National Trust manages land to achieve an array of objectives ranging from the protection of historic landscapes and features to creating and managing wildlife habitats, with sustainable farming an important mechanism. Conservation of biodiversity and landscape has always been part of the Trust’s charitable purpose. The National Trust is committed to delivering “sustainable land management, meeting society’s needs today while keeping land and its resources in good condition for ever, for everyone” 3 Vision & Lettings Particulars – Porth Gwylan Background to Porth Gwylan Porth Gwylan forms part of the National Trust’s Snowdonia and Llyn portfolio. It is situated approximately one and a half miles to the west of the village of Tudweiliog and 7 miles south west of Nefyn on the North coast of the Lleyn Peninsula. The property lies within the Lleyn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Porth Gwylan was acquired by the National Trust in April 1982. Up until 2017 the farm was let and managed as a small dairy holding. During the last 2 years, the Trust has carried out substantial improvements at the holding which have included upgrading the farmhouse; alterations and improvements to the farm buildings; and significant investment in the farm infrastructure. In addition to these improvements, the Trust has also undertaken changes to the overall management of the land at Porth Gwylan. The introduction of herbal leys offer potential for soil and botanical health improvements along with animal health advantages together with an ongoing reduction of costs due to the reduced reliance on artificial inputs. Spring sown cereals have also been planted in several fields to improve the soil structure, reduce phosphate levels and introduce greater diversity to the range of habitats on the farm for the benefit of nature. 4. Vision for Porth Gwylan The National Trust has reviewed the priorities for delivery of its charitable purpose in the 21st century and these are captured in our new strategy ‘Playing Our Part’ published in 2015 (see www.nationaltrust.org.uk/documents/national-trust-playing-our-part.pdf). Our strategic objectives for Porth Gwylan will include maximising the potential for biodiversity including: • Moving all existing coastal and boundary habitats to favourable condition and creating new areas of valuable wildlife habitat. • Ensuring that all our land is of ‘High Nature Status’ – this is about making sure the areas that wildlife use are well managed, better linked together, where a ‘network’ of habitats are joined up across whole landscapes. • Increasing the variety and range of species supported and the structural diversity of habitat. • Holistically manage (areas and timing) grazing by livestock around the holding. • Protecting and conserving the archaeological and cultural heritage and features of the property. • Engaging with the public, and welcoming access to promote the Trust’s conservation objectives and increasing knowledge of land management practises 4 Vision & Lettings Particulars – Porth Gwylan • Protecting soil structure, and managing water and carbon storage. • Provide a model of ‘High Nature Status’ farming in the Lowlands New Ideas and Approaches We are not providing a detailed prescription of how these objectives will be delivered as we do not want to constrain applicants. We want to hear about your objectives and ideas, which will help determine how we go forward. We recognise that delivery of some desirables may impact others on the wish list. The infrastructure and facilities currently on the farm may also not be adequate to support all desired management practices. We are however keen to see what applicants feel they will be able to deliver and open the conversation on investments that may be needed to make it a reality. Some initial ideas might include: • High Nature Value Farming approach • Payment for outcomes approach as is being trialled by the National Trust on Lleyn. • Taking on some responsibility for identifying, monitoring and reporting of species found and habitat and heritage features condition. • Adding value to produce and exploring new markets and production opportunities. • Diversification of income streams either on or off the holding. • Public access, engagement and educational visits to promote conservation farming. • Improving the character of the farmstead and developing ideas for future uses of the traditional buildings. • Delivery of wider public goods, such as water and carbon storage. The Trust recognises that a tenant may need or want to supplement their income off the holding and this will not be a barrier to applicants. However, the delivery of the required land management outcomes must not be prejudiced by these other activities and applicants must be able to demonstrate how the various activities will work to benefit Porth Gwylan. Priorities would be to put in place a High Nature Value farming system, based on cattle and occasional sheep. The farming system would have nature as its priority, not production but the productivity of the farm would be efficient and resilient. Within this network of habitats, areas that have the potential to be particularly species rich will be sensitively managed to allow them to flourish and become more diverse. Many of these gains will be achieved through determining suitable grazing and livestock management, supported by targeted areas of new habitat creation 5 Vision & Lettings Particulars – Porth Gwylan These changes won’t happen overnight, and we don’t expect you to achieve them alone, but we intend to start as we mean to go on. For the right tenant we hope this will be a long-term partnership with our team of rangers and specialists who will work alongside you and support you on this venture. 5. The Land The area proposed to be included in the letting is shown edged red on the attached plan together with a schedule of field numbers, areas and classifications. The land extends to approximately 21.88 hectares (54 acres) including the coastal slope. The cropping system on the holding is now diversified and includes permanent pasture along the northern perimeter and the coastal slope on the western side of the holding. In recent years, the coastal slopes have been deliberately grazed more intensively by cattle at certain times of the year to reduce the dominance of the long, ‘thatchy’ grasses so that the numbers and varieties of wildflowers can flourish. Herbal/multi species leys have been introduced in two of the fields closest to the farmstead which include grass, herbs and legumes. This crop was established to assist with soil health and structure by introducing deeper rooting plants to reduce compaction whilst the legumes within the mix will lead to an improvement in the fertility of the soil given its nitrogen fixing quality. The herbal mix is also known to be beneficial to livestock health. CATTLE GRAZING HERBAL LEY HERBAL LEY Several fields have also been sown with a crop of spring barley so that the current high level of phosphate within the soils can be reduced before being re-sown with a species rich meadow mix and managed as hay meadows. The barley stubble has been retained unsprayed over the winter months for the benefit of birds and mammals such as hares. The aim in these fields is to create traditional hay meadows once the phosphate levels have been reduced sufficiently. 6 Vision & Lettings Particulars – Porth Gwylan A buffer zone comprising of indigenous tree species has been planted on the northern boundary of the holding and the adjoining farm (not National Trust) to reduce the risk of any soil erosion/leaching into the brook running alongside the property boundary. Drainage work around the perimeter of some fields has also been undertaken whilst several new concrete water troughs have been strategically located around the farm and connected to the mains water supply.

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