Cornwall County Council Publishes Future Vision for Farm Estate

Cornwall County Council’s Task and Finish Group, leading the review of the County’s Farm strategy, has concluded that the Council should retain its farm estate for the long term. The Group stresses, however, that the estate must in future be managed more strategically and deliver value to taxpayers, both financially and through wider social, environmental and economic benefits.

The report supports the existing Farm Strategy and its ambitions, but argues that the estate needs to become more financially sustainable, more focused on progression opportunities for tenants and more flexible in delivering wider Council objectives. This includes reducing the number of costly buildings, concentrating dairy farming into fewer well-equipped units, selling assets where higher-value opportunities arise and encouraging new rural enterprises. The report also highlights the importance of maintaining opportunities for new entrants, and supporting progression for existing tenants to encourage investment into holdings.

TFA Farm Policy Adviser, Lynette Steel, said: “We are delighted that the Task and Finish Group has recommended retaining the rural assets of the council’s property portfolio. This will provide much-needed reassurance to tenant farmers. We now need to see the Council engage with its tenants to work hand in glove on delivering a well-thought-out future direction for the County’s estate.”

“We are also pleased that the group recommends nature recovery and environmental schemes, wherever possible. These should continue to be delivered through tenant farmers rather than taking land out of the tenanted sector. We hope that other councils will follow their lead.“

This news article was written by Lynette Steel, TFA Farm Policy Adviser on 17 June 2026.