The key facts

  • The Duchy of Cornwall plans to sell up to 20% of its land and assets over ten years to raise around £500 million for housing, environmental projects, and local communities.
  • According to the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), these sales could affect up to 40 farms across Devon, Cornwall, Herefordshire, and the Midlands.
  • While the Duchy's leadership promises that 'no one will be evicted', the TFA notes that not all tenants will be able or willing to purchase their farms.

Sales plan and its scale

The Duchy of Cornwall, which belongs to the Prince of Wales and covers approximately 51,800 hectares across 19 counties, intends to sell up to 20% of its land and property over the next decade. The proceeds, estimated at around £500 million, are planned to be invested in local communities, affordable housing, and environmental projects. The sales programme began with the Bradninch estate near Cullompton in Devon and, according to the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), has now extended to the Duloe estate in Cornwall and to individual farms in Cornwall, Herefordshire, and the Midlands. The TFA estimates that the sales could affect up to 40 farming operations.

What this means for tenants

The Duchy has around 700 agricultural tenants, of whom approximately 300 hold entire farms including a house, land, and buildings. Contracts range from fixed-term to lifetime leases, with the possibility of inheritance. George Dunn, head of the TFA, stated that the organisation is engaged in 'deep negotiations' with the Duchy, and that poor communication has left tenants facing 'prolonged uncertainty regarding valuation, timelines, and available options'. While welcoming the Duchy's assurance that 'no one will be left without a home', he emphasised that not every tenant 'will be able or willing to buy the farm they work, and for those for whom ownership is financially out of reach, fair alternatives must be found'.

The Duchy's position and local reactions

Matthew Morris, the Duchy's rural director, stated that the Duchy's mission is 'primarily to sell farms to the farmers themselves', ensuring continuity, and that for many this represents a 'generational dream' of becoming owners. He said there would be no immediate evictions ('there are no abrupt breaks here'), and that tenants are being offered support and mental health advice, but 'further sales are quite possible in the future'. Mary Ryan, a local Liberal Democrat and former doctor who has lived near the Bradninch estate for about 35 years and supports the farmers, said that some of those affected are experiencing 'immense psychological and emotional distress', and that the process, in her view, was handled 'rather poorly', although reports indicate the Duchy apologised to tenants last month. A Duchy representative stated that it is 'engaging directly with people and supporting them through this process with care and respect', addressing each situation individually, but could not confirm the total number of affected tenants.

An autumnal aerial view shows the predominantly white and grey-roofed houses of the town of Bradninch. The town sits around an x-shaped road layout and is surrounded by green fields, which stretch out to a misty horizon.Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Plans to sell land and farms in Devon had already caused upset among tenants on the Duchy estate

Image source, The Duchy of Cornwall
Image caption,

The Duchy's rural director Matthew Morris said he was listening to feedback from farmers

Prince William smiling. He is dressed in a tweed jacket worn over a dark jumper and light blue shirt.A scenic shot of the Duchy of Cornwall Bradninch estate, near Cullompton. There are a few horses in the distance and some trees and lots of green fields.