Farmhouse in a bird and nature reserve hits the market for £2.95m

A unique property has come on the market – making for a rare buying opportunity.

An isolated farmhouse in the centre of a protected bird and nature reserve is up for sale at £2.95m.

Maranoa Slepe Farm is on the Arne peninsula in Poole Harbour, Dorset.

Surrounded by outstanding natural beauty, the property sits on RSPB heathland.

RSPB Arne has 1,000 acres of land that’s filled with a mix of fauna and flora.

There’s even a large herd of sika deer that live on the land too.

The price tag might seem steep for the simple three-bedroom farmhouse, but its location is what makes it so valuable.

From the house, there are views of the historic Corfe Castle and of Poole Harbour, the second largest natural harbour in the world.

Arne is often known as Dorset’s secret village and there are only a handful of residential properties there.

Maranoa Slepe Farmhouse was built in 1982 and has been in the same family for the last 40 years.

The house has 2,306 sq ft of accommodation with an open plan sitting and dining room, kitchen, study, two sunrooms, three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Beyond the main building there are garages, sheds and a summer house.

The principal rooms face directly south, making the most of the sun and the views to Corfe Castle.

There’s an attached double garage that was converted into a large store room, but it could easily be turned into something else depending on the new owner’s needs.

There are also gardens surrounding the farmhouse.

The property has 127 acres of pasture land, fenced and divided into manageable sized fields. There is a small farm yard and barn too.

In recent years, the fields have been grazed by dairy cows and sheep in the summer.

Ashley Rawlings, from Savills, who are selling the property, said: ‘Places like this just don’t come on the market often. The family have owned this house since the 80s and are reluctantly letting it go now.

‘To have a farm like that, with the house set in the centre of its own land is rare. And the house is raised up slightly so it has views to Corfe Castle and Poole Harbour, which really makes it a bit special.

‘The land surrounding it will be protected for the future because you have the National Trust bordering one side and the RSPB on the other so the views are unlikely to ever be spoilt.

‘I think it will be a lifestyle purchase, somebody who wants to get away from it all and the opportunity to farm on a low intensity level.

‘If you think about what you could buy on the other side of the harbour, it’s not very much.

‘Here you can look across to the flats at Sandbanks from your 127 acres. I know which I would rather have.

‘You’re not totally cut off, but when you’re there you have no near neighbours and it’s completely peaceful.’

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