A huge area of Kent farmland hosting family attractions, a popular business park and the world’s largest collection of fruit trees is set to be sold off for almost £5 million.

The 146-acre Brogdale Farm, on the outskirts of Faversham, has been put on the market with the potential for “significant further commercial development”.

It is already home to a number of businesses, including The Courtyard Restaurant and Mad Cat Brewery, but plans are in the pipeline for 25 extra units.

Also on the site, which hosts the annual Brogdale Cider Festival, are the National Fruit Collection and Faversham Miniature Railway.

The land is being marketed by George Webb Finn with a price tag of £4.85 million - a value the agent describes as “quite conservative”.

While commercial expansion is likely, a spokesperson for the firm says it does not expect to see any residential development on its Grade 1 and 2-listed farmland.

Speaking exclusively to KentOnline, they said: “There’s an outline planning application for more commercial units on the old reservoir but if it was ever going to go for housing, it would have done so.

“The borough [council] have been fairly clear about the short and medium term; I don’t think there’s any plan to grant any residential development in Brogdale.

“There’s good commercial interest, good rent - an income of £383,000 a year currently - and depending on the buyer there’s potential for commercial and philanthropic pursuits.

“If anyone’s looking at it seriously they’ll be able to dissect the various elements and work out whether or not it’s good value for money, but we feel it is - we’ve been quite conservative with our valuation.”

George Webb Finn has looked after the farm’s commercial interests for almost 20 years.

Included in the sale is a two-bedroom home, various converted farm buildings and a 9” gauge railway.

The majority of the farm buildings now host businesses offering retail, hospitality and office space.

The agricultural land is currently rented out to two farming tenants, who harvest top fruit, soft fruit, nuts and nursery crops, as well as recently grubbed orchards laid to grass.

Farmland not dedicated to the National Fruit Collection - which boasts 4,000 varieties of fruit trees - is subject to a yearly lease renewal.

News of the potential sale comes as hopes of expanding the farm’s sizeable commercial presence remain in the balance.

Plans were first unveiled in 2020 for 25 new commercial units on the site, as well as a day nursery.

However, residents in the area were left unimpressed with the whole scheme, with one neighbour accusing the applicant of “misleading” the public and planning officers.

Ian Friday wrote to Swale Borough Council, saying: “In reality it's a 25-unit large-scale industrial estate and car park with a small nursery added to sugar-coat the application and pull the wool over your eyes.”