One of Sheppey's most prominent farms has gone on the market for more than £2.5million in a move which could mean more houses for the Island.

Estate agents boast that Cowstead Farm, which greets motorists as they head towards Minster and Leysdown from the Sheppey Way, has "significant development opportunities."

Google earth view of Cowstead Farm on Sheppey

Also up for grabs are parts of Minster and Cheyney Marshes and a semi-detached cottage with a tenant covering a total of 249 acres. They could be sold together or broken into five lots.

The sale is being handled by estate agents George Webb Finn of Park Road, Sittingbourne.

Partner Stuart Mair says: "This represents an excellent opportunity to purchase a highly sought after farm comprising farmhouse, ancillary living accommodation, agricultural buildings and land with development potential subject to planning permission, together with two blocks of marsh pasture."

Online information talks of "significant development opportunities" and says the first two lots nearest Cowstead Corner roundabout are sold subject to an "overage of 30% of the uplift in value should the land be developed for any non-agricultural use or development over a term of 25 years."

It is currently owned by P & H Johnson.

Virtually next door is a 38-hectare site owned by farmers SW Attwood and Partners who have successfully won permission to build 700 homes on their cornfields. There are plans to double it.

They had planning permission turned down by Swale council in 2019 despite the land being in the Local Plan.

Their appeal was allowed by Inspector Martin Whitehead in 2020 who said: "I find the adverse impacts of the proposed development would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh its benefits."

The Lower Road is one of the busiest routes on the Island, especially in summer when thousands of visitors use it to reach the holiday homes and beaches of Leysdown and effectively gridlock Cowstead Corner roundabout.

Cowsted Farm - what you get

Lot 1 - Cowstead Farm - £1,250,000

An 1883 farmhouse with dining room, living room, family room, boot room, kitchen and four double bedrooms. Converted stables provide another two bedrooms and open-planned living room/kitchen. Steel and concrete farm buildings including a Dutch barn, grain store, hay store, dairy building, lean-to, courtyard and pasture with Grade 3 soil. The land is crossed by public footpath ZS11.

Lot 2 – £135,000

Two parcels of pasture measuring 5.49 hectares (13.56 acres) fronting the Sheppey Way.

Lot 3 - Cheyney Marshes - £275,000

Grass marshland extending to 22.68 hectares (56.04 acres) east of the Sheppey Way and south of Cowstead Corner. The land is within the Swale Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest. The soil is Grade 4.

Lot 4 – Minster Marshes - £650,000

Grass marshland including saltings extending to 59.92 hectares (148.06 acres) south-east of Ferry Road and within the Swale Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest. The soil is Grade 4. Public footpath ZS19 crosses the land a short distance along the sea wall.

Lot 5 – 2 Cowstead Farm Cottage - £275,000

Three-bedroom semi-detached cottage north of Queenborough Road built around 1950 and let under an assured shorthold tenancy.