REGIONAL EVENTS

RASE members and their guests (total 44) had a truly excellent visit to the Chilton Estate near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. This wonderful estate is owned and managed by Sir Henry and Lady Aubrey Fletcher (Bobbie) who are very much a team in every sense of the word. They were very worthy winners of the RASE’s Bledisloe Gold Medal for Landowners in 2010. This award is made annually to an estate which has demonstrated outstanding achievement in the successful land management and development of an agricultural estate in England. Chilton is situated in the very beautiful Chilton Hills, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, through which they wish to build a super fast railway HS2!

On the morning of a cool and cloudy day, guests were greeted by our hosts in ‘the Barn’, Town Hill Farm, an 18th century vaulted barn conversion creating a stunning setting for all types of meetings, conferences, events, weddings and other private functions with stunning views of rural Buckinghamshire.

Following an introduction to the estate by Sir Henry, who gave us an insight into the family history and how they had developed the estate over several centuries, we were then taken, by tractors and trailers, to the Chilton Business Centre. This encompassed 8 let units totalling 14,000 square feet of very high tech offices and including an underground office with a furniture manufacturer. In converting these former farm buildings Sir Henry and Bobbie had retained the “farm look” with its traditional vernacular, while installing fibre optic high speed broadband to attract high end tenants. These 19th century traditional farm buildings were restored and converted in 2005 and were immediately recognised for their brilliance by wining a Design Award soon after they were completed.

From the start it was intended that the Chilton Business Centre should offer state of the art facilities that progressive, successful companies take for granted, together with an experienced and professional on-site management and maintenance team to ensure that tenants are supported at all times.

Sir Henry explained that it is distinct from any other scheme in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire area and the Chilton Business Centre offers companies a unique and inspiring working environment.

We then visited Chilton House, originally an “H” designed Elizabethan house, which was aggrandised to the 18th Century Manor House with a wonderful new front. The house being Grade 2* listed has been an old-peoples home since the 1970’s. It is managed by Bobbie, who brought property management skills to their partnership and who is responsible for all the estate’s let property. When the opportunity presented itself in 1987 the estate took the home in-hand and after extensive refurbishment it is now a very well appointed convalescent and long term care home with 35 en-suite rooms. Guests enjoy a wonderful view down to the lake, which Sir Henry designed to give a focus for many of the converted buildings and Chilton House, as a marketing tool.

We then visited Hornage Farm where Sir Henry explained the history behind the conversion and development of the Farm to 8 one-storey cottages which are let. Again the traditional vernacular of the buildings was retained and such is their reputation there is a waiting list for their occupation. To gain the planning approval an old concrete farm building was converted to a bat house to enable the bats to be re-housed from the farm buildings prior to conversion. Propane gas is stored in underground tanks to serve the units, which are so well insulated the average resident only uses £160 per annum to heat the property and cook with.

We then returned to the Barn for a wonderful lunch, with excellent service and of course a glass of wine.

After lunch, we went to Home Farm and saw the cows about to be milked, the silage facilities and the grain storage. The farm manager Mark Woodin also explained the cropping on Home Farm and how he works with other estate farm tenants to ensure all parties benefit from working to their strengths. A policy of the estate is to encourage a thriving tenanted section, where succession is encouraged, to ensure well managed farms by tenants who can pay good sustainable rents.

Finally we were taken to Park Pale Farm, a collection of old farm buildings that had fallen into disrepair after a tenant had given up his milk processing business. These buildings need re-development and Sir Henry invited us to comment on how we thought the farm should be developed. A lengthy, interesting debate followed, with plenty of ideas and conflicting views. Overall however, the concept of “live and work” with some holiday accommodation seemed to carry the most weight. It will be interesting to see how Sir Henry and Bobbie take on this new challenge, but given what we saw earlier in the day it will be done exceptionally well.

Following lovely cakes and a cup of tea we concluded a very enjoyable and interesting day in a beautiful part of the English countryside. It was a pleasure to visit Chilton. It is a happy place and for that we thank Sir Henry, Bobbie and their team so very much for a really great day.

Malcolm McAllister
Vice Chairman, RASE