GNATON FARMS

Gnaton Farms is a local landowner with an estate of approximately 1,000 acres (400 ha), encompassing a number of farms. They have farmed the estate for 45 years and during that time have transformed much of the poorer quality land into higher value ecological habitats, thereby increasing the ‘natural capital’ of the estate and local area.

Gnaton Farms has made many ecological improvements including:

• Lower quality or steeper land transferred from intensive agriculture

• 60 acres (24 ha) to species rich field margins left as rough grassland for bees, birds, and small mammal

• 145 acres (59 ha) to nectar, pollen and wild bird seed mixes providing food for insects, butterflies, bumblebees and a wide variety of bird life

• restoration of two traditional cider orchards of 5 acres (2 ha)

• 20km of well-managed traditional hedges providing food and links to different habitats

The estate also contains 200 acres (81 ha) of mixed woodland and 170 acres (67 ha) of grassland which are traditionally managed with low inputs allowing a variety of wild species of plants and flowers to thrive.

The estate employs four full time equivalent staff. It also contributes to the local housing supply providing long-term residential rental properties, which are in scarce supply in South Hams. Gnaton has previously developed a small solar array (50kWp) which supplies power to the Eden Project and Watergate Bay Hotel and 36kWp of residential arrays providing discounted electricity to the residents of the nine homes on the estate.

The proposed solar farm would further diversify the estate enabling reinvestment into traditional buildings on the estate in need of repair and providing further employment opportunities.       Back to home page