Wiltshire Council selling beloved £750k Chippenham farm

In March, a bid was launched to buy Hardens Farm, off London Road in Chippenham, and open the former farm buildings up to the public.

This came after the site was put on the market by Wiltshire Council for £750,000 the previous month.

Despite the best efforts of campaigners, the attempt to secure the future of the farm as a community resource fell short because the council reportedly received higher bids.

Lizzie Watkin, the council’s corporate Director of resources, has since confirmed that a bid was made for two of the listed buildings on the farm, but the sale has not yet been completed.

Hardens Farm in Chippenham (Image: Miriam Dann-Gandy) She said: “We can confirm that we have received an offer for two of the listed buildings at Hardens Farm, however, we’re still in the process of formally accepting these.”

The council did not confirm who has made the bid, or how much they have offered, and the future of the farm remains unclear.

The site was previously at the centre of a huge parcel of land earmarked for 1,500 homes and other infrastructure on the eastern edge of town.

This project stalled years ago and the farm will now be sold, but some residents wanted to see it become a space for local families.

A campaign to make this dream a reality was launched by local mums Miriam Dann-Gandy and her friend Emma.

They hoped to buy the farm and transform it into a children’s play barn, cafe, outdoor community space, and animal sanctuary.

Suggested reading

• 'Offer made' to take over one of town's most prominent shops

• Major roadworks starting soon as speed limit to be lowered on key route

• Plans for M4 junction development hit milestone amid anger over traffic

But with little time to raise the huge funds necessary for this project, their campaign had a disappointing ending, and the money they received through Crowdfunder was refunded.

Ms Dann-Gandy said: “I am sad because the farm holds a special place for a lot of people and has a lot of sentimental value.

“We’re still glad we tried and have no regrets because the response was so positive, I just wish we had more time.

“Coming in from scratch, just two introvert mums, to rally the support we did and get the momentum and traction we did in such a short time makes us really proud.

“Our hope is whoever buys the farm won’t demolish it, there was a good vibe around the farm and I feel like we really could’ve achieved something with more time.”