A renowned rose breeder has expanded onto the Bradford Estates to licence irrigated land to grow award-winning flowers and commercially lease buildings for its operations.
David Austin Roses has taken an initial 28 acres on part of the Shropshire-Staffordshire estates with the potential to expand further in the future, while using former agricultural buildings for storage for its operations, one of the largest rose breeding programmes in the world.
The rose breeder, winner of 29 gold medals at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show, is the latest major agricultural business to take land and building from Bradford Estates, following in the footsteps of root vegetables producer Huntapac, which set up its regional centre on the estates in 2023.
With its rose gardens, plant centre and growing facility at Bowling Green Lane, in Albrighton, David Austin Roses has operated since 1961, building its international reputation as a supplier of premium quality roses grown utilising traditional methods “lovingly nurturing them by hand until they are ready to be passed onto” customers to be enjoyed in their gardens.
Chief Operating Officer Tim Smith said: “We are pleased to launch a partnership with Bradford Estates by making use of their land holding for growing our popular roses. Both parties have proud histories in Shropshire, so we are delighted to work together to complement our existing rose breeding and growing operations, including securing storage facilities in former agricultural buildings on the estates.
“This collaboration supports our continued growth as an award-winning rose breeder and grower whilst also reducing transport costs through using local storage, aligning with our commitment to socially responsible practices that benefit our people, planet and the gardening community.”
Bradford Estates’ principal asset of 12,000 acres on the Shropshire-Staffordshire borders. With a history dating from 1066 and led by Managing Director Alexander Newport, the business encompasses regenerative farming, offering local business space from converted ex-agricultural buildings alongside sustainable forestry, leisure and local housing provision.
In 2024, Lancashire-based family business Huntapac, extended its relationship with Bradford Estates to let farmland to grow parsnips as well as carrots. Huntapac originally took a commercial lease of buildings at Woodside Farm near Shifnal, just off the A41, before licensing 50 acres of irrigated farmland. Trading since 1942, Huntapac grows root crops vegetables from Scotland to Suffolk. The firm was attracted to Bradford Estates’ location and proximity to other large farming businesses.
Bradford Estates Property Director Chris Hodson said: “We are pleased to add to our growing number of leading agricultural business by welcoming David Austin Roses to the Bradford Estates. The David Austin Roses team are proactive in growing their business so it is great that we can support their growth with both a cropping licence and commercial space.
“As a landed estates business with a regenerative farming operation, it is pleasing to see other successful agriculture businesses recognise the opportunity of taking licences alongside Bradford Farming and we look forward to seeing them generate further success.”
Working to its 100-year plan, Bradford Estates’ stewardship is based on a commitment to be a responsive landowner invested in the future of the local business community. Bradford Estates offers a growing and high-quality portfolio of commercial properties located adjacent or close to the key thoroughfares of M54, A5, A41 and A518 in Shropshire and Staffordshire, between Telford and Wolverhampton.
On-estates surplus buildings are being converted into commercial units for local businesses under the Business Villages brand, with more than 200,000 sq ft in the current portfolio being used.
Diverse businesses including a timber kilning business, a fencing manufacturer, an auto car parts wholesaler, grounds maintenance contractor and a tech company are among the enterprises to take up recent leases with Bradford Estates as it expands its commercial property footprint through reusing its buildings to sustainably boost the local economy.
Alexander Newport said: “We are pleased to work more closely with David Austin Roses who, like Bradford Estates, have a long-standing history in Shropshire. We share similar goals in working responsibly to long term sustainability plans, so we hope to be able to build on our association in the future.”