ONE of the largest privately owned commercial forests in Wales has hit the market.

The 5,343-acre Llanbrynmair Forest is situated in the Montgomeryshire area of Powys, a region well-known for its timber production. Made up of a number of individual plantations brought together under single ownership, the sale represents a rare opportunity to acquire a large-scale commercial forest complex.

James Adamson, head of forestry investment at Savills, which is managing the sale, said: “Due to the limited size of the UK market, finding a single commercial forest of this scale and productive capacity is very rare indeed. This is effectively a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The first commercial planting took place in 1960 and the forest was established over multiple phases, with the most recent replanting taking place in 2019. The main species is Sitka spruce, which accounts for more than 70 per cent of the total area of the forest. 

Harvesting only started in the last five years, meaning that the forest will have a regular supply of timber at production age over the next 20 years. This represents a key attribute of the site, as it will provide a sustained income from felling, with the estimated volume of timber available over the first rotation in excess of 500,000 tonnes. 

The Llanbrynmair Forest is being offered for sale as a whole for offers over £27,500,000.