Prince William's Duchy of Cornwall to Sell Off Farms
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The Duchy of Cornwall, a large land estate controlled by Prince William, has announced a ten-year strategy to raise £500m. The plan involves selling farms across England.
The Duchy of Cornwall owns land that has been passed down through generations of the royal family. Traditionally, the Duchy rents out farms to tenants, who pay money to live and work on the land.
Under the new sell-off plan, some tenants may now have to buy the farms they currently rent. If they are unable to do so, they could be forced to leave the land they have farmed, sometimes for many years.
The strategy is designed to raise a large sum of money over the next decade. However, it has raised concerns among tenant farmers, who worry about losing their homes and livelihoods.
The news has sparked discussion about the future of traditional farming tenancies in England. Some fear that long-standing farming communities could be broken up as a result of the sell-off.
The Duchy has not given full details about which farms will be sold or when the sales will begin. It is expected that the process will unfold gradually over the ten-year period.
Supporters of the plan argue it will help the Duchy modernise and invest its money more effectively. Critics say it threatens the stability of rural communities that depend on farming.
Vocabulary10 words
- Duchy
- a large area of land owned by a royal family member
- tenants
- people who pay to use land or property owned by someone else
- tenancies
- agreements that let someone use land or property for payment
- strategy
- a careful plan used to reach a goal
- sell-off
- the act of selling many things at once
- estate
- a large piece of land, often with buildings, owned by one person or group
- livelihoods
- the way people earn money to live
- modernise
- to make something more suitable for today
- rural
- relating to the countryside
- decade
- a period of ten years
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Prince William 2. They may have to leave 3. False
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Duchy of Cornwall, a large land _____ controlled by Prince William, has announced a ten-year strategy to raise £500m. The plan involves _____ farms across England.
The Duchy of Cornwall owns land that has been passed down through _____ of the royal family. Traditionally, the Duchy rents out farms to tenants, who pay money to live and work on the land.
Under the new sell-off plan, some tenants may now have to _____ the farms they currently rent. If they are unable to do so, they could be forced to _____ the land they have farmed, sometimes for many years.
The strategy is designed to raise a large sum of money over the next _____. However, it has raised _____ among tenant farmers, who worry about losing their homes and livelihoods.
The news has sparked discussion about the future of traditional farming tenancies in England. Some fear that long-standing farming communities could be broken up as a result of the _____.
Supporters of the plan argue it will help the Duchy _____ and invest its money more effectively. Critics say it threatens the stability of _____ communities that depend on farming.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the Duchy wants to raise £500m by selling farms?
- How might tenant farmers be affected by this plan?
- Do you think long-term tenants should have the right to buy their farms? Why or why not?
- What impact could this sell-off have on rural communities in England?
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