Small Barn Conversion in Open Countryside

Permitted Development changes have made barns previously seen as ‘unsustainable’ into potential conversions

Small Barn Conversion in Open Countryside

This is about a small barn conversion in open countryside. Prior to the permitted development rules change in 2014, this barn had been refused permission. Its situation in open countryside, and distance from local amenities was deemed ‘unsustainable’.

Following the permitted development changes in 2014, previous reasons for refusal were no longer relevant..

We submitted a planning application just after the change to permitted development rights (for agricultural barn conversions to dwellings). This was successful. The distance to local amenities was no longer an issue. We also worked to overcome concerns from highways. The owners are now slowly self-building the entire project themselves.

Not just a home, but a livelihood…

The owners run a successful and rapidly expanding garden design, landscaping, maintenance and tree surgery business which had outgrown the space available to them. They were looking to expand to create a new home, workshop and wildlife garden. We worked with them to negotiate the planning process and design their new home.

Their new home in an old barn..

Their new home will contain two bedrooms, a lovely open plan kitchen with lots of light and an office. A new timber workshop building will be built on the site for the business. Unsurprisingly, there will also be significant landscaping and planting! We worked closely with the owners to show the planners their intentions. The barn conversion will be a super insulated green conversion using local and natural materials.

“Clare Nash Architecture came highly recommended to help us with our barn conversion project.
We had no idea where to start, but after the first meeting with Clare, it became clear that she would be the architect to help us. Her knowledge of the planning process, barns, traditional building materials and renewable energy, to name but a few, is very impressive which put our minds at rest.
The planning application that Clare has compiled for us is more than we could have hoped for; the drawings, graphics and artwork are fantastic and really make the application stand out. We are delighted!
We would not hesitate to recommend Clare Nash Architecture to anyone wishing for a helpful, friendly and professional service.”

If you are planning or thinking about a project like this please contact us or sign up to our newsletter below to stay in touch.

Also have a look at our related blog posts and links:

Barn Conversion and New PD rights – a guide

A really helpful Q & A from Farmers Guardian on farm building conversions and PD rights

The Government Legislation website relating to permitted development for change of use of buildings to dwelling houses“Clare Nash Architecture came highly recommended to help us with our barn conversion project.