Barn Conversions

The guiding principles of such conversions were that their design should not remove the original agricultural character of the building to be converted.

Residential conversions have proceeded for the last 20 to 30 years with varying degrees of success. However, the interpretation by some councils in the region of recent government advice inevitably will lead to a severe decline in their number in the future.

The government has advised that traditional agricultural buildings should be retained and their conversion should first aim to introduce commercial use to diversify the rural economy. Residential re-use may be considered as a last resort to retain buildings in the landscape.

Some councils have misinterpreted the advice and chosen to adopt an informal approach that resists all or most residential conversions in the countryside or within the ‘urban fringe’.

Other councils welcome the opportunity to see creative, though sympathetic, design in barn conversions bringing redundant, traditional farm buildings back into use. 

It is perverse that each council has a different approach, especially when government advice on almost all other development matters is followed consistently. It seems it is only with barn conversions that this anomaly occurs.

It is open to planning consultants like me to challenge councils at appeal when they refuse planning permission. The alternative may be that we will see further deterioration of traditional farm buildings. 

Due to be promoted in forthcoming government advice is the live-work unit, which may be possible where pure residential conversion would not be allowed.

Councils that allow these conversions will expect to see the majority of floorspace taken up by commercial use. Consequently, I fear very few will come forward as they fail to provide a reasonable level of residential accommodation.

It is vital that the councils in our region look closely at their policies for residential conversion. To resist such conversions at all costs will lead to further decline and dereliction within the countryside and the loss of part of our built heritage.