Agricultural Building Conversion

[George from SJM Planning]

I just thought I would share this one with you as possible inspiration as to what your underused or abandoned barns could become. This is an application we (www.sjmplanning.com) had approved in May last year; we have now got Building Control approval and construction is in progress.

The reason I am promoting this to you is because it wasn't a straight forward Class Q conversion. Firstly we applied for the Class Q but we knew that with the eaves as they are we would have compromised headspace at 1st Floor so we always had it in the back of our mind to make a second application for Full Planning to drop the floor 900mm thus gaining the headspace required. We used the justification as part of the application that Class Q for the barn to two dewllings was already approved and that by dropping the floor level we were not impacting any further on the countryside and neighbours.

It may have resulted in additional structural costs but when you consider theses will be two 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom high quality homes in the Kent countryside estimated to be marketed at £850k-£950k each, the additional cost does seem worth it, especially considering how it looked originally!

Existing

Proposed Rendering

 

[chaffcutter]

It's quite something to have achieved that I reckon, I don't think our local planners would have let it go as a Class Q, I've been told that they have allowed very few in our District, they always seem to find a reason to refuse, usually Green Belt.

Have you been able to get enough windows into the rear elevation to make it light enough?

 

[George from SJM Planning]

It's quite something to have achieved that I reckon, I don't think our local planners would have let it go as a Class Q, I've been told that they have allowed very few in our District, they always seem to find a reason to refuse, usually Green Belt.

Have you been able to get enough windows into the rear elevation to make it light enough?

They can't refuse it on Green Belt, they can only refuse it if it is in article 2(3) land, which is:

• an area designated as a conservation area under section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (designation of conservation areas)
• an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB)
• an area specified by the Secretary of State for the purposes of section 41(3) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (enhancement and protection of the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside)
• the Broads
• a National Park
• a World Heritage Site

I have attached the Class Q section of the GPDO and as long as it complies with this document it can not be refused.

Here is the rear elevation:

 

[B R C]

That looks like a great result for you, how are you going into the ground with the existing steelwork, or will it be new steels hence the need for full planning?

 

[George from SJM Planning]

That looks like a great result for you, how are you going into the ground with the existing steelwork, or will it be new steels hence the need for full planning?

You are quite correct, as we were changing the structural elements of the building then that is why full planning was required. I'm not 100% sure on how it works as I'm only the planning consultant, I leave that for the architect and structural engineer but I believe the existing steels were set on substantial pads which are being drilled and joined with rebar to new strip foundations which will support the walls as loadbaring so the frame is no longer taking the weight but will be present internally as an architectural feature.

 

[Smith31]

What roof covering will you be using zinc?

 

[Doing it for the kids]

I just thought I would share this one with you as possible inspiration as to what your underused or abandoned barns could become. This is an application we (www.sjmplanning.com) had approved in May last year; we have now got Building Control approval and construction is in progress.

The reason I am promoting this to you is because it wasn't a straight forward Class Q conversion. Firstly we applied for the Class Q but we knew that with the eaves as they are we would have compromised headspace at 1st Floor so we always had it in the back of our mind to make a second application for Full Planning to drop the floor 900mm thus gaining the headspace required. We used the justification as part of the application that Class Q for the barn to two dewllings was already approved and that by dropping the floor level we were not impacting any further on the countryside and neighbours.

It may have resulted in additional structural costs but when you consider theses will be two 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom high quality homes in the Kent countryside estimated to be marketed at £850k-£950k each, the additional cost does seem worth it, especially considering how it looked originally!

Existing

Proposed Rendering

You must be as good as you appear to have that as a company car ? ??

 

[George from SJM Planning]

What roof covering will you be using zinc?

Yes

 

[George from SJM Planning]

You must be as good as you appear to have that as a company car [emoji593] [emoji23][emoji23]

That's the boss' range rover and it's a pile of [emoji90][emoji90][emoji90]. Cost more in repairs on 3 years than it cost to buy

 

[Doing it for the kids]

That's the boss' range rover and it's a pile of [emoji90][emoji90][emoji90]. Cost more in repairs on 3 years than it cost to buy

AKA The Land Rover Experiance!

 

[George from SJM Planning]

AKA The Land Rover Experiance!

He is not a car person at all and got sold a right lemon. Within 6 months he needed the both rear air suspension units replaced and the air compressor. It has rust in places I've never seen a vehicle rust!
He's now using a 2006 as a daily driver!

 

[Forever Fendt]

He is not a car person at all and got sold a right lemon. Within 6 months he needed the both rear air suspension units replaced and the air compressor. It has rust in places I've never seen a vehicle rust!
He's now using a 2006 as a daily driver!

I would say you did a good job with the existing building having the open side, many have been refused with an open side although the legislation allows installation of walls it’s a mine field well done for getting a good result for your clients

 

[George from SJM Planning]

I would say you did a good job with the existing building having the open side, many have been refused with an open side although the legislation allows installation of walls it’s a mine field well done for getting a good result for your clients

I think a lot of it is down to not giving the case officer any wiggle room. We basically go through the GPDO paragraph by paragraph and tell them how our application complies. It is much harder for the planners to disagree when you have set out your stall. Too many people nowadays think an application form and a few plans is sufficient because they are the required documents, a covering letter, D&A statement or the like will always make an application better. I see too many applications now where the case officer is left to use their imagination and that is when it is easy for them to refuse an application.
Even for the most basic residential applications I tend to have a minimum two page covering letter outlining why we believe planning should be granted.

 

[tanker]

Interesting stuff,we've been through it on a farmyard here and someone like yourself is the most valuable thing in the process,potential savings in time and cost are sizeable...

 

[George from SJM Planning]

Interesting stuff,we've been through it on a farmyard here and someone like yourself is the most valuable thing in the process,potential savings in time and cost are sizeable...

Thank you for the kind words. So many people see a planning consultant as the first place to cut costs because their Land Agent, Architect or them themselves can fill out the forms! It's amazing how many of them engage a planning consultant when their application starts going sideways!

 

[Barleycorn]

No solar panels?

 

[George from SJM Planning]

No solar panels?

Not at present, there was no requirement to do so from the Local Authority and the client opted against it at planning stage.

 

[Barleycorn]

I think that they should be compulsory on new builds and conversions, along with rainwater harvesting to flush the loo etc.
You've made a cracking job of it though.

 

[George from SJM Planning]

I think that they should be compulsory on new builds and conversions, along with rainwater harvesting to flush the loo etc.
You've made a cracking job of it though.

I agree and if it was up to us we would have it on all of our projects but clients will only do what is right for their pocket a lot of the time.
Many councils are putting into their new local plans that renewable energy and environmentally friendly solutions should be considered as part of planning applications, which we fully support.

 

[rob1]

I agree and if it was up to us we would have it on all of our projects but clients will only do what is right for their pocket a lot of the time.
Many councils are putting into their new local plans that renewable energy and environmentally friendly solutions should be considered as part of planning applications, which we fully support.

Have you had any with solar tiles instead of panels, we have an old barn we are going to do but we are going to put a new steel framed roof on it first so we can live upstairs and I would like to use solar tiles instead of panels but am a bit concerned on life span of them etc