This week we have moved fully into our additional office at the Byre Workshops, Winterbourne Medieval Barn, (grade II*) listed barn conversion. It has got us thinking about some of the amazing barn conversions we have helped with over the years and some of our more recent projects.
New Winterbourne Office, Unit 2 Byre Workshops
The internals of class Q steel frame barn conversions
We are pleased to have received two commissions this month for two listed barn conversions in North Somerset, to help take our clients through planning and building regulations consents and provide structural reports, we can’t wait to get started! When dealing with a barn conversion it is important that your design team understands the regulations and restrictions of such developments.
We have designed several class Q barn conversions in recent years, (a class q barn conversion allows agricultural structures to be converted not usually allowed under planning policy). These often represent challenges because they are not always traditionally constructed and have to be really thought about in terms of the build technology to make them viable barn conversions under the legislation.
A class Q barn conversions in Wiltshire & South Gloucestershire
This barn conversion and almost all conversions require a structural report to be submitted to the local authority to substantiate the conversion. When providing such reports it is important your building surveyor or structural engineer understands the restrictions of the planning policies and tailors their report to include the information required by the council.
We have seen many cases where a barn conversion has been unsuccessful in achieving planning as the structural report is not adequately designed to convey the structure of the barn in the right way. Often this might take the form of a traditional RICS style building survey which is wholly an inadequate approach for a barn conversion.
Listed Barn Conversion in Wiltshire.
The many listed barn conversions we have worked on previously such as this beautiful barn conversion in Wiltshire pictured below, has taught us that such applications will normally need to be accompanied by not only basic plans but much more detailed joinery sections, method statements, enhanced recording of the structure, traditional repair methods and analysis.
The local authority in this instance insisted that to facilitate the barn conversion every piece of timber within the structure was surveyed and recorded with recommendations made for their repair or replacement. We analysed and recorded each timber individually and suggested/detailed historic timber repairs such as scarf joints where appropriate.
It is important when choosing your designer or architect that they have experience in delivering a barn project and that you recognise the additional investment in the design information that will be required at the planning stage.
The drawings below are of a listed barn conversion in South Gloucestershire. Our client is currently carrying out the repairs and we should have some exciting pictures to follow in the coming months from the lovely Morag McDonald or Documentary Image. This project was really interesting as the barn had almost been reduced to rubble, fortunately with useful dialogue from the conservation officer and the planning consultant Chris Dance of LPC we were able to negotiate its restoration through the planning framework and to protect what was left of this very old structure.
Plan of listed barn conversion in South Gloucestershire
The front elevation of the dilapidated barn.
Proposed design for listed barn conversion in South Gloucestershire.
In some instances, local authorities like to see that new build properties in rural locations have an agricultural aesthetic to mimic that of a barn. The project pictured below was one where we helped deliver the technical stages of a barn style project in Wiltshire. We were able to negotiate and successfully discharge the planning conditions and help the owners gain building regulations consent for the project.
Rural Architecture, New Build Dwellings Architects, Engineers & Surveyors.
Interested in a barn conversion, how can we help?
Structural Design Calculations
Building Fabric Recording and Repair Method Statements
Planning Condition Approval (inc Soakaway Calculations)