We were asked for our advice on a beautiful 27-acre farm in the Cotswold countryside. The site, with its farmhouse and various outbuildings, had been bought to be converted into a haven for multi-generational living. However, a combination of its situation in a conservation area and local planning legislation was making things tricky.
Fortunately, we spotted that one of the barns – the Dutch Barn – lay just outside of the conservation area. This meant that it qualified for Class Q conversion, thus allowing it as simpler route through the planning system.
To maintain the exterior aesthetic, the Dutch Barn shell remained but we built a SIPPS-panel timber frame inside it for thermal performance, air tightness and low carbon. We then added an air source heat pump to use the air outside to heat the water for hot water and heating to reduce energy bills. We also included underfloor heating throughout.
As the grandparents were earmarked to live in the barn, the conversion focused on quality of space over quantity of rooms. The result was a stunning one-bedroom single-storey dwelling which centred on a huge kitchen/dining space. We added a connected sitting room for getting cosy, along with a super-modern cinema room, which is frequented by the grandchildren, when they drop in from across the farmyard.