The two-storey barn was situated within a 21-acre plot of land which also comprised a Grade II listed farmhouse (c. 1089). There is a furthermore modern agricultural building at the far end of the yard.
The application sought the conversion of the brick barn into a residential dwelling over two floors, with associated parking spaces, a new garage and private amenity space.
The two-storey brick barn was estimated to have been constructed between the 14th and 15th Centuries. It is likely that the building was originally built as a threshing barn and comprised a ground floor separated into two main rooms by means of a solid brick wall. A third room at the northern end of the barn currently had no doors and open brickwork up to the eaves at first-floor level. Beyond this is what used to be referred to as a Gin-gan, a structure built to enclose a horse mill driving a small threshing machine.
The first floor mirrored the floor below with the brick wall between two rooms continuing up to the top of the roof apex. The roof is supported by a post and truss structure with collar, tie beam and raked curved struts which act both as roof support and floor support. The roof of the barn was replaced in 1998, incorporating four Velux style roof lights.
The proposals sought a sensitive conversion, utilising as much of the existing structure and external openings as possible, with small interventions to facilitate the use of the building as a dwelling.
