Planning Application Submitted to Shropshire County Council for a New Barn Conversion in Ellesmere.

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Following an initial planning appraisal with the client En-Plan: Planing & Architecture have submitted a full planning application to Shropshire County Council Planning Department to gain approval for alterations to the conversion of the barn and the erection of a new detached garage and workshop to accommodate the applicants collection of classic motorbikes.  The application woukld also look to extend the area of garden land associated with the property. The application looked to build on the successful planning appeal that allowed for the barn conversion.

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Background to the Application

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The building is located adjacent to the passing highway. The building sits on its own but has its own gated access from the road and a small yard area to the side. To the north and to the east there are open fields. To the west there is a detached dwelling not belonging to the applicant which is also surrounded by agricultural land.

The building was subject to the prior notificationproces for the conversionof agricultural buildings. The building itself is a steel portal frame with the walls infilled with concrete block work below eaves height and corrugated steel or timber boarding above. The roof is constructed of asbestos cement corrugated sheets. The building sits on a concrete floor.

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The applicant submitted a a revised prior approval application (reference 18/04974/PMBPA)  which followed two a previous refusals (application numbers 17/01481 and 18/01420).  These previous applocations were refused for the following reasons respectively:

 

17/01481/PMBPA
“It is considered that the proposal falls outside of the scope of 'permitted development' as set out in Schedule 2, Part 3, Class Q. Q.1(i) of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 and therefore planning permission is required”.

18/01420/PMBPA
“It is considered that because of the need to create an independent self-supporting structure within the existing building this demonstrates and confirms that the existing building is in fact not capable of being converted. It is therefore considered that the proposed conversion of the building to a residential use falls outside the scope of the permitted development set out in Class Q of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015”.

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The submitted structural report confirmed that the building is in a good condition and structurally capable of being converted. The submitted plans show that the existing walls, comprising of concrete blockwork would be retained as part of the conversion and that none of them require structural repairs or replacement. Where
the building currently has timber cladding this will be replaced with new brickwork.  The Council howver found that the level of new building workls required meant the building could not be classed as a conversion even though all other elements of the planning assessment were found to be accpetable.

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This then led to the applicants submitting an Appeal to the Planning Inpsectorate in Bristol.  The Inspector in charge of the case found in favour of gthe proposal as shown by the following extracts from the Appeal decision:
 

"The proposal would involve the creation of the internal walls and the replacement of approximately 50% of the existing walls, which would be facilitated by the installation of a non-structural timber frame. I do not consider that these works go beyond what is reasonably necessary for the conversion of the building.
 

I find therefore that the appeal building is capable of conversion and the proposal would only consist of building operations reasonably necessary for the building to function as a dwellinghouse and therefore does not conflict with Class Q.1 (i)(i) of the GPDO."

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The Planning Application

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20/01463/FUL | Alterations to new residential unit (approved under application 18/01420/PMBPA); change of use of land to residential curtilage and erection of detached garage and workshop | Proposed Barn Conversion Northwood Ellesmere Shropshire

 

The application progressed despite the Covid-19 restrictions and despite hitting initial resistance from the Planning Department at Shropshire County Council. En-Plan were able to sucessully argue the planning merits of the case and that the alterations to the elevations proposed allowed for a better design and the new garage /worskshop and the extension to the curtilage woudl all be reasonably required for a residnetrial unit of thissize.  The proposal was judged to be acceptable and planning approval was issued with conditions attachd to the approval requiring details if parking, access and drainage. 

 

En-Plan submitted the required details and these were jugded under application:

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20/02011/DIS | Discharge of condition 3 (Parking and Turning), condition 4 (Access) and condition 5 (Drainage) for an application for prior approval under Part 3, Class Q of the Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

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Post Planning Approval

 

We have gained Full Plans Building Regulations Approval for the technical sepcification and worked with the owners during the build process to provide project support where required. A final completion certificate was issued in late 2020.

 

One notable issue we provided help on was how to protect the steel frame post conversion. Protecting a steel frame within a building from condensation is crucial to prevent corrosion and maintain the structural integrity of the frame. Condensation occurs when warm, moist air comes into contact with cooler surfaces, causing the moisture in the air to condense into water droplets. To prevent condensation on a steel frame, you can take several measures.   

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Preventing condensation on a steel frame involves a combination of design, insulation, ventilation, and maintenance measures. The specific strategies to use will depend on the building's design, location, and the environmental conditions it faces. Consulting with a structural engineer or building professional with experience in moisture control is advisable for specific guidance in your situation.

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Further Information

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If you would like to find out more about how our Planning Consultancy and Architectural Design Services can work in perfect sync to achieve a successful outcome in the planning system please contact us and we will be only too happy to talk through any questions or barn conversion proposals you may have.

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