Astley Towne Architects has a fondness for and experience with agricultural buildings. As part of the ongoing Government relaxation of planning rules and bonus for cash strapped farmers they introduced 'Part Q' in April 2014 which was permitted development and change of use of agricultural buildings. This was principally aimed at the traditional stone/brick barns and courtyard of barns. The Dutch Barn whilst not a stone or brick heritage structure we believe still has a unique design and familiar shape within the agricultural landscape.
We steered this case study barn near Stratford-upon-Avon through from the day Part Q was announced to its completion less than a year later. Despite the Planners not understanding the rules and issuing Stop Orders we convinced everyone and it has now become a local landmark.
The key to success is rembering that this is a conversion not a new build, and the structural solution was very complex as the structure of a Dutch Barn flexes in the wind and is not capable of taking any additional loading. The finished building looks simple enough and thats what people assume. Its only later they come back and ask 'how did you do that as the Planners won't allow us'. We retained 95% of the original structure.
You would never know
Nearly there
Et voila
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