II* Listed Building Planning Approval renovation & retrofit of a Dales Barn

We worked with a tenacious owner occupier client to get the approvals for creating new contemporary residential accommodation and the reroofing an historic 1680’s barn in a grouping of II* listed buildings, all in the setting of a fine 1600’s house described, described as the ‘finest yeoman clothiers house in West Yorkshire’.

We tried for some external alteration & additions - but even though the the barn had been previously modified, the Conservation Officer was very wary of any outward changes in this sensitive setting.

Sensitive architectural design in this situation is paramount, understanding the historic fabric, relating to the heritage construction methods, historic materials and artisan craft that has made these building the unique examples of Dales barns & yeomans houses is paramount. The original buildings were not designed by architects but constructed by yeoman skilled builders, using the 'modern building craft’ and techniques from nearly 350 years ago - at the time it would have been modern cutting edge design. The highly skilled stone masons have left their mark in the qulaity and fine nature of the original stone work, some slabs of walling would be a two man lift, with the fine chisel marks still showing how each stone was shaped for its position - the original build costs would have been high and the quality reflects the status of the orginal inhabitants and owners.

The position high on the edge of the Calder Valley at over 850ft needs to be understood alongside the fact that when the properties were built the area was going though a period described as mini iceage, with a phase of the coldest and wettest weather for generations or since, the area is defined by its wind swept moorland, acidic peat bogs, and waterlogged grassland - a startling place to build such a fine farmstead at nearly 1000ft altitude.

With an extensive environmental & ecological presentation, as the setting is in an area farmland in the designated Special Landscape zone, above Todmorden in Calderdale, our mitigation for both the quality of the built environment & the preservation of the Dales upland setting were approved.

Extensive structural appraisals with our local colleague Stuart McCormick of Springfield and working again with Planning Consultancy inputs from Janet O'Niell of O'Neill Assoc in York - a very detail application unfolded.

The success of this proposal illustrates how the historic asset can be preserved but also found a new life with extensive contemporary accommodation - in a form that preserves the architeture for future generations.

The potential has been unlocked in an unprecedented historic location, for major internal alteration, creating living space, and leisure/hobby space, a new entrance, WC, cloaks & lobby breaking though the great thick walls into the old byre single storey volumes linking the two storey part of the barn, we are allowed a contemporary mezzanine structure through the whole volume of the barn, doubling floor space, creating new bathrooms & walk in dressing rooms.

Reroofing the main barn by removing the asbestos sheeting & replacing with an insulated standing seam roof, velux roof lights & roof glazing, the fabric of the heritage asset is preserved & the use becomes contemporary for the 21st C.

Nick worked one to one with a client who showed great patience in establishing a new use for the barn in a very difficult Heritage Planning climate.