Dutch barn conversion diversifies farm income

How to convert a Dutch Barn to make more money from a redundant farm building

If you are looking to convert a Dutch barn to make more money from a redundant farm building, then this FREE eBook could be the answer for you… also read on to find out how architect Garry Thomas is helping his clients make more money by unlocking the planning potential in Dutch barns.

 

 

Dutch barn before and after conversion

This collection of farm buildings and cow sheds is a great example of how a collection of run down farm buildings can be recovered to make more money from a redundant farm building. Dutch barns are a real asset interms of their ability to convert into residential or commercial accommodation.

This project in north Herefordshire takes two redundant Dutch barns and converts them into three stunning residential buildings – with all the historic features of the old Dutch barns retained.

Architect Garry Thomas has recently managed to convince Herefordshire planners that Dutch barns have ‘heritge value’ and are worthy of retention and conversion into other uses.

Farmers no longer have viable uses for Dutch barns, as farming pratice is modernised making these buildings unfit for current farming methods. However, Dutch barns have considerable heritage value, and they do make great conversion opportunities – particularly as they are often under-valued – as people don’t see them as structures worthy of retention: until now!

The reality is Dutch barns are “buildings” for the purpose of planning description; and because of their age they do have heritage-value that is worthy of retention. It’s a sad fact that many Dutch barns have been pulled down over recent years – they are now quite a rare thing to find.

The best examples to look out for are always the ones that are tall and large so that a new floor can be added internally. If they are located next to a road, or on the edge of an existing settlement, then they make the perfect building for conversion to residential use.

The examples shown here convert two timber Dutch barns into three two bedroomed holiday houses, with the added advantage that in time when the farmers children want their own place to live they will make the perfect new home for the kids.

The timber cladding is retained and restored, and the over all mass of the buildings is broken-up by using wrinkly-tin cladding interspersed with the timber cladding.

Large format windows are recessed; and with simple frames recessed into the wall the openings appear frameless. This will ensure that the old barns remain as the dominant feature and they will apear as they always did, as the central heritage asset within a farmyard setting.

To promote tourism the dwelling units are distinguished by the use of coloured panels – red barn, yellow barn and blue barn – this will help to ensure that tourists experience a unique character that each barn can offer, as well as bring about a desire to return to stay in a different colour during another visit – maximising farm revenue.

The important fact to note here is planning departments tend to have a negative attitude towards the conversion of Dutch barns, but it is due to architect Garry Thomas’s “8 ways to get planning permission” that Garry’s clients are unlocking real planning potential within Dutch barns.

If you have a Dutch barn and you would like a free 15-minute telephone consultation on how to go about converting a Dutch barn, to make more money from the farm – contact the office and arrange your free call back HERE

Dutch barn terrace elevation at night

 

   Dutch barn terrace elevation  Dutch barn in the rain at night  

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