Introduction
Over the past couple of months we have talked about the technical challenges of converting existing barns in the UK, as well as the design opportunities that these buildings represent for creating beautiful individual dwellings. This month for the final article in my Class Q series I want to explore the wider potential of Class Q to redevelop farms to create multiple dwellings on a single site, building sustainable communities and helping to meet the challenges of the housing crisis whilst also potentially representing a positive change for farmers looking to diversify their interests to meet the financial pressures of the industry.
Setting out the policy context
The latest changes to Class Q policy allows for the creation of up to 10 individual dwellings with a total of 1000sqm of residential floor space on a single farm (i.e. 10 individual 100sqm dwellings). 100sqm is enough space to accommodate a reasonably sized single or two-storey 3- or 4-bedroom family home. These changes in policy mean that through Class Q up to 40 new residents could be introduced to a farm.
Additional changes to Class R policy (a similar permitted development right for converting agricultural barns to commercial space) allows for the conversion of agricultural buildings to create up to 500sqm of commercial space. This could include; farm shops, cafes, soft-play centres, co-working spaces and many other potential venues for small businesses.
Outside of permitted development rights planning policy in many local authorities allows for the conversion of existing agricultural buildings of substantial construction to be converted under full planning. Think, stone or brick built traditional barn buildings. Local authorities are often supportive of saving these types of building for the benefit of the rural landscape, and if no longer used for agricultural purposes they can often be converted through a full planning application without the typical constraints of class Q. This type of development doesn’t effect permitted development rights and has the potential to introduce even further dwellings to a farm.
Finally, we can’t forget that most farms include a farmhouse. Usually, the oldest and largest traditional building on site, many farmhouses are far bigger than a typically family requires. In addition these farmhouses will generally benefit from their own permitted development rights for rear and side extensions and loft conversions that can further increase their size. In a lot of situations it can make sense to apply for full planning permission to split these large houses from one to two dwellings to better relate to the scale of the farmstead.
To put all of this into context with a hypothetical example; picture a traditional farmstead consisting of;
- A large traditional stone-built farmhouse
- A range of traditional stone barn buildings (circa 400sqm)
- Several large steel portal frame barns (circa 2000sqm)
Then consider the policy opportunities set out above with a potential planning strategy as follows:
- Extend traditional stone-built farmhouse to circa 200sqm and split into two dwellings
- Convert range of traditional stone buildings into four individual dwellings under full planning permission
- Convert 1000sqm of portal frame barns into ten individual dwellings
- Convert 500sqm of portal frame barns into commercial space
- Retain 500sqm for agricultural purposes
In this scenario a farm previously inhabited by a single farming family could expand to a development of 16 dwellings and commercial space. This potential development goes beyond a simple rural conversion project and is elevated to a level requiring many more detailed considerations, that we would define as a ‘Class Q Major’ application.
Class Q to create a tight-knit community
As architects, planners and heritage specialists our approach to rural conversion projects is to create well-planned, community-oriented developments following the best masterplanning principles to maximise the benefits of living in a rural setting. For me the benefits and appeal of living in a rural setting only increase when elevated to the scale of a community. Multiple families living closely together has the potential to create tight-knit community cohesion that is often lacking in suburban settings. Overlaying commercial uses and the space for small businesses to operate in the same setting there is the potential for a new group of people to live, work and thrive on what was previously a sparsely occupied farm bringing additional benefits to the wider community.
There are significant benefits from clustering homes to generate positive social interaction, create natural surveillance of shared spaces to increase security and make efficient use of land.
Masterplanning principles for a cohesive and liveable development
There are a number of key principles to consider when designing any residential of mixed use development. These become even more important when designing within a more isolated rural setting.
Connectivity – It is key for homes to be set apart in a way to ensure privacy, but connected in a way that allows for sensible sharing of public spaces and amenities with clear and accessible routes through a site.
Pedestrian and vehicle routes – Balancing walkability with necessary vehicle access is particular key on rural sites. These areas are often not well-served by public transport, increasing reliance on private cars. Modern farms are typically laid out for efficiency of movement of large vehicles, so often don’t work as well at a human scale. Thinking about isolated vehicle routes from pedestrian routes is key to safely laying out sites of this type.
Landmarks and edges – creating visual focal points on a site such as a central shared courtyard or a particularly architectural significant farmhouse or barn structure helps to give a site identify and helps locate residents within their setting. Setting out clear boundaries of a site is a necessity in planning terms as local authorities are keen that class Q and other rural conversion development does not extend beyond existing farmsteads into open countryside.
Development in almost all cases should be limited to previously developed land to avoid a negative impact on the openness of surrounding countryside.
Hierarchy of spaces – It is also key to differentiate between public, semi-private and private spaces to create a clear hierarchy that allows for convivial interaction whilst preserving individual privacy.
Access to nature – Communal courtyards, orchards and nature trails are all assets that are possible to create within a farm setting in a way that is often much more authentic than ‘greenfield’ development. We often aim to restore heritage orchards and reinstate traditional courtyard arrangements when designing in a farm setting. This approach has massive benefit for occupants as well as for biodiversity and nature.
Retaining farming functions alongside redevelopment
Having grown up in a village in Mid-Devon, the landscape that was the backdrop of my childhood was created by dairy farmers, apple growers and many other family farms. I’ve always had a massive level of respect for the contribution farmers have in their communities and on the landscape of this country. This means that whenever we are approached about a project involving the redevelopment of a farm, part of me feels massively conflicted about my role in removing the buildings that helped generate this positive impact on the landscape. I know that the farmers we work with must feel this even more strongly with their personal connections to these places and the loss of the opportunity to pass this down to future generations.
For me a way of addressing this conflict is to retain as much of a farming function as possible on a site to live in harmony alongside new commercial and residential uses. Models such as community-supported agriculture, small-scale regenerative farming, orchards, small farm shops, farm-to-table dining and even biodiversity net gain opportunities can all work well to retain the agricultural character of a landscape, generate income and enhance the quality and desirability of any new residential development. As a business model this approach can create a diversified income for landowners combining residential rental income or sales returns with ongoing agricultural activity.
Connecting to nature and the British landscape
Any rural development can help residents foster a deep connection to the countryside. A common complaint I hear from farmers is that the general public have no idea of the impact that farming activity has on the landscape that we all enjoy. People clearly want to live within the natural landscape and a farm setting can provide this whilst giving people a deeper understanding of how these landscapes are created. The health and wellbeing benefits of living close to nature or ‘biophilia’ is becoming more and more understood by science. Whether it’s studies demonstrating better health outcomes for patients with views of trees outside their window, or the immune system benefits to children raised on farms – people have an innate affinity with nature that living in a farm setting can provide in abundance.
For us as designers, the role of landscape-sensitive design is key to maximising biophilic benefits with the use of biodiversity enhancement within designs and nature-integrated architecture.
Sustainability benefits of reusing existing structures
Brownfield development is a relatively common terms these days, with the use of ‘previously developed’ land being a central focus of the new labour government’s mission to build more homes. From a sustainability perspective, re-using existing buildings instead of demolishing and rebuilding or starting from scratch can represent a massive reduction in the embodied carbon of a development. By re-using existing materials and structures a saving can be made on the energy required to create and transport new materials to site. Integrating sustainable features such as solar PV panels, rainwater harvesting and energy efficiency insulation and design can further help these buildings to reduce their operation carbon (the energy used by the residents after the building is complete).
Class Q – Major opportunities | Conclusion
Treating farm redevelopment as an opportunity to create well-designed sustainable and interconnected communities within a rural setting can help breath new life into quiet farms. This type of development can bring massive social benefits to the new residents as well as significant economic help for under pressure farmers.
We have years of experience in producing well-considered masterplans for residential and mixed use developments in urban and greenfield settings, with the changes to Class Q legislation we can now bring these skills into a farm setting.
We are seeing more and more farmers looking for opportunities to diversify their farms and we are always keen to work with both farmers and developers to maximise development potential whilst ensure the character of a farmstead is respected in the most sensitive way. Get in touch on 01332 347371 to talk about how we can help generate new opportunities for any farm., or email us at enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk
David Symons, Associate Director- Chartered Architect, Planning & Design Practice Ltd
