Green light for historic barn to be converted into houses in Derbyshire town

The application, by Jackson Design Associates on behalf of XCIPI LIMITED, to convert a former Hollycroft Farm Barns at Main Street in Shirebrook into two residential dwellings, was first submitted in November 2022 and was approved by the authority on Tuesday, June 27.

The buildings on the site are former traditional-looking rural barns, dated back to at least 1884. They are neighboring the historic Holy Trinity Church and an affordable housing estate on the other side of the building.

The barns have not been used for many years and have become dilapidated and in need of significant repairs. The planning application proposes to convert the barns into two, two-storey houses with small garden areas and off street parking bays. Both dwellings will have open-plan living, dining, and kitchen areas as well as bathroom facilities and adequately sized double bedrooms.

The first house has been arranged to provide its main habitable rooms including living and dining areas, at first floor level, while the existing openings at ground level are better suited to the bedroom areas. The second house has a few new openings to allow natural light into key living areas – including a bi-fold door in the style of large barn openings and a single door for access into the garden.

The developer stated in planning documents that the conversion has been planned around the existing structure, with only minimal alterations, to retain as much of the original character of the building as possible.

Whilst the roof material may need to be lifted slightly and asbestos removed, it will be sympathetically replaced with clay roof pantiles to match the adjacent Hollycorft Farm building. Externally, there will be general repairs, which will bring the building back to a high standard once again.

The existing external areas, which are overgrown and unmaintained, will be cleared to provide pleasant off road parking, paths leading to the entrance areas and appropriate boundary treatments. The more prominent western boundary, adjacent to the public footpath, will see a stone wall. The less prominent southern boundary between the new semi-detached affordable homes will be finished with a timber fence.

A heritage statement accompanies the application as the site is adjacent to a Grade II Listed building - Holy Trinity Church. From a heritage perspective, key elevations facing the church will be largely unaltered aside from new roof tiles, matching the adjacent clay pantiles, to the farmhouse.

In the Design and Access Statement, the developer said: “The scheme has considered the recently approved local planning policies. It aims to provide high quality design, bringing a derelict building back into use in a sensitive manner which retains the character of the building and surrounding area.

“The conversion scheme has considered the impact on the adjacent Listed Church building and considers this to be minimal. The benefits of the scheme are broad ranging - from new housing stock for Shirebrook through to improving the visual quality of the immediate site by repairing and tidying the site.”