‘Frankenstein’ barn conversion which looks like ‘military base’ approved

Permission was granted to Mr J Richardson to turn an agricultural building at New Buildings Farm, near Tadcaster, into two homes with parking and garden areas.

Buildings on the holding between the villages of Wighill and Healaugh are underused, according to planning documents, as they provide much more storage than is necessary to run it efficiently.

A letter to Selby District Council said: “Much of the land is farmed under contract with contractors using their own vehicles and equipment and Mr Richardson has little need for implements and equipment of his own.

“Most years most arable produce is sold off field at harvest and it is only when prices are low that crops are stored in the buildings after harvest to be sold at a later date when prices are more favourable.”

The letter added: “You will be aware that nationally, and from other similar local proposals, farms of the size of New Buildings Farm struggle to remain viable.”

There are already two barn conversions on the farm and plans for another five homes in other buildings are currently making their way through the planning process.

The council’s principal planning officer, Fiona Ellwood, explained that the existing green sheet cladding would be reused on the conversion in question.

“We’ve seen more and more developments of this nature, with these larger, less traditional agricultural buildings being re-used and the cladding is re-used,” she added.

“If they were to rebuild it with a different material that would be the construction of a new dwelling, which would be contrary to [planning] policy.”

Coun Don Mackay said: “It looks rather stark, like something from some military base. It looks very stark for housing.”

Coun Bob Packham added: “I think it’s really sad that we’ve got to the state where we’re approving conversions of large agricultural sheds with green plastic outer coverings.

“It strikes me that we’ve gone down a very sad alley on this but there’s nothing we can do about that.

“We’ve effectively been instructed by central government that we approve this sort of development and I hope that that situation won’t forever exist.”

He added: “We have to accept reality I’m afraid, which is very sad because we end up with effectively a Frankenstein building – you’ve got this massive great barn in the countryside which obviously someone has tried to force a house into.”

Coun Charles Richardson said he thought it was “as sympathetic as it can be for a modern barn conversion.”

But he added: “I do wonder at times whether we’re applying the re-use of existing materials too rigidly in situations like this. I think the net outcome is you end up with some kind of Frankenstein house with old and new.”