Conversion and Extension to Create a Modern Courtyard Countryside Dwelling

The application site was a former agricultural outbuilding in the countryside near the village of Oxhill. Our client wanted to maximise the development potential of the site and provide one larger dwelling. The proposal concerned the joining of two courtyard outbuildings to form a single dwelling, whilst providing a significant improvement in the buildings’ energy performance and a marketable three-bedroomed property.

Prior to development both the eastern and part of the northern buildings each provided a single one-bedroomed house and garden space in the courtyard, with part of the building and some land within the courtyard also having an agricultural use. Neither of the existing dwellings met the national living space standards.

A series of applications established the lawful use of the dwellings and their garden areas and also demonstrated the potential for domestic extensions to provide a ‘fall-back position’ to justify the subsequent proposals for the extension and alteration of the building to provide a single house.

Following the receipt of positive pre-application advice from the Council in September 2022, we submitted a planning application to Stratford on Avon District Council in November 2022, providing all architectural and planning support.

Our in-house architect’s design was agreed by the Council to be sensitive to the agricultural character of the buildings, the farm complex and the wider landscape and retained many of the traditional features of the original buildings, whilst providing for modern living standards and improved use of space.

The determination went smoothly, with no statutory, Parish Council or local objections, with planning permission granted under delegated powers in February 2023.

Front Elevation

Rear Elevation