Badger House 

Client: Private 
Local Planning Authority: Tandridge District Council 
Constraints: Green Belt, Countryside

Our client wanted to convert an existing building with mixed commercial/storage use to a building with a garage/workshop on the ground floor and two bedroom flat above on the first floor. The building was within the curtilage of a larger dwelling.

We advised our client that these uses may result in some land use conflict (noise/disturbance/etc) but the principle of reusing the redundant building should be acceptable. As the building was in a remote location, not in any settlement, in the Green Belt, and our concerns about conflicting uses, draft proposals were prepared and pre-application advice sought from the Council. The response received from the Council confirmed our earlier concerns and raised some other points that would need addressing making the pre-application process very useful in this instance.

After discussions with our client, the scheme was amended so that it was for the conversion of the whole building to a 4 bedroom dwelling and associated works. These works included the creation of a new access track to the main dwelling and landscaping to return the gravel drive which connected the apron outside the barn to the turning circle of the main dwelling, to lawn and boundary to create two separate residential curtilages, and landscaping.

The supporting planning statement prepared by us set out the relevant considerations and why the scheme was acceptable. As the site was within the Green Belt we needed to demonstrate that the proposal would not conflict with national policy which discourages inappropriate development which is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt, and relevant local policy. Working with the appointed architect, we prepared plans that demonstrated the conversion would be in keeping with the character of the existing barn and that there would not be any additional harmful impacts to the Green Belt. When submitted, the application was dealt with swiftly being approved under delegated authority.

Following receipt of the approval, our client asked us to help discharge the few conditions imposed relating to ground source air pump, car charging provision and detailed landscaping proposals. All of which were done and signed off without any issues.

The consultant team for this project comprised Squires Planning, M & J Design Services Ltd, Arcadian Architectural Services Ltd, Arbtech, Usherwood Arboriculture & Quartet Design