Ballameanagh Farm Planning Statement

050441

Planning Statement

Ballameanagh Farm Sandygate

March 2005

The farm was sold when the farm buildings were no longer viable for dairy farming. The new owner Mr Hill has the adjacent Berrag Farm and has appended the fields onto his own.

This is part of a series of three applications to convert the existing farmhouse and main farm buildings into three residential units.

Redundancy

The present farm buildings fall into three groups

1. Stone buildings: no longer viable for use in modern farming being too small for modern machinery or animals.
2. Long building used for cows: this cow-house is useful as it contains spaces that can be reused in conjunction with the stone building.
3. Other fabricated buildings although more modern have no viable reuse and are proposed to be removed.

All three building groups are redundant for use as farm buildings and could not be readily adapted for other commercial uses.

Structurally Intact

The stone farm buildings and the farmhouse are substantial and roofed and very suitable for conversion. All have good headroom. The cowshed has elements that can be used.

Architectural or Social Interest

The farmyard is adjacent to Ballameanagh Road and is of social interest (in that the farm and the immediate area shares the same name). See photograph in Appendix C regard visual interest.

Size of Dwelling

The house is clearly suitable for reuse. The main barn is substantial and forms a very comfortable 3 bedroomed unit. We propose adding a small extension with a utility room which then allows us to create a double height hall and keep more of the feel of the old barn.

Both cowhouses are long and narrow and we propose reducing the length of the furthest one and forming a link between the two making one unit we call ‘Dairy Cottage’ for want of a better title. This then creates a sunny private courtyard.

Relationship with Established Uses

The proposals create three units from the farm group which are all residential. The adjoining farmland is available for rent and we anticipate these units being owned by people who want to live in a Rural Area.

Satisfactory Services

The existing buildings already have electricity and water supplies. There is ample room for septic tanks and storage for oil or gas as necessary. It is adjacent to a main road and access is very easy for all services.

Compliance with Circular 3/91

The conversion retains the existing appearance of the buildings and the openings are reused. The new doors and windows are chosen to suit the proportions of the existing openings.

The rear cow house is re-clad in stone to match the older buildings and all roofs are slates.

The new additions which form carports to hide the cars from the road are built using vertical timber boarding which will compliment the stone buildings but have a different lighter feel allowing the older buildings to dominate.

Layout

The buildings are linked by a series of courtyards. These are illustrated in a series of computer generated images included in Appendix A – B. The new additions and walls are shown in yellow.

All the units have sufficient space and good access to both the main road and to the surrounding fields. Cars are generally hidden from view and there is space for domestic clutter in storage areas.

Health and Safety

The barns appear to be free of asbestos but a full survey will be carried out before work begins. The new extensions are all single storey and the existing buildings can be safely repaired using scaffold.

Sustainability

These buildings are being reused and will provide a good standard of accommodation. They will be insulated to the requirements of the Building Regulations and are adaptable to the standards promoted by Lifetime Homes.

Appendix A: Computer Generated perspectives Appendix B: Aerial View and Proposed view from Ballameanagh Road Appendix C: Photographs showing impact of barn from road. Appendix D: Photographs of Courtyard showing principle buildings