Plans to convert historic barns in Peterborough conservation area into new homes approved

Plans to convert two large and historic barns in Cherry Orton Road have been approved.

Plans were submitted to the council in August to convert the barns, which belong to the address at 25 Cherry Orton Road- which is Grade II listed and sits in the Orton Waterville Conservation Area.

The purpose of a conservation area is to protect areas of special architectural or historic interest; the character of which is considered worthy of preservation or enhancement.

Council officers have worked closely with the applicant to make amendments to the plans that were not initially in accordance with the local and national planning policy.

This included obtaining listed building consent as the barns are curtilage listed.

In the plans, one barn would be converted to provide three bedrooms and the other would provide four. The accommodation would be across a single storey apart from a mezzanine bedroom on the smaller barn.

The designs retain the existing footprints of the barns and the existing openings would be reused as windows.

In assessing the impact on the conversation area, the application stated: “The proposed development would have a minimal effect on the conservation area, but insofar as there is effect it would be largely neutral with some positive effects through the repair of the existing barns through the conversion to two highly sustainable new dwellings of very high architectural quality.

"Visual change would be a positive change. The design is a sensitive modern response to the existing buildings which allows the historic elements to remain prominent without being diluted.”