BARN CONVERSION FOR THE NATIONAL TRUST BARN AT UPPER …

Baart Harries Newall Architects & National Trust 2021

BARN CONVERSION FOR THE NATIONAL TRUST BARN AT UPPER BOOTH FARM, EDALE, HOPE VALLEY S33 7ZJ DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT Architects : BAART HARRIES NEWALL Chartered Architects 1 Wilderhope House Pountney Gardens Tel: Shrewsbury (01743 361261) Belle Vue Fax: Shrewsbury (01743) 364944 Shrewsbury Email: [email protected] SY3 7LU

1. Site photographs

2. Location and context

3. Current use

4. Proposed use 5. Neighbour considerations and consultation

6. Vehicle and pedestrian access, and parking

7. Building design, form and materials 8. Landscaping

9. Trees

10. Ecology 11. Drainage 12. Heating

13. Heritage and archaeology


1.0 Site photographs

South elevation – facing entrance track East elevation bordering track to the fells and peat cuttings beyond


North elevation facing the campsite and fells beyond West elevation, facing campsite


2.0 Location and context 2.1 Upper Booth is located around a mile to the west of Edale within the Dark Peak

(National Character Area 51) of the Peak District National Park. The site comprises of a campsite managed by the National Trust, to the south of which is a small farmstead/hamlet including several residential properties. The Pennine Way passes through the farmstead.

2.2 At the southern edge of the campsite is a field barn dating from the early 19th century,

which historically combined the threshing of corn in the main barn with the housing of cattle within an outshot to the east.

3.0 Current use 3.1 The main barn is currently used for limited storage in association with the campsite,

and the ground floor east cross range is fitted out and used as a camping barn, in connection with the adjacent campsite. The creation of the camping barn with ceiling over was granted in the following planning consents:

HPK0888124 (1988) planning permission for alterations to barn to form camping

barn HPK0602096 (2002) planning permission for conversion of camping barn to

bunkhouse and provision of improved toilet/shower facilities for campsite NP/HPK/0704/0823 (2004) planning permission for Conversion of camping barn to

bunkhouse and new toilet/shower facilities 3.2 The barn has been kept in good repair, having been extensively repaired in the 1980’s

– including the rebuilding of the west gable wall. 4.0 Proposed use

4.1 Upper Booth Farm and camp site has been managed in hand by the National Trust since the previous farming Tenant surrendered their occupation in March 2020. The Trust is now delivering on its commitment to relet the farm as a fully equipped holding with a prospective Tenant planning to move into the farmhouse during the first quarter of 2022.

4.2 During the period that the farm has been in hand, it has been possible for the camp site staff employed by the Trust to utilise the entirety of the farmhouse for office and accommodation purposes. Although it is intended that the incoming farm Tenant will be involved in the operation of the camp site, rather than continuing to rely solely on the farmhouse we are seeking to create a dedicated camp site reception/engagement offer in the barn. This will provide a degree of separation between the farm Tenant’s home and place of work and also allow greater flexibility as to how the site is staffed either by the farm Tenant or relief personnel.

4.3 The existing camping barn will be retained, although in a slightly smaller format, and the space above will be converted into a small accommodation unit for camp site staff. There is a possibility that this accommodation could also be let to visitors between October and March when the campsite is closed.


5.0 Neighbour considerations and consultation

5.1 National Trust is conscious of the proximity of our neighbours in Upper Booth, with three private residences closely bordering the Trust’s ownership, and we have therefore sought to keep any possible disturbance caused by this proposal to a minimum and introduce mitigation measures to alleviate any impacts. There exists a well-established, thick and tall native species hedgerow along the field boundary between the barn and our residential neighbours. This provides excellent visual screening of the barn so that the proposed external changes on the southern elevation (i.e. deeply recessed glazing to the threshing door’s aperture) are not expected to impact on neighbouring residential properties.

5.2 Concerns were raised during consultation with our neighbours regarding the visibility of light during the hours of darkness from roof lights within the first floor accommodation. The final design does not include any rooflights along the southern elevation, thus addressing these concerns.

6.0 Vehicular and pedestrian access and parking

6.1 Access to the campsite is via an unmade track shown on the plan and photographs above. No works are proposed to the existing track.

6.2 An existing parking space for 3 or 4 cars is located to the east of the track, where arriving visitors can park whilst checking in to the campsite. No works are proposed to the existing parking area.

7.0 Building design, form and materials

7.1 This application has been prepared having regard to Policy DMC10 of the Peak District Local Plan Part 2: Conversion of a Heritage Asset and to Historic England’s guidance on Adapting Traditional Farm Buildings.

7.2 The barn will retain its existing form and external stone masonry elevations with only minor alterations. The existing roofs will be retained, but it is proposed to insert conservation rooflights into the north slope at the east end, to provide light and ventilation to the warden’s accommodation while minimising disturbance to residential properties to the south and to bats that utilise the south facing roof slope.

7.3 It is proposed that the existing south facing timber doors to the threshing floor will be rehung on new forged cranked hinges to act as shutters but will generally be fastened back against the adjacent walls within the existing porch. A deeply recessed glazed screen and door will be provided behind the existing doors, to provide light and a compliant internal working environment to the reception office within.

7.4 The existing stone threshing floor will be lifted and re-laid on a new limecrete floor, and this full-height space will be retained open to the roof to reflect the form and function of the former threshing floor.

7.5 Existing half-round cast iron rainwater goods will be retained.


7.6 It is proposed to heat the reception office and the camping barn with log-burning stoves for intermittent use as required. These will have insulated metal twin-wall flues taken out through the north slope of the roof above. An air source heat pump will provide a more continual supply of renewable energy to heat the areas of the building that are being insulated, i.e. the staff residential accommodation, storage and kitchen areas – see section 12.

8.0 Landscaping 8.1 No landscaping works are proposed, other than to provide matching gritstone paving

slabs to pave the entrance threshold to the reception office, between the existing flank walls and roof overhang. Matching second hand slabs will be used to make good any missing or broken slabs in the threshing floor.

8.2 A small area of hardstanding will be formed on the north side of the barn, surfaced

with self-binding gritstone stone to dust gravel. 9.0 Trees

9.1 Policy DMC13 of the Peak District Local Plan Part 2 requires that planning applications are supported by sufficient information to allow their impact on trees to be properly considered (Part A). Trees that make a positive contribution should be protected (Part B); development should incorporate existing trees within the site layout (Part C); and trees should be protected during development (Part D).

9.2 To this end, this application is accompanied by a Tree Survey in accordance with BS5837: 2012 including a Tree Protection Plan and Arboricultural Method Statement. The final page of the report includes a drawing on which all necessary measures are identified (including tree protection fencing) which should ensure that there are no significant impacts on the health of the retained trees.

10.0 Ecology

10.1 Policy DMC12 of the Peak District Local Plan Part 2 protects sites, features and species of wildlife importance. This application is therefore accompanied by a Protected Species Survey with Mitigation Proposals. Our aim has been to provide mitigation proposals of a sufficient level of detail for planning to avoid the need for any pre-commencement conditions relating to ecology. A protected species licence will be sought from Natural England.

10.2 Mitigation proposals are contained in Chapter 6 and Figure 9 of the ecology report, including: • Supervision during installation of roof vents by a licenced bat worker, • Retention/reinstatement of bat roosts 1, 2 and 3, • Two bat boxes on trees to provide roosting opportunities during works (and

potentially retained thereafter), • Installation of a Schwegler 1FF bat box on the western external wall of the porch to

provide a replacement roosting opportunity for potential loss of roost 5 within the porch,


• A new integral barn own box within the western gable end of the building to mitigate for loss of the existing box within the porch,

• Two swallow bowls within the porch area to provide additional nesting opportunities.

11.0 Drainage

11.1 Peak District Local Plan Part 2 Policies DMU1, DMU2 relate to new and upgraded utility services. The general requirements of these policies are that the valued characteristics of the area should be protected and that infrastructure services should be placed underground.

11.2 A Drainage Assessment with associated proposals is included with this application. The report confirms that the barn is not in an area of flood risk. The barn has fairly new, good quality cast iron gutters and down pipes which will be retained, but the down pipes currently discharge onto the ground. It is proposed that new gullies will be installed and a new surface water drain connected into the existing field drain system.

11.3 The proposed foul drainage for the barn will connect with the existing system for the campsite utility block, located nearby to the west. The route of trenching has been designed to avoid significant impacts on trees.

12.0 Heating

12.1 An air source heat pump (ASHP) will be located on the north side of the barn, in the location shown on the drawings. The heat pump will provide sustainable heating and hot water within the building.

12.2 The location for the ASHP has been selected as this installation needs to be close to the residential accommodation (eastern end of building). The north elevation is preferred to the south elevation, as the latter contains the threshing doors and will provide the main visitor entrance. It is also preferred to the east gable end which is the most visually prominent elevation from the adjacent track. Consideration was given to siting the ASHP on the small west facing elevation next to the harrowing door but it was felt that this would impact on this access point. While the ASHP cannot be hidden from view altogether, a recessive grey colour will be sought for the outer casing to minimise visual impact.

13.0 Heritage and archaeology

13.1 Policy DMC5 of the Peak District Local Plan Part 2 sets out the authority’s requirements for assessment of the impact of development on designated and non-designated heritage assets, including areas with potential archaeological interest.

13.2 The proposed development would result in alterations to a non-designated heritage asset within a Conservation Area. Therefore, both to inform our design work and to create a record of the building and its historic evolution and significance, a Level 2 Historic Building Survey has been commissioned and accompanies this planning application.


13.3 The application proposals have also been subject to a heritage impact assessment which forms part of a Heritage Statement accompanying this planning application. The statement concludes that the proposed works will secure the continued use of a heritage asset through sensitive adaptation. A scheme with minimal intervention to the heritage significance of the building, and character and appearance of the Edale Conservation Area, has been designed to accord with the Council’s Historic Environment Policies. Use as combined shop, camping barn and warden’s residence/rental unit under the management of the National Trust will guard against ad hoc additions that could otherwise compromise the agricultural character of the field barn and its setting and presence within the rural landscape.

13.4 in drawing up a scheme for surface and foul drainage, efforts have been made to avoid areas of known archaeology, i.e. below ground remains identified in 2004 to the west of the field barn. Nevertheless, National Trust proposes to conduct a watching brief during excavation of new drainage trenches.

BARN CONVERSION FOR THE NATIONAL TRUST BARN AT UPPER …

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