# Manor Farm Barns, Stratford Road, Beachampton (2 barn conversions plus 2 new dwellings)

- **Decision:** allowed, 23 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: P Brennan
- **Authority:** Buckinghamshire (South East)
- **Appeal reference:** 6009022
- **Application reference:** PL/25/5625/FA
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Demolition of two redundant agricultural buildings, conversion and extension of two traditional barns to 2 dwellings, and 2 new-build dwellings around a farm courtyard (non-determination)
- **Homes:** 4
- **Site context:** open-countryside, listed-building-setting
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Housing land supply (years):** 3.73
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** HO7, HE6, HE7(2)
- **Development plan policies:** Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan BE1, BE2, C1(i), C3, H6C, I5, NE1
- **Main issues:** character and appearance, setting of listed building, non-designated heritage assets
- **Tags:** heritage-no-harm, ndha, barn-conversion, ho7-substantial-weight, housing-shortfall, parties-consulted-on-2026-framework, non-determination, s5-not-applied

## Summary
Four dwellings around a former farm courtyard at Beachampton were allowed after the council failed to decide the application: two converted traditional barns, which are non-designated heritage assets, and two new-build "barns". The council said it would have refused on design and heritage grounds. The inspector found a positive effect on character and no harm to the Grade II farmhouse or the barns. The housing benefit was given substantial weight under HO7 with supply at 3.73 years.

## Issues and findings
- **Design: POSITIVE.** "the design of the new build dwellings, extensions and conversions would maintain and enhance the agrarian character of the former farm courtyard" (DL ¶16). New-build Barn 3 is taller, but "honest in design and would not try to disguise its form or function" (DL ¶29).
- **Listed farmhouse: NO HARM.** Its setting "has changed over time" and is now domestic (DL ¶21). "The proposed development would therefore preserve the setting of Manor Farmhouse … causing no effect" (DL ¶23), using the HE5(2) "no effect" category.
- **NDHAs: NO HARM.** HE7(2) was applied: the extension "would not diminish the legibility of Barn 2 as a former agricultural building" (DL ¶26, ¶31).
- **Housing.** "The Framework, at Policy H07, requires substantial weight to be given to the benefits of providing homes … This is especially pertinent in a district where the Council is not meeting its required 5-year supply of housing land at 3.73 years" (DL ¶48).

## Planning balance
No heritage harm and a positive design effect, so there was no HE6(4) or HE7(2) balance to run. The scheme accorded with the plan, with the Framework as a material consideration. The letter never tests the open-countryside location against S5's list, perhaps because extant permissions established the residential principle.

## What made the difference
Extant permissions for residential conversion (DL ¶34), a farmhouse setting that had already become domestic, and a design that kept the courtyard legible. Substantial HO7 weight in a shortfall area sealed it.

## Transferable points
- HO7 gives substantial weight to housing benefits, "especially pertinent" where supply is short (3.73 years) (DL ¶48).
- Where a listed building's setting has already become domestic, sensitive residential conversion of former farm buildings can have "no effect" (DL ¶21-23).
- A scheme is not harmful simply because it differs from a previously approved scheme the council preferred (DL ¶27, ¶35).

## Policy findings
- **DP3: benefit.** conversions, cross-form extension and new barns maintain and enhance the agrarian courtyard; positive effect on character (DL 7-17)
- **HE6: neutral.** no harm to setting of Grade II Manor Farmhouse, whose setting has already become domestic (DL 19-23)
- **HE7(2): neutral.** Barns 1 and 2 are NDHAs; extension and taller glazed new-build Barn 3 do not harm their significance (DL 24-31)
- **HO7: benefit (substantial weight).** substantial weight to 4 homes where supply is 3.73 years (DL 48-49)

## Key facts
- Supply 3.73 years (DL 48)
- Extant permission for 2 barn conversions and Class Q-type prior approval for 3 dwellings in Barn 3; the council preferred them (5 units), but that had "no material bearing" (DL 34-35)
- Open countryside site next to a business park; the letter does not apply S5 by code
- PD rights removed (Part 1 A-E, Part 2 A) to protect heritage (DL 46)
- Parties consulted on the 2026 Framework (DL 2)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6009022
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/6f73abec-24b9-4c73-adc0-3aa811b44506

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6009022.html

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