Struggle with architects to secure authorization - a couple's persistence in constructing a rustic self-built barn
Cambridgeshire Couple Builds Dream Home on Nine-Acre Plot
In a picturesque corner of Cambridgeshire, Clive and Sue have transformed their rural property into a charming residence that blends modern comfort with traditional charm. Their journey began four decades ago when they purchased a nine-acre plot to keep their daughter's horse.
Years later, a change in planning rules in Cambridgeshire allowed them to convert their Victorian stable block and cowshed into a home and later build a new house on the same plot. This change enabled the conversion of barns and outbuildings to homes, as well as new house builds on similar rural plots within the district.
The new house, predominantly single-story with a mezzanine office area, boasts four bedrooms, all featuring wetroom-style shower rooms for ease of access and cleaning. Clive and Sue's mezzanine office is adorned with library shelving and a window seat with storage space.
The exterior of the house is clad in a variety of materials, including rustic bricks, black-stained weatherboarding, slates, peg tiles, and pantiles. To save costs and reduce maintenance, the family opted for low-maintenance finishes, such as large porcelain floor tiles and aluminium windows.
Inside, wood-effect porcelain tiles were laid over underfloor heating for a hard-wearing finish with a warm feel. The house is equipped with a walk-in larder, separate utility room, and a drinks station with a boiling water tap. A boot room and a designated dog shower were added to help keep the house clean after muddy country walks.
Clive, a hands-on homeowner, made bedroom wall panelling ideas from strips of MDF. To address their private water supply's poor pressure, the couple purchased a water storage and pressurization system. They also installed two air source heat pumps to power underfloor heating and a biodigester for waste as a more sustainable alternative to a standard septic tank.
Planning permissions were eventually granted for the new house, with restrictions on both the height and size of the overall footprint. A local builder was employed to build the new house, and Clive was involved in buying some of the materials and oversaw the build.
The family sold their barn conversion with two acres of land, leaving them seven acres on which to keep ducks, pygmy goats, and alpacas. Their story is a testament to the changing planning landscape in Cambridgeshire, which now encourages sustainable rural development and housing growth.
