Creating your dream home – doesn’t automatically mean starting from scratch – many of our clients already have buildings that need to be re-designed to suit their requirements and some of the most unique properties are conversions of existing buildings.
Whether you have purchased an interesting building which you want to convert into your dream home; or you could be a developer or building owner that would like to either convert for yourself or sell with planning permission; you should consult a suitably qualified consultant / architect to assess the feasibility to maximise the development potential of your building.
In the same way that it is important to maximise a site, it is equally important to utilise the existing fabric of the building, and explore the constraints and opportunities to ensure the building can be re-designed to its full potential to suit it’s new use, whilst celebrating the building’s heritage.
10 things you need to know about your building conversion:
Before any design work commences, you have to understand the history of the building, and if the building has any historic importance or heritage value. First you need to know if the building is listed.This can be found by visiting https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/. Even if your building is not listed, your building may be classed as a Non-Designated Heritage Asset, it may be located within a Conservation Area, or be within the setting of a Listed Building.
Next it is important to understand the history of the building and the site, what was the building used for historically, what constitutes the ‘original’ building. Is the original building still evident, or has it been lost? Are there any original openings / features remaining which should be preserved.
Your building needs to be structurally suitable for converting without having to significantly re-build and would require a structural condition survey to accompany the planning submission. It may be feasible to extend as well as convert some buildings. However this is dependent on the site location and other site constraints such as Green Belt, AONB or Conservation Areas, which can restrict the development to the existing building envelope.
Depending on the building’s previous use, the ground may be contaminated, the foundations may not be sufficient for the new use, and the building may contain asbestos. This information can be assessed through a site investigation survey which will accompany the planning submission along with mitigation measures.
Some change of use schemes do not require planning approval as they may fall within permitted development, but they may still need prior approval from the Local Authority. Always ask your architect if planning approval is required as this is also dependent on location, and the heritage value of the building or site. Even if your project does not require planning permission, the conversion will still need Building Regulations approval.
The external area surrounding the building will also need to be adequate for your conversion to suit the specific use such as access, garden areas, bin storage and parking spaces.
Many conversions will require an ecology survey which investigates habitats such as bat, bird and barn owls. Further ecology surveys may also be required depending on the location, site and surrounding context. If any of the above are present, the construction phase will be restricted to certain months of the year, you would require a license to carry out the work, and you will also require a method statement and strategy of how to ensure the existing ecology will not be affected.
Barn conversions in particular can be in remote locations, access for the proposed use needs to be suitable for the end user and during the construction phase – this includes meeting parking requirements, spaces to turn and exit the site without having to reverse onto the highway, and adequate passing places on country lanes. The location and distance away from public transport or services will also dictate what proposed use would be acceptable to the planning authority.
Services and utilities will need to be provided for the new use, sometimes you can connect to the existing utilities or the location is within easy reach of mains services, however other locations may require bore holes, package treatment plants, and on-site power generation.
In order to satisfy both your specific requirements, and the local authority – the design needs to be appropriate for the building, site and context. This includes scale, use, accessibility, character and visual amenity. Original features should be retained and celebrated, blocked up openings should be re-opened, and the history of the building should remain legible.
Some of our projects at ZMA include a 22,000sqft agricultural building conversion in Old Langho into 8 luxury apartments; a mill conversion into a mixed-use development; numerous barn conversions; Grade II Listed building conversions and various commercial changes of use.
If you have a building which requires a re-design, change of use or conversion, then contact a member of our team for a free consultation where we will visit your site and discuss the feasibility of a conversion.
Creating your dream home – doesn’t automatically mean starting from scratch – many of our clients already have buildings that need to be re-designed to suit their requirements and some of the most unique properties are conversions of existing buildings.
Whether you have purchased an interesting building which you want to convert into your dream home; or you could be a developer or building owner that would like to either convert for yourself or sell with planning permission; you should consult a suitably qualified consultant / architect to assess the feasibility to maximise the development potential of your building.
In the same way that it is important to maximise a site, it is equally important to utilise the existing fabric of the building, and explore the constraints and opportunities to ensure the building can be re-designed to its full potential to suit it’s new use, whilst celebrating the building’s heritage.
10 things you need to know about your building conversion:
Before any design work commences, you have to understand the history of the building, and if the building has any historic importance or heritage value. First you need to know if the building is listed.This can be found by visiting https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/. Even if your building is not listed, your building may be classed as a Non-Designated Heritage Asset, it may be located within a Conservation Area, or be within the setting of a Listed Building.
Next it is important to understand the history of the building and the site, what was the building used for historically, what constitutes the ‘original’ building. Is the original building still evident, or has it been lost? Are there any original openings / features remaining which should be preserved.
Your building needs to be structurally suitable for converting without having to significantly re-build and would require a structural condition survey to accompany the planning submission. It may be feasible to extend as well as convert some buildings. However this is dependent on the site location and other site constraints such as Green Belt, AONB or Conservation Areas, which can restrict the development to the existing building envelope.
Depending on the building’s previous use, the ground may be contaminated, the foundations may not be sufficient for the new use, and the building may contain asbestos. This information can be assessed through a site investigation survey which will accompany the planning submission along with mitigation measures.
Some change of use schemes do not require planning approval as they may fall within permitted development, but they may still need prior approval from the Local Authority. Always ask your architect if planning approval is required as this is also dependent on location, and the heritage value of the building or site. Even if your project does not require planning permission, the conversion will still need Building Regulations approval.
The external area surrounding the building will also need to be adequate for your conversion to suit the specific use such as access, garden areas, bin storage and parking spaces.
Many conversions will require an ecology survey which investigates habitats such as bat, bird and barn owls. Further ecology surveys may also be required depending on the location, site and surrounding context. If any of the above are present, the construction phase will be restricted to certain months of the year, you would require a license to carry out the work, and you will also require a method statement and strategy of how to ensure the existing ecology will not be affected.
Barn conversions in particular can be in remote locations, access for the proposed use needs to be suitable for the end user and during the construction phase – this includes meeting parking requirements, spaces to turn and exit the site without having to reverse onto the highway, and adequate passing places on country lanes. The location and distance away from public transport or services will also dictate what proposed use would be acceptable to the planning authority.
Services and utilities will need to be provided for the new use, sometimes you can connect to the existing utilities or the location is within easy reach of mains services, however other locations may require bore holes, package treatment plants, and on-site power generation.
In order to satisfy both your specific requirements, and the local authority – the design needs to be appropriate for the building, site and context. This includes scale, use, accessibility, character and visual amenity. Original features should be retained and celebrated, blocked up openings should be re-opened, and the history of the building should remain legible.
Some of our projects at ZMA include a 22,000sqft agricultural building conversion in Old Langho into 8 luxury apartments; a mill conversion into a mixed-use development; numerous barn conversions; Grade II Listed building conversions and various commercial changes of use.
If you have a building which requires a re-design, change of use or conversion, then contact a member of our team for a free consultation where we will visit your site and discuss the feasibility of a conversion.
