A COUPLE have been given permission to convert a barn to a home on land they have farmed as tenants for 20 years. 

Upper Plas Ivor Barn is former threshing barn made from traditional stone and is around 1.4 miles south of Cross Ash, eight miles east of Abergavenny and 10 miles north west of Monmouth within 38.5 acres recently been bought by a Mr and Mrs A Phillips. 

They have been given planning permission to convert the barn to a three bedroom home with a large open plan living kitchen/diner which will keep it at double height and retain the original oak beams as features. 

A steel frame cattle building next to the barn will be removed to make space for a smaller extension for a kitchen while a large utility and downstairs bathroom, described as “paramount on a working farm” will be integral to the conversion. 

Removing the cattle building will, Monmouthshire council planning officer Kate Bingham said in a report, “open the traditional elevation of the stone barn up to any surrounding vistas which would result in a visual improvement”. 

It’s intended to relocate the building on another part of the farmyard, where there are a number of modern buildings, but none are currently occupied. 

Though the site is within the open countryside the couple, who currently live nearby in rented accommodation, were granted permission to convert the barn under the council’s planning policies rather than having to apply for a rural enterprise dwelling. 

Monmouthshire allows the conversion of buildings in the open countryside for residential use provided they meet conditions including that there is no need for a substantial rebuild and that any extensions respect the rural character and design of the building. 

It was also accepted the building isn’t suitable for business use due to there being no adopted access road and the site being a working farm.