Hidden away down a secluded lane near Leominster in Herefordshire is Barnfield Farm. A large steel portal frame building with reinforced concrete walls and an asbestos roof dominated the farmyard. It was a stark contrast with the period stone-built farmhouse and converted outbuildings. The owner wished to transform this large agricultural shed into two luxury, energy-efficient family homes under Class Q permitted development.
2 Counties Construction was appointed main contractor and tasked with converting the existing structure into a pair of three-bedroom, three-bathroom semi-detached houses. The architect worked with the owner to create a flexible and interesting layout.
The properties are mirrored. The ground floor comprises an open-plan kitchen/diner with snug area, utility, bathroom, and bedrooms with ensuite. Upstairs, the expansive living room is filled with natural light from the fixed glazing while French doors open onto a covered roof terrace, set back under a canopied section of the original barn.
The conversion required sensitive and systematic project management. 2CC began by stripping the building back to it steel frame with the external and internal walls being demolished and the asbestos roof removed under controlled measures.
The Herefordshire-based building contractor then used traditional and modern methods of construction to convert the barn into two well-insulated, high-performance homes. Traditional block work is complemented by timber frame walls with additional cavity insulation and service battens, and insulated floors with under-floor heating. The Posi joists provide easy access for installing and maintaining services.
The energy efficiency of the development is echoed across the project with both dwellings benefitting from Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) and solar panels. 2CC installed the GSHP system utilising an area of around one acre in the neighbouring field. This infrastructure connects with a manifold in the house and the heat exchanger. The central heating, underfloor heating and domestic hot water run off the GSHP. Each property also boasts thermally efficient aluminium windows and French doors.
2CC completed the internal fit-out, using trusted sub-contractors for first-fix plumbing and electricity. Tasks included internal studwork, plaster boarding, plastering, painting, and carpentry. The project manager also liaised with key suppliers – Wren, Howdens, City Plumbing and Tile Giant to ensure efficient and timely delivery.
The Class Q barn conversion had to retain the look and feel of an agricultural building to meet the planning requirements set by Herefordshire Council. This influenced the external finish.
2CC worked with the client to select British Cedar cladding, home-grown by wood supplier Hewins Oak. British Cedar boasts a consistent, pale-red colour with a diverse grain pattern. This will weather evenly over time which adds to its charm, creating a weathered patina that enhances the natural beauty of the wood. It is also a faster growing alternative to Canadian Cedar, making it a more sustainable and readily available resource. Being locally grown it makes a significant environmental contribution to the project and helps to reduce the carbon impact associated with the conversion.
To finish the project and settled the conversion into its rural surroundings, 2 Counties Construction completed the hard and soft landscaping to the client’s design and requirements. This included levelling and reinstating a patio entrance for each property.
If you have a disused agricultural building ripe for conversion, have gained permission under Class Q or other, or require a trusted and proven building contractor to complete a client’s barn conversion, then get in touch to see how we can help.
2 Counties Construction operates across Herefordshire, Worcestershire and parts of the Cotswolds and West Midlands. We have exceptional experience in change of use conversions – especially agricultural and commercial into residential. See Lubstree Barns, The Clinic and The Coach House for prime examples of our work.
