Rob and Jo Glew beat the odds and converted their oak frame barn into a glorious family home

WORDS JANE CRITTENDEN PHOTOS ALISTAIR NICHOLLS

There’s plenty of ways to find the perfect self-build plot. For Rob and Jo Glew, the land and outbuildings that came with the house they bought in 1998 appeared to hold a host of possibilities. However, the site’s position within an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) made the prospect of gaining planning approval for a new home seem unlikely at best.

Yet, fast forward 20 years and the couple are living in their newly-converted barn, on the same patch of land. “We didn’t buy the old worker’s cottage with the intention of creating our own dwelling,” says Rob. “Our move tied in with my new job in London. The location was great and we liked the property, the woodlands, the paddock and the views that came with it.”

Initial plans

Soon after moving in, the couple extended the cottage to etablish extra living space for their family of five. But a few years later, Rob was itching to start another project. He asked an oak frame provider to work up a design for a house situated in the middle of the paddock. “My father created his own home, so the idea had been simmering for a while,” says Rob. “But the council flatly said no, and that they couldn’t ever foresee a new house being approved in an AONB.”

Rob accepted the decision and instead turned his attention to the dilapidated outbuildings on the plot. Another idea began to take shape, which Rob discussed with friend and local architect, Joanna Saady from Ecotecture. She introduced Rob to planning consultant Peter Rainer from DMH Stallard. “I asked for Peter’s advice about replacing the outbuildings with an oak frame barn. He thought I wouldn’t have a problem if the structure was for agricultural use, but not residential,” says Rob.

Decorative oak posts were added by the builder to improve the interior aesthetics

Rob decided to apply for permission to build a barn for mixed use. The intention was to divide the space into stables for the family’s pony and horse, with storage and a large meeting room on the upper level for Jo to run her church groups and nursery school activities. However, Rob still had high hopes that planning policy would change in the future. “We knew that we might never get the green light to go ahead and convert the barn, but either way, the building would still be put to good use,” says Rob.