In the current financial climate, one of the options for mitigating the effects of a recession is that, when there are freehold premises, of seeking planning permissions for additional or alternative uses to uplift property value.

During the last recession in the 1990's, this practice was instructed by the South West Regional Debt Recovery Unit of a major high street bank, to seek planning consents where it had been necessary to foreclose on properties.

Ideally this situation is best avoided, wherever possible, through taking action at an early stage; even as a precautionary measure in the event of a significant downturn in the economy and as a result a businesses turnover.

Barn Conversion Application Approval

Planning permission has been granted for the conversion of this group of redundant Grade II listed 19th Century agricultural buildings which, together with the farmhouse, form part of an historic group of buildings.  The proposal was to adapt the buildings to live/work units.  The design principles employed with the application to bring the buildings back into meaningful use was that of 'marrying' a change of use that would retain and enhance the key characteristics of the building, incorporating and re-using many of the original features.  The existing internal cobbles will be use in the courtyard, brickwork that has been rendered over is to be exposed with cob bricks and limewash providing traditional materials

Commercial Bee Farm Project

This proposal is to create a commercial bee farm on 19 ha (46.6 acres) of land in Devon. Agriculture is dependent on bees for the pollination of flowering crops.  Commercial bee farming is ecologically beneficial as it requires wildflower meadows, orchards, and importantly the restoration of the natural countryside habitat to the benefit of native trees, plants and wildlife.  The project comprises three buildings, each of 24m x 12m, together with an 'agricultural workers dwelling'.  All told, the enterprise will consist of 480 on and off site beehives, producing 12 tonnes of honey, 300kg of pollen and 1 ton of beeswax. 

Extension to Edwardian style chalet bungalow