new birks farm
We developed design proposals for submission for planning permission for the redevelopment of an existing farm complex on the edge of Guiseley.
The site is sustainably located within walking distance of the town centre but is within designated green belt land. The existing farmhouse building and its attached barn are part of the conservation area for Guiseley town centre and identified in its conservation area appraisal as undesignated local heritage assets that make a positive contribution to the town’s heritage. However these circa 200-year-old buildings are currently disused and in a poor state of repair. The landowner wished to convert the property into homes, with additional new residential development on site to create an economically viable redevelopment scheme.
We looked at feasibility options and worked within the constraints of the existing volume of building to create an attached courtyard development to the west of the historic barn, replacing an existing modern barn structure and later unsympathetic additions. The new housing was designed to be subservient to the existing buildings and arranged to minimise the visual impact of vehicles. An orchard and native species planting, including new hedgerows, were proposed to create a natural buffer to the adjacent retained farmland.