BCHN Architects’ Post

Delighted to achieved planning and listed building consent to breathe new life into a series of fire damaged and dilapidated farm buildings first built almost 300 years ago. Bosty Lane Farm on the edge of Walsall in the West Midlands consists of an early 18th century Grade 2 listed farmhouse with an adjacent brick cart shed, a separate Grade 2 listed barn opposite with an adjacent cattle shed as well as a nearby Dutch barn built in the early 20th century. The site has been vacant for many years and all three of the buildings are partially derelict with significant fire damage to the roof of the main farm building and its adjacent cart sheds. Under the proposals approved by Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, the main farmhouse will be sensitively restored with a new connection to the renovated cart shed to create a new single home. As part of the restoration project the original form of both buildings will be retained with the Staffordshire brindle roof tiles and original bricks to be salvaged and reused in the building’s reconstruction while internally, as many original features as possible will be repaired or accurately replicated including the internal exposed beams, ceiling joists, windows, doors and doorframes. Directly opposite across a new courtyard, the Grade 2 listed brick barn will be transformed into a new home with the existing lean-to cattle shed modernised to create a new contemporary wing, both featuring prominent glazed elements facing into the new courtyard while retaining as much of the original hand-made clay stock brickwork as possible. A new parking shed will be constructed along the side of the courtyard on the historic footprint of what is believed to be old pigsties, which were discovered during the initial clearance of the site. Set back behind the new courtyard development stand the steel columns and dilapidated roof of a Dutch barn, thought to have been constructed in the early 20th century. This barn is set to be replaced with a third new home inspired by the form and features of the original barn, which will include a new barrel vault roof with two wings cantilevered on each side and slit windows to reflect the site’s agricultural heritage. #heritage #restoration #residential #architecture