Even though the country is on lockdown, District Council Planning Offices are still functioning, even if their Planning Officers are, like us, mostly working from home.

G Herbert Banks works with a number of District Councils across Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.

Permission under permitted development can be achieved on a number of different farm buildings, from modern portal frame buildings  to traditional brick and tile.

Recently we achieved a permission on a couple of concrete Atcost livestock buildings with Wychavon District Council in the Lenches to convert it into three, three and four-bedroom dwellings.

Residential permissions offer farmers’ the option to either re-invest the capital into the farm business from the sale of the permitted dwelling, convert it themselves to create a vital letting income stream or indeed convert it for family or essential farm workers.

Another permission was recently granted on a brick under tile former livestock barn in Malvern Hills District Council area. It was too small for modern farm equipment and was quickly falling into disrepair. The village was expanding rapidly and the building, which was located at the edge of a field was vulnerable to vandalism. A residential permission offered it a second lease of life and a use for a building that was over 100 years old.

Another recent permission was in the district of Bromsgrove Borough Council. A former hay barn was given permission under GPDO Class Q for a conversion to a four-bedroom property.