A REFUSED barn conversion southeast of Morchard Bishop has been allowed at appeal.

Colin Hutchings had applied to convert the barn, which lies 45 metres from working dairy farm Rolestone Barton, into a two-bedroom house under “Class Q” of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015, which allows the conversion of agricultural buildings into homes without the need for a full planning application.

Mid Devon District Council refused him planning permission as it thought the barn would be “impractical and undesirable for residential use given the potential noise and other nuisance” from the farm.

But the Planning Inspectorate disagreed and overturned the council’s decision.

It said it would be “very unlikely” that farming-related noise would be “so intensive... to make a residential use undesirable”, and added that foul smells would likely only be “slight”.

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You can see the application on Mid Devon District Council’s website under reference 25/01003/PNCOU.