Preston-le-Skerne barn conversion given go ahead by council

The stone barn sits just east of the listed farmhouse at Ricknall Grange Farm, near Preston-le-Skerne.

It has stood empty for some time and is no longer useful for modern farming, the applicants say.

Under the plans, the barn will be repaired and turned into a three-bedroom house for private use.

The work will keep the main shape and character of the old building, with new slate and pantile roofs and careful repairs to the stone walls.

Extra sheds and large extensions will not be allowed without further permission, so the setting stays rural and simple.

To protect wildlife, new bat and bird boxes will be fitted, and outside lighting will be strictly controlled.

An electric car charging point must be installed before anyone moves in.

One key part of the permission is a promise to set aside nearby farmland and plant it with scrub and trees.

Farming will stop on that small plot for at least 100 years, to help cut pollution reaching protected coastal sites downstream.

The council says the plan will save a historic farm building, add one new home, and keep the local countryside largely unchanged.