Class Q is a section within the planning policy that will allow the conversion of an agricultural building to a dwelling, under permitted development rights if criteria are met. Obtaining Class Q permission means you do not have to apply for planning permission which can be a tricky process. The criteria include the need for the building to have been in agricultural use on or before the 20th of March 2013 (some exceptions do apply). You will not get Class Q permission for listed buildings or buildings in AONB, conservation areas, or national parks.
SWJ Consulting is generally instructed to report on the structural condition of the building. We are asked to advise upon its suitability for conversion to residential use; to confirm the existing building would be able to support a conversion without too many adaptations. It is only where the existing building is in a suitable structural state that Class Q can be considered.
As structural engineers, we have to say it as we see it when it comes to our reports. We have been called out to barns and buildings that are not in a condition to be converted; the structure is falling down, the timbers are rotten, and there is not really much we can do to repair them. In these cases, we cannot justify a Class Q conversion as too much work would be required to make them habitable.
A barn that is substantially sized with large timbers and that is dry, we could quite easily convert with some repair work. In our experience, the success of a Class Q conversion application also depends on who the planners are, and how the alterations are presented as to whether the changes will be deemed reasonable and suitable.
Permitted development rights under Class Q allow for changes that are reasonably necessary to convert the building, such as the installation or replacement of windows, doors, roofs, exterior walls, water, drainage, electricity, gas, or other services. These elements may affect the external appearance of the building and would otherwise require planning permission. However, it is not the intention of the right to allow demolition and rebuilding work that goes beyond what is reasonably necessary. You also cannot extend the existing footprint of the structure and the garden cannot be bigger than the building’s footprint. Any significant demolition/rebuild or extension will need barn conversion planning permission.
For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/when-is-permission-required#permitted-development-rights-for-the-change-of-use-of-agricultural-buildings
If you have a barn or agricultural building you think might be suitable for a Class Q conversion then the first thing to do is speak to your local planner, and they will usually approach us for a report. If you don’t know a planner or are concerned about the project, then please do contact us, We can put you in touch with a planner, and we can go from there.
Even though you don’t need planning permission for a Class Q conversion, we would still suggest that the advice comes from your local planning department, it’s not a decision you make for yourself. You are going to have to present your case for Class Q to the planners somewhere along the line, so you might as well have their input from the start.
If you have a barn conversion or agricultural building you would like to convert, whether you think it might be permissible under Class Q or not, please do get in touch. We can give you a structural appraisal which will allow you to see what is feasible before you fall in love with an architect’s vision or commit to a project that will not be structurally feasible. Give us a call on 01993 224084 or email mail@swjconsulting.co.uk.
