AN historic barn on a Herefordshire border farm can be turned into a four-bedroom home for the owners.

Mr & Mrs T Price put forward the plan to convert the grade II listed Blaenau Barn near Michaelchurch Escley in the Golden Valley, which dates from the 17th and 18th centuries.

This would then serve as a four-bedroom family home, “enabling the applicants to occupy the family farm… where they have farmed for many years”, their application said.

Built on varying levels, the red sandstone building still has its original flagstone flooring and cart doorways, which the couple’s proposal sought to keep.

The corrugated iron roof is to be replaced with steel cladding, as reinstating the original stone slab roof was considered “ill-advised” due to the extra loading this would cause on the building, according to an accompanying heritage statement.

A newly created floor in the roof space would house two bedrooms and a bathroom, while an existing lean-to would provide parking. Further modern additions would be removed.

No extra road access was required beyond the existing private drive shared with the neighbouring but separately owned farmhouse and cottage, both also heritage listed.

Backing the bid, Vowchurch and district group parish council said it “appreciated the care and thought that has gone into the design of the property”.

Planning permission and listed building consent were both granted.