Following the changes in May 2024 to the Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, and the revision of Class Q and Class R Permitted Development (PD) Rights, it will now be easier for Farms and Landed Estates to develop disused buildings without the need for a planning application.

The amended Class Q PD Rights make it easier to convert disused agricultural buildings into residential dwellings. The existing Class Q rights permitting the conversion of barns to residential dwellings have been extended further to increase the scope of the buildings which can be converted and the works which can be conducted without express planning permission.

Commonly known as the “Clarkson Clause” in a response to Jeremy Clarkson’s televised battles in obtaining permission for his restaurant and Diddly Squat farm shop, the amendment to Class R permitted development will make it easier to convert unused agricultural buildings for flexible commercial use.

Here at Aucott Interior Design we work with Farms and Landed Estates to identify opportunities for growth across your farm or estate through development and diversification. If you are a Farmer or an Estate owner, we understand that as custodians of your land how important it is for you to generate new streams of income from your greatest asset. By benefiting from the liberalisation of Class Q and Class R it is now easier for you to develop redundant farmsteads or repurpose existing buildings as guest accommodation, commercial office space, visitor attractions, hospitality venues, garden centres or retail outlets.

Whether you need to make impactful changes to your existing offerings or with further development, we will help you to create destinations which are profitable and sustainable. We understand the importance of such facilities in rural locations and how they can bring together communities by inviting tourism to the area which in turn generates income and job opportunities for local residents.

We pride ourselves on establishing close relationships with our clients and value your involvement in the design process so that we can fully understand what you need and the outcomes you are looking to achieve.

Our Farms and Landed Estate Interior Design service includes the following:

• Concept Design

• Space Planning

• Interior Design

• Sourcing of Contract Quality FF&E

• Procurement & Project Management

• Installation & Handover

Read more about Aucott Interior Design and our Services.