Planners accused of blocking Les Vardes Farm restoration

Peter and Amy Stenner purchased the sprawling, derelict Les Vardes Farm at Port Grat in 2023, with a dream of converting it into their home. The property, parts of which date back to medieval times, was listed in February 2023, ahead of the sale completing for £1.7m. in August that year.

They have secured four planning permissions for various works, but issues arose when they applied to convert one of the buildings in the courtyard to a small dwelling to provide accommodation for the appellants while the building work takes place.

Once the main house refurbishment was finished, the courtyard building would then be let on the open market.

After five months of talks and considerations, the application was rejected at the start of this year. An appeal has also failed, even though the planners faced numerous criticisms from the appeal panel.

In a statement, the couple said they were looking to create their future family home. But they also saw the potential to create a number of local market homes and self-catering holiday lets.

‘This is something we felt would help to address the ongoing housing crisis, while making a positive contribution to the economy at the same time,’ they said.

‘We went ahead despite the buildings being in an extreme state of dilapidation and having been protected by the DPA at the eleventh hour, factors that would put off most prospective purchasers. It’s a fact that there were no other interested parties queuing up behind us.’

They emphasised that the project was a labour of love, rather than attempt to turn a quick profit.

‘We aspire to be custodians of the property, and to give something back to the island by ensuring the buildings are sensitively restored, serve a useful purpose, and stand for another century at least,’ they said.

‘We have been buoyed by, and are hugely grateful for, the overwhelmingly positive feedback we have received from neighbours, passers-by and local businesses since we began work on this project.’

But they said they had struggled to work with planning officers.

‘Unfortunately, and despite early and repeated requests for pre-application meetings and advice in order to ensure progress is made in a positive, collaborative and timely way, we are sorry to say that the DPA has largely responded with indifference.

‘While we respect the tribunal’s right to reach an independent decision, we are disappointed to have been held to an apparent “gold standard” – one that pays little regard to practical and financial reality, the level of information routinely accepted by the DPA in relation to other protected buildings, and the wider public benefits that would be delivered by restoring and finding new uses for the building complex as a whole.’

The lengthy planning and appeal process has now forced the couple to mothball the building conversion.

‘The island will lose out on at least one new local market home,’ they said.

‘We had also hoped to convert the “long barn” to create three more new homes, but no longer have any confidence that this would be achievable.’

The couple are now focusing on the main house, which would be their home.

‘It is the most important building on the site and suffering from a host of complicated problems and challenges of its own,’ they said.

‘It is impossible to say whether we will have the energy or enthusiasm to revisit our original plans for the outbuildings in years to come. Inevitably, this means that they will continue to deteriorate at an increasingly rapid rate – something that will only be avoided if the DPA has a change of heart and mind and decides to work with us positively and pragmatically.’

The planners said they were engaging with the owners of the property and their professional advisers – including on-site – to address matters raised by the tribunal, and to support the owners’ ambition to return this important group of historic buildings to beneficial use.