Plans for conversion of Denbigh cow shed into home set to move forward

Plans for the conversion of a Denbigh cow shed into a home will likely be approved, following a decision by Denbighshire’s planning committee.
Applicants Richard and Ffion Montgomery-Smith applied to Denbighshire’s planning department, seeking permission to demolish a storage building and convert a cow shed into a house.
The development would include a single-storey extension, parking, and a package treatment plant at outbuildings at Hafod Y Parc, Bodfari, Denbigh.
Councillors backed the plans, but the matter will return to a future planning committee for debate so members can agree on planning conditions, following council officers advising the committee to turn down the application.
Officers argued the proposed development failed to meet planning requirements as the conversion was below the minimum floor area whilst the new extension was 260% bigger than the cow shed being converted.
This advice led to Cllr Alan James claiming the building was more of a completely new development and not a conversion.
“The cow shed is a bit of a red herring, isn’t it? This is to build a substantial building in its own right. If this had come into planning without the cow shed, it would have been totally refused.”
But Cllr Huw Hilditch-Roberts disagreed.
“It is a conversion of a building that is of local interest and is recognised by the archaeological trust, so there is a huge plus in the history of this building,” he said.
“What this is doing is preserving a building and also homing a family, which we have a lot of issues in Denbighshire about families being unable to get houses, and we are often talking about new builds and getting families in, so there is a lot more merit to this than negatives.”
Cllr Hilditch-Roberts went on to say the cow shed didn’t look safe in its current state and that he would rather the building was converted than risk local children playing in the barn.
Cllr Merfyn Parry said the cow shed was in the curtilage of the Old Grove Hall Farm.
The Llandyrnog ward councillor said the development would preserve the historic fabric of the area and enhance the landscape, adding there was strong support from the community.
“The council are in favour of it. Lots of the locals are in favour of it,” he said.
“And I don’t think I’ve seen any objections at all.”
The plans will now be minded to grant subject to planning conditions being agreed and will be discussed at a future committee meeting.

By Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter