Plans to convert a County Durham barn into a residential property have been approved by the council.

The barn at Briscoe Farm in Baldersdale, Barnard Castle, will be transformed into a single one-bedroom dwelling.

Proposals, submitted by Mrs Susan Bainbridge and represented by Maria Ferguson Planning Limited, were granted a lawful development certificate by Durham County Council.

The application stated the barn had been used as a dwelling continuously for over four years, with substantial completion of related building works.

These included a new roof, doors, and windows, dating back to December 16, 2019, as the start of occupancy.

A detached stone structure, the barn is located within Briscoe Farm and is accessed via an elevated private track from Briscoe Lane.

The council's decision was based on evidence provided by Mrs Bainbridge, which included invoices for construction work, a final building control certificate dated January 2020, and a statutory declaration from herself.

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This evidence was found to be compliant with Section 191 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, confirming the development had been in continuous use as a dwelling for over four years.

This duration made the development immune from enforcement, leading the council to recommend granting the lawful development certificate.

Durham County Council's decision was formally issued on November 11, 2024, confirming the lawfulness of the building’s use as a dwelling and the associated operational development.

The certificate, however, only applies to the specific use and development described in the application.

It does not cover materially different uses or additional lands.

The barn conversion is part of a wider planning history for Briscoe Farm.

In January 2018, planning approval was given for the demolition, replacement dwelling, and conversion of farm buildings to holiday lets. However, this prior approval was not fully complied with due to unfulfilled conditions, such as those concerning tree protection, ecological methods, and contaminated land.