FOUR schemes have been drawn up in villages in a rural area to convert redundant farm buildings into homes.

The applications have all been submitted to Teesdale District Council.

One involves old agriculture buildings at Stotley Grange, Middleton-in-Teesdale, which the owner wants to convert into two houses.

Another is at Prospect House, Hamsterley, where the proposal is to convert unused barns into a house and build new garages.

The plan at Dunn House Farm, Cleatlam, is to create three homes out of redundant farm buildings.

There is also an application to convert farm buildings to homes and a house extended at Osmond Flatt, Lartington.

There has been a steady stream of applications to convert old barns to houses or holiday cottages in Teesdale in the past year, but this is the first time so many have been submitted at the same time.

Planning officer Andrew Bishop said: "More farming people now want to convert old buildings into housing.

"There is usually no problem, as long as they can prove that the buildings are no longer in use."