The Black Barn Conversion, Toft
The Black Barn is an agricultural barn dating from the late 19th C. The building had been used for dry storage and had become redundant with the erection of modern barns. The Farm has a diversification policy which has resulted in the commercial re-use of this barn, which is conveniently sited to the north of the existing farm yard. Access has been re-arranged to give the barn a separate access. Our clients were aware of a lack of day-nursery provision and an occupant was found prior to completion of the building.
The roof timbers were in good condition, but external wall timberwork had to be extensively replaced. The insulating materials were placed external to the timber frame allowing the frame to be exposed inside the building. Hall 1 occupies the whole of the ground floor of the existing building and Hall 2 and 3 occupy the whole of the first floor. The first floor is open to the underside of the roof.
Stairs, lifts, service accommodation and a galleried entrance area are all included in a western extension to the existing building. This is constructed of masonry construction clad with black weatherboarding. Foxes Bridge Farm carried out external drainage, external works and district heating.
A contractor under a JCT MW agreement carried out works to repair, convert and extend the barn. A wood pellet boiler supplies heating to all the buildings on the site.
