A unique opportunity to convert four silos into a luxury family home is available after planning permission was granted on a piece of land in West Norfolk.
Silos are used in farming to store grain or fermented feed for animals, but these structures are set to get a new lease of life as the local authority has given the green light for them to be converted into a three-bedroom home.
The land is currently for sale with a price tag of £200,000, and the conversion will take considerably more funds to complete.
A unique opportunity to convert four silos into a luxury family home is available at this Norfolk plot of land for sale
Each of the silos houses is either one of the three bedrooms or bathroom facilities.
The plans also include an extension to the living space, which provides an additional room for the property’s new occupants.
The property will include an open-plan living space, comprising dining and kitchen areas.
And natural light has carefully been considered in the plans, with strategically placed windows and skylights.
The property sits in one acre of land that is at the front of the property and is surrounded by open countryside.
Chartered town planner Martin Gaine said it could be a big benefit to the future owner that the arduous work of obtaining planning permission on this property had already been done.
The silos are on the market for £200,000 and are being sold with planning permission to convert them into a three-bedroom family home
The applicants refined their proposal over three applications to finally get the plans approved
He explained: ‘Planning permission for this new house did not come easy – like many applications for new homes in the countryside, it took time, patience and perseverance, and a bit of good luck.’
The Government’s national planning policy is for new homes not to be built in the countryside. It states that they are better placed in existing towns where they are close to services and do not concrete over green fields.
Mr Gaine highlighted that the planners were against the proposal for this reason, and that two applications on this site were refused permission before the local planning committee of elected councillors decided on the third attempt that permission should be granted.
The silo conversion is on the outskirts of Walsoken, Norfolk, and sits in the county of Cambridgeshire on the Norfolk border in Fenland
The property sits in one acre of land that is at the front of the property and is surrounded by open countryside
‘The planners tend to focus on the black and white wording of their policies – does the proposal comply or not?’ he said.
‘The committee members were more philosophical, praising the innovative design of the converted silos and the fact that the proposal would preserve part of the area’s agricultural history.’
Mr Gaine concluded: ‘We can be quick to criticise the planning system, but here it did its job well.
Planning expert Martin Gaine praised the planning decision for the silos
‘The applicants refined their proposal over three applications and wise heads on the planning committee looked past their policies to grant permission on the basis that it was a high-quality proposal that deserved to get the go ahead.’
The sale of the land is being handled by Hockeys estate agents, which explained in its marketing literature: ‘This conversion offers the rare opportunity to own a residence that transcends the ordinary.
‘Every detail reflects a commitment to quality craftmanship and visionary design. With its distinctive character and idyllic setting, this property presents a lifestyle opportunity unlike any other.’
The silo conversion is on the outskirts of Walsoken, Norfolk, and sits in the county of Cambridgeshire on the Norfolk border in Fenland.
It is 13.6 miles from the Norfolk town of Kings Lynn, 22.6 miles from the Cambridgeshire city of Peterborough and 26.5 miles from the Norfolk coast.
Walsoken boasts a number of amenities, including a mini supermarket, post offices, a butcher and hairdressers.
And there are schools within walking distance, with the property within the catchment area for Marshland High School – which is less than a mile away.
Watlington and Downham Market stations are both less than 10 miles away.
