DEVELOPMENT - Agricultural Conversions

Most of the farms within the village centre date from the early to mid 18th century (top right) whereas those on the higher ground were located there following enclosure of the fields in 1773. Some farms such as the rebuilt Cold Harbour Farm reflect model standards of the day. Cold Harbour was redesigned in this way by William Hawe in 1883-4 and its pyramid roof with cupola clock tower is something of a local landmark. The building (top left) is suggestive of a mill building possibly associated with one of the nearby windmills present on the historic Ordnance Survey map.

Bishop Burton is an agricultural village that is fortunate in still retaining a strong agricultural feel and active farming community. There are a range of farmsteads or agricultural buildings and associated structures, from the surviving windmill and its associated buildings, to the largely planned 19th century enclosure farms that sit high upon the chalk hills to the west of the village.

Often diversification needs to be accommodated so as to enable farming communities to evolve, develop and diversify their income streams. Conversion of existing buildings should be the first port of call when considering such expansions or changes. Existing, traditional farm buildings are not only generally solidly built, but they also exhibit a unique sense of place and character. Therefore their conversion should be a priority.

Where new buildings are to be considered there is already a strong precedent for farmsteads whose form and footprint have ‘evolved’ over time. New building ranges for new technologies or even migrant, seasonal workers were often created in courtyard ranges that were of the same materials, general forms and simple aesthetic of the original farmstead. Often such conversions still occur in Bishop Burton and subject to other planning considerations, such places could continue to evolve in a similar manner.