A TRADITIONAL barn in the centre of Long Preston with planning consent to make it into three cottages has been put up for sale for £250,000.

Maypole Barn in Main Street, was given planning permission last year from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority for its conversion to cottages for local occupancy or short term holiday lets.

It is a rare approval - just across the road, the residential conversion of Grosvenor Place Barn and an outbuilding was refused by the national park on grounds of impact on the conservation area and recently dismissed on appeal to the Government's Planning Inspectorate.

Described as currently 'forlorn', its conversion to housing has been welcomed by planners as bringing it back into beneficial use and improving the look of the village's conservation area.

Maypole Barn, a long, rectangular barn, is immediately next to the Maypole Inn, but is separated from the pub with an access point and parking. There is currently a recycling bin at the front and changes were made to the building's frontage, to do with a former use as a garage.

It still retains its original main car doorway and its timber roof structure supports a covering of Yorkshire stone and natural blue slates.

In the planning officer's report of July last year, it is stated that while the Maypole Inn itself is grade two listed, 'after some analysis', it is not considered to be listed as part of the curtilage of the pub, although it is inside the village's conservation area.

The conversion of the barn to one three-bedroom home and two, two bedroom homes is different from the original plan for four homes which was deemed by planners to be 'too intensive for a traditional building within the Conservation Area' says the report. Alterations were also made to reduce the number of changes to the front elevation.

The officer's report concluded: "The building is located at a key point within the Conservation Area, adjacent to the listed Maypole Inn. The building currently appears to be somewhat forlorn in appearance with a recycling skip in front of it. The proposal will bring the building back into beneficial use enhancing the building and its setting and providing three small local occupancy or holiday let properties."

Selling agents, Skipton based WBW says "This development opportunity will suit owner occupiers and developers alike and viewing is highly recommended."

For more details go to: https://www.wbwsurveyors.co.uk