Farm buildings have always reflected the needs of their time. Historically, farms consisted of land dedicated to food production and livestock rearing, accompanied by clusters of buildings that served various purposes, such as housing for people and animals or storage for agricultural needs. Many of these buildings, such as threshing barns, milking parlors, dairies, and cart sheds, were constructed centuries ago, reflecting the farming practices of their time.

Farming practices have seen a technical revolution or two or three since many of these were built, and over time they have therefore been adapted, or reverted to (unnecessarily large) storage areas. Newer sheds and industrial-scale barns now sit beside centuries-old structures; practical, but rarely as loved. Often, these layers of history cluster around a single yard, creating farmsteads full of architectural character and quiet stories.

Older buildings are a wonderful window to historic practices, and can be an insight into the time and care given to a very human scale of farming that is being made rarer, not due to the wishes of farmers, but as a result of economic pressures driving a greater scale of production.

Family Legacy

As well as history and character, for multi-generational farms, these buildings can hold huge sentimental value. For many British farming families it is common that buildings have been constructed by ancestors and used across generations, so they serve as tangible and proud links to the lives of family members, including those never personally met, preserving a deep connection to the farm’s rich heritage.

Positively, farm diversification throws wide-open the doors of possibility for anyone who is creative or business minded. Diversification can breathe new life into under-utilised buildings, as well as to the land and communities that surround them.

Thankfully, planning policy is increasingly supportive of farm diversification (on paper at least). As such, woeful planning systems and unbelievable delays can be short-circuited by ‘permitted development’ of farm buildings for new uses.

There are also now subsidies available (under the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive) for the upkeep of farm buildings, which should help to prevent, or at least slow, the degradation of heritage barns.

Children of farmers are often encouraged to pursue alternative careers, largely because, for many smaller family farms, income from outside traditional farming practices is necessary to remain viable. We hope that the future of farm economics will be more rosy, but in the meantime, hybrid incomes alongside diversification may offer a solution. Utilising tired farm buildings can make farming more viable, while showing a way back for younger generations who wish to return to their family farms, fulfilling their desire to be custodians of the land for future generations, enriching it with what they’ve learnt along the way.

At Studio Bark we’ve worked with agricultural and rural sites for over a decade, and are experts in navigating rural planning policy. We’ve seen and overcome common challenges on tricky rural sites, and are passionate about sharing our research with others.

If you’re looking to carve out a sustainable, resilient future for your farm, we’d love to help you navigate your options; whether you’re interested in converting buildings for yourself or for commercial use, exploring regenerative agriculture or rewilding opportunities, or something altogether more visionary.