Source/Archive record SCH8399 - Heritage Assessment for Barrow Farm, Croft

This report supports proposed development at Barrow Farm, Croft, in the borough of Warrington, Cheshire. The principal building of the site, Barrow Farmhouse, is listed at Grade II. An application is being submitted to Warrington Borough Council for the demolition of modern steel-frame agricultural outbuildings at the site; conversion of a brick-built Dutch barn to form two residential dwellings; and construction of two detached garages to serve these dwellings. The heritage issue arising is the proposal’s impact upon the setting of the listed building. The scope and purpose of this report is to identify the significance of the listed building and that of its setting, and to assess the proposal’s effect upon this significance. As examined in this report, the significance of Barrow Farmhouse derives from its special interest as a three-storey brick farmhouse of yeoman status that dates probably from circa 1700, and is thus an early example of a centralised, double-depth plan. In terms of its setting, the building occupies a prominent location on Kenyon Lane, where it is read in the context of its original farmyard surroundings. The majority of the outbuildings however do not contribute positively to this setting, as they are mid-late 20th century structures of austerity construction. As the only surviving original farm building, the Dutch barn is most significant of all the outbuildings, and hence shares group value with the farmhouse. In summary, it is considered that the scheme will enhance the setting of the listed farmhouse.