Snowdonia sensation
Simon Baker has transformed this compact Welsh barn into a stunning modern home
Having previously renovated properties in London, Simon Baker was eager for his next challenge when he happened upon a derelict barn protected by the National Trust
Build It October 2019
Simon Baker gained his degree at the Royal College of Music and worked for several years as a professional pianist – before going on to make a big career switch to become a London policeman. In order to cope with the stresses of his new job, he soon realised a complete overhaul was required to attain the right work/life balance. Simon had already remodelled a Victorian semi-detached property, which ignited his appetite to take on an even bigger project. “I then bought a flat in Stockwell in early 2012 when prices were still a bit depressed,” he says. “Selling that provided capital for a more ambitious undertaking.”
Change of pace
Simon’s research turned up an old barn that was up for auction in the heart of Snowdonia, and the agents said the vendor might be open to an offer. Since the location was promising, Simon went to take a look. “I fell in love with it on the spot,” he says. “e place ticked all my boxes, though it had no formal permission to convert and was in a National Park with restrictive covenants.” Plus, dual planning procedures with both the Snowdonia National Park and the National Trust (NT) were in effect. is was due to covenants dating back to when the latter organisation had owned the land.
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“Out of the two, the National Parks Authority was far easier to deal with,” says Simon. “eir people were responsive and helpful.” Simon found the National Trust application process rather opaque. “You approach the local branch and they advise. Next, they submit to their National Central Architecture Panel in London – and you’re not allowed to attend the meeting,” he says. “ere’s little awareness about how to deal with the Trust and few solicitors or architects seem to have any experience with them. You ask them for guidance and a summary of their requirements – but in vain! It’s tricky, and without a right of appeal unless you go through the legal system.”
Simon researched the valley and the history of its buildings to back up his scheme. “I supported everything in my proposal with photographs I took of other barns in the area,” he says. “For example, I’d capture images of an agricultural property with the same sort of rooflights as I wanted. Apart from overhead glazing, the structure had plenty of door and window openings, so I didn’t need to insert any additional apertures.” Simon was keen to demonstrate he could achieve a home with plenty of views and lots of natural light, without punching extra holes in the barn. “I showed that I could maintain the character of the building,” he says. “Welsh valleys are full of old abandoned agricultural properties that have little or no value to farmers. I was engaged in preserving one of these. Not only did I want to demonstrate that I was doing a light-touch restoration, but something that also respected the local vernacular.”
A basic rule for anyone planning this sort of project is to bring the neighbours on board, as well as the council, so Simon got in touch early on. “I wrote to people living nearby to assure them that I wasn’t turning the barn into a holiday let, but a home for myself, with no unwelcome changes. I only had one set of objectors, who are now – funnily enough – among my best friends in the village.”
At an early stage, Simon engaged Hereford-based Communion Architects. “ey’d done something like the curved staircase I had in mind and seemed competent,” he says. “I felt that, especially in dealing with the National Trust, I had to find good pros.” In July 2015, all the required permissions finally came through. “e NT simply emailed my architect, with a couple of stipulations about rooflights,” says Simon, who was able to breathe a big sigh of relief.
Assembling a team
At this point, Simon thought he’d easily be able to sell the project to builders, who he assumed would want to grab the opportunity. It proved tricker in reality. “You have to get out there and convince contractors about your project’s feasibility and profitability,” he says. “You need to work hard at this in rural areas, since the trades are perhaps more accustomed to conventional schemes.”
He visited the Natural Building Centre in Llanrwst, where he consulted Ned Sherriff. “I sought his advice about insulation, lime mortar, sustainability and using traditional materials,” says Simon. Ned recommended Gordon Jones for the role of main contractor. “Gordon lives nearby so I called in to discuss my plans,” Simon explains. “We made no formal contract, but he’s well established and has a good reputation. Plus, he’s enormously experienced with this type of building. It worked out very well – Gordon and his son Dylan provided a service that exceeded my expectations.”
While Simon’s barn was of a good size, his experience of cramped flats had educated him in the value of maximising living space. “I knew I’d want lots of bespoke interior work, and I needed someone who would be open to new ideas,” he says. “I found Windinghouse Interiors and quickly decided they were ideal for all the kitchen and cabinet work.” Simon introduced Ben Harrison from Windinghouse to Gordon, and the pair got on well. “Personal relationships are so important when you’re employing people for your project,” he says. “It proved to be a happy site, with practically no arguments.”
Construction begins
Building work started in May 2016, and initial excavations were straightforward. “We were fortunate to have an almost unlimited amount of stone on site. We dug this out of the ground on the north side of the barn. Together with some oak lintels within the original roof structure, these were the main materials used,” says Simon.
e majority of the crew working on the conversion were local, or at least from within Wales. is was important to Simon, who wanted to fit into the community. “Word gets around about you, what you’re doing and how you conduct yourself, so everyone knows who you are by the time you meet them,” he says. “I didn’t want to be just another newcomer with no stake in the locality.”
One of the biggest challenges with this sort of conversion project is making the place practical and affordable to heat. Getting the structure up to modern Building Regulations standards – without destroying the aesthetic – is another common obstacle. As the plot doesn’t have mains gas, Simon looked at a range of alternative options to power the heating setup, including installing a biomass boiler. However, his architect suggested an air source heat pump (ASHP), which has proven to be the right choice.
I get so much pleasure from being here and sharing the property with friends and family