Dartmoor National Park historic farm building repairs

Historic farm building repairs (Countryside Stewardship Grants). 

Jonathan Rhind Architects were successful at tender to undertake Management Plans (full condition surveys; co-ordinate consultants; specification and tender) for 19 of 23 barns on Dartmoor National Park as part of the pilot Historic Building Restoration Grant  scheme which was run jointly by Historic England, Natural England and five National Parks around the country.

The grant scheme provided £2m of funding to help repair and maintain iconic historic farm buildings and retain them in agricultural use.

All of Jonathan Rhind Architects’ management plans were approved for DEFRA grants through a wide range of building contractors, and repair work started in 2019. The works had to be undertaken in a timely manner to accommodate bat roosting requirements; mitigate the risk of carrying out lime masonry work over winter in
the hard upland climate; and work within the restrictions and supply shortages brought about by the global pandemic.

Following the successful completion of the pilot, it is expected that these grants will be offered to all National Parks and possibly AONBs in the future as part of the Government’s agricultural support policies.