Plans for four five-bedroom homes on the site of a converted sheep barn have been knocked back by the council.

Patricia Hewitt was looking to convert the barn at Alston Old Hall Farm, between Longridge and Grimsargh, with it having not been used for farming since 2021.

Each of the four homes was proposed to have five bedrooms, three with en-suites, a family bathroom, and an office laid over the first and second floors.

Living, dining, and kitchen areas would have been on the ground floors.

READ MORE: Wellsprings Hotel Sabden plans for new holiday apartments

However, Ribble Valley Borough Council felt the amount of work needed went beyond that of a conversion, and the final result would have had too big an impact on the open countryside area.

A decision notice from the council said: “The works that would be required to facilitate the proposed development are considered to fall within the realm of substantial construction that would exceed works of conversion, and insufficient information has been provided with respect to the structural capacity of the existing building.

“In addition, the proposed development would amount to unsustainable development through the creation of new dwellings that would be located in a rural location, requiring reliance upon the use of private motor vehicles.

“The resultant dwellings, parking, and garden areas and associated domestic paraphernalia, would have an urbanising impact upon the surrounding open countryside that would be harmful to the visual amenities of the immediate and wider landscape.”

A previously submitted design and access statement said: “Each dwelling has outdoor garden space, three car parking spaces and bin storage area. The proposed outdoor areas utilise the extent of the curtilage of the existing building.

“Careful consideration has been paid to the existing and proposed materials associated with the building and other existing buildings in the area, and regarding the proposed number and location of openings.

READ MORE: Forty Acre Farm near Longridge plans for holiday lets

“The outside areas of the scheme have sought to make best use of the curtilage of the building, providing a development with a strong green character by providing landscaped buffers and utilising existing yard areas as gardens.

“The proposed development contributes to the housing targets for Ribble Valley alongside a resultant improvement to the approved scheme in terms of layout of the units and the site and inclusion of green technologies.”

Ms Hewitt has six months to appeal the council's decision.