Contemporary rural Dorset home under construction
Construction is underway on this contemporary three-bedroom family home in the open countryside at Kington Magna, Dorset. This follows a carefully managed planning strategy that secured permission to replace a redundant agricultural barn with a high-quality new-build dwelling.
The project began with a successful Class Q permitted development approval for the conversion of a small agricultural sheet metal barn into a modest 44sqm two-bedroom home.
As the client’s requirements evolved, two successive full planning applications secured progressively larger replacement homes utilising what is known as ‘the fallback position’. The first approval increased the floor area to 95sqm, repositioning and rotating the building to improve its relationship with the landscape while maintaining minimal visual impact. A second application responded to changing family needs, resulting in a 140sqm three-bedroom home designed as two contemporary barn-inspired forms connected by a flat roof link. Local stone, timber cladding, natural slate and standing seam zinc reflect Dorset’s agricultural character, while generous glazing frames panoramic views across the surrounding countryside.
The approved home provides a 218% increase in floor area over the original Class Q fallback. Planning officers concluded the new dwelling was no more intrusive than the extant permission and praised its high-quality design and sensitive response to its rural setting.
We look forward to sharing the images of the completed house.
Follow the project’s journey from Class Q approval to a contemporary replacement dwelling.
Published 16 July 2026
