Grade II listed planning permission for the Dovecote

For centuries, doves and pigeons have been a valuable source of meat, manure and feathers for mattresses. Many farms had dovecotes until their use declined after the 18^th century.

Though they are often ornamental, dovecotes were built as functional buildings, almost always built in the vernacular style using local materials. Some of the later ones, particularly those belonging to country houses, were consciously designed to be a feature in the landscape.

We were asked to look at a dovecote which used to be part of a farmstead on a manorial estate, and which has now been developed into housing. The dovecote is currently an ancillary storage building to a converted house but is far too cold to be used in the winter months, and is poorly lit.

Through close collaboration with the owners, we designed many bespoke and unique details for this project which were seen as innovative and sympathetic to the structure and its history by the conservation officer.

We were successful in obtaining planning permission for its conversion into off-grid ancillary accommodation to the main house and will now work with the owners to realise the designs and the buildworks to their expectations and within their budget.

"When we were looking to renovate the dovecote we needed to ensure its future by making it useful while at the same time being sympathetic to both environment and history. We found that Ecovril had both the knowledge and skills to realise that dream and having done a fantastic job on the planning side, we look forward to working with them on completing the project."

Pete Davies

Dovecote owner

The 1^st phase of the restoration has now been completed: a bee house to house bees to harvest their own honey with a processing room and apple store will also house the solar PV panels to the dovecote for an off-grid and sustainable existence.