A PLAN to convert and extend a historic barn into a three-bedroom home and garage in Wickham has been refused.

Council officers had recommended the plan for the 200-year-old barn in Meonwood Heath Road for refusal as they say it goes against planning policies.

However the plan by Mr Francis Wells has had 13 letters of support which say it is a good use of a historic building, and it is important to the character of the area.

Speaking to councillors, historical environment team leader at Winchester City Council Rachel White said: “The level of reconstruction and value of what is left is questionable.”

Speaking to councillors the wife of the applicant, Susan Wells said the plan does not actually include a car port or a garage, and argued the scheme meets planning policies and said a structural engineer concluded that a “great majority of the barn can be retained”.

She said the plan is to renovate the barn and restore it to its former glory.

Councillor David McLean said he is happy to go against council officers.

Cllr McLean said: “It is better that the building is turned into a home for members of the family.”

But councillor Ian Tait said he felt sympathetic to the owners of the barn, but said he couldn’t possibly support the plan.

Cllr Tait said: “It is an interesting area that we come across and I have some sympathy with the owners of the property.

“With what they aspire to do it does not appear to be a conversion of a barn, it is building a house in the countryside which is against our policies.”

Councillors voted in favour of refusing the plan, with six going with officers recommendations and three people supporting the conversion of the barn.

After the decision, Mrs Wells said: “It was a lovely plan we want to preserve the site for the community and we can do that by living in the barn.”