Powys County Council has approved the restoration of a Grade II-listed barn that's more than 400 years old.

Restoration work to Pentre Barn in Llanfechain, near Llanfyllin, has been given the greenlight after an application for planning permission was approved on November 7, having been submitted in the summer of 2023.

Some of the renovation works include repairing the barn’s gable frame and re-erecting it in the correct position, as well as roofing work and repairing the barn’s weatherboards.

In describing why, the works are essential, the heritage impact statement by Philip Humphreys Architects said: “The barn leaned considerably towards the courtyard and racking throughout the length of the building had caused the gable end to push out from the top.

“The building had obviously been in a state of collapse as long ago as the nineteenth century as it is evident that work was carried out to stabilize the building, including re-roofing in 1896.

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“A structural report carried out by Lewis Howdle Ltd, Consulting Structural Engineers in 2018 highlighted the structural problems associated with the building and the need for action to be taken to prevent further deterioration of the structure.

“Nail fatigue was causing slates to slip from the roof and the raking shores had decayed badly and in 2022 Mr and Mrs Alexander and Mrs Chapman, co-owners of the property took the decision to carry out extensive repairs to the building to prevent collapse.

“It was decided to re-roof the barn re-using the existing slates and to bring the frame back to a vertical position, removing previous ineffective repairs and replacing defective timbers.”

Some work has already been carried out within the bar, such as removing the weatherboards, dismantling the gable wall and replacing missing or defective timber frames.

Powys County Council’s Built Heritage Officer noted that some works had been carried out and said that the building was “very historically interesting” in their consultee comment.

They said: “Works have commenced on site prior to this application being submitted. The works have straightened the building and seen rotten timbers spliced. The stone plinth wall has been rebuilt and the roof removed and partly re-laid.

“The proposal is supported and has seen the building made structurally sound.

“The works have commenced without consent, and thus a timescale for the torching works is proposed to ensure this important element of the building and its character is re-instated.”