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Thomas Studio Architects


BUILDING DREAMS, NOT NIGHTMARES: NAV IGATING PLANNING TOGETHER


If you’ve ever wondered whether converting a barn into your own home is worth the trouble, you’re not alone. The idea of creating a place that truly fits your life is a dream for many—but for most, the prospect of navigating the planning system is enough to make them put the kettle on and quietly shelve the plans for “another year.”


Garry Thomas


The truth is, even the bravest and most determined would-be homebuilders of ten find themselves tangled in a web of conf licting rules, unexpected costs, and ever-changing requirements. It can feel as though the system is designed to wear you down long before you ever see a spade in the ground.


FEARS AND FRUSTRATIONS: YOU’RE NOT ALONE Perhaps you’ve heard the stories—a family battling for years to conver t a crumbling barn, or a couple’s designs being redrawn again and again to meet the shi f ting goalposts of planning pol icy. Maybe you’ve fel t the dread yourself :


• What if my application gets rejected, again?


• How much will all these surveys and reports really cost?


• Will we have to compromise the design until it feels like someone else’s house?


• Who can I trust to guide us through this?


I t’s per fectly natural to wor ry about investing your time, money, and hopes into something that feels so uncer tain. Many people, quite understandably, seek out


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THE MIDLANDS PROPERTY GUIDE GA R R Y T H OM A S


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