Luxted Farm Barn, a semi-rural property situated on Luxted Road, Orpington, has been the subject of a new planning application proposing several modifications.
These include the demolition of existing stables, the construction of a single-storey side extension with a ‘green roof’, the installation of a heat pump, and the addition of an outdoor swimming pool.
The proposal represents a revised design of a plan that has already been approved.
The combination of luxury and eco-friendly features is set to attract attention, particularly given the barn’s agricultural setting.
Owned by Mr and Mrs Beckett, the barn is being altered.
Headed by Mr Peter Hadley, the agent representing the Becketts’ interests, the application was officially validated on December 23, 2025, the same day it was received.
It is set to be determined at the delegated level, which means the decision will likely be made by the planning officer rather than the planning committee.
The deadline for public consultation on the proposal is January 20, 2026.
The earliest possible date for a decision is January 28, 2026, with a decision expected by the scheduled date of February 17, 2026.
The original planning application was submitted to Bromley Council in 2024 and was refused.
However, the decision was overturned on appeal to the UK Planning Inspectorate in May 2025.
The appeal decision provides the relevant context for assessing the new proposal, as the same criteria and policies are being applied to determine whether the revised proposal is appropriate for the Green Belt.
The appeal decision, made by Inspector E Dade, noted the site’s location within the Metropolitan Green Belt.
The inspector noted the key principle of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by maintaining permanent openness.
Among its other cited points, the inspector stated that the original application was compliant as it did not propose disproportionate additions exceeding 10% of the original building’s external floor area.
It was also stipulated that the size, placement, and design of the extension would not detract from the area’s rural character, with the modestly sized extension being generally considered unobtrusive.
The proposed green roof and installation of a heat pump in the new plan serve to extend the eco-friendly approach.
These features, along with the outdoor swimming pool, emphasise the convergence of luxurious and eco-conscious renovation in Metropolitan Green Belt settings.
The final outcome of Mr and Mrs Beckett’s appeal for a blend of old and new aesthetics combined with environmentally-friendly advances reflects wider conversations taking place around the country’s evolving domestic architecture.
Signposted by the distinct character of Luxted Farm Barn’s appeal decision, this initiative encapsulates the ongoing dialogue between tradition and modernity, and communal and environmentally conscious living, within impactful yet sensitive planning.
To find out more about the planning application, visit the Bromley Council’s Planning Portal with reference number 25/05849/HPA.
