Plans to convert redundant farm buildings on the outskirts of Canterbury into holiday lets have been unveiled.

Developers behind the proposals for Bramling Court Farm in Wingham say the project will breathe new life into the site.

It will see “character buildings”, including a potato store, oast, piggery and shooting range, transformed into four high-end properties for guests to stay in.

Applicant GVF Property told Canterbury City Council officers: “The buildings currently on site are not fit for purpose and redundant for modern farming practices.

“The proposals offer the opportunity for the farmstead to be rejuvenated, with poor quality modern structures removed, and the remaining original character buildings restored and revitalised with building works that secure their lifespan for years to come.

“Benefits extend beyond the confines of the farmstead, with the conversion of these buildings into holiday lets bringing economic benefits to the local area through tourism.”

If approved, the farm could end up hosting as many as 32 guests across the four converted properties.

The shooting range – understood to have previously been stables - was converted in 1990 at a time when leisure activities at the farm became more common. This building would become a three-bed, six-person property under the proposals.

The potato store - the largest building on the site potentially undergoing conversion - is said to offer “little in historic character” and would host two of the four lets.

Both would be able to cater for eight people across four bedrooms, with one making use of the old piggery and the other incorporating the byre.

The oast section would be able to host 10 people in five bedrooms.

The applicant says: “Historic farmsteads across Kent are defined by their roundels, distinct to the area and visible from the wider countryside.

“Through modernisation of Bramling Court’s farming practices, these have unfortunately been lost, however, the change of use of this farm could be a valuable opportunity to redevelop this part of the building, informed by the iconography of the Kent oast.”

Previous attempts to diversify the site have been made, with two applications in 2022 attempting to convert storage areas into a brewery failing to come to fruition.

Covering more than 500 acres, the farm was up for grabs for £6.2 million in August 2021 – with agent Savills saying the sale presented "significant development opportunities".

The farmland, which is largely grade one and two with soil types ranging from fine silt to chalk, comprises about 480 acres of arable land and 20 acres of permanent pasture.

There is also woodland covering close to 10 acres.

As part of the scheme, the grain store and drier at the farm would be torn down as they have been deemed “not fit for purpose”.