Chocks away for CAN’s plans to convert WWII airfield block into holiday home

CAN has won planning approval to convert a windowless Second World War operations block on a former RAF base in Lincolnshire into a holiday homeThe 375m² scheme will create a five bedroom rental property within the ‘austere fabric of the existing structure’ which is one of the few remnants of a one-time bomber command airfield at RAF Spilsby, Great Steeping.The abandoned operations block was once the nerve centre of the airfield, with rooms for cypher, weather reporting and the large operations room. According to the architect, it was designed ‘specifically with defence in mind’. The solid brick building has entrances protected by traverse walls, a concrete roof but no windows.CAN told the AJ the scheme would ‘invert this defensiveness [by] opening the house up to its agricultural surroundings and reducing its internal area to provide a south-facing courtyard to get light into the deep plan’.The approved proposal features a number of references to its RAF past, including a replica windsock complete with shrapnel hole, a rooflight over the main space in the shape of a Lancaster Bomber and the words ‘Take it Easy’ over the front door. The phrase was taken from the nosecone of the client’s grandfather’s Flying Fortress.The practice added: ‘The architectural language of the additions riff off the forms found in the surrounding industrial farming landscape of silos and chicken sheds and that of the former military buildings located on the site.‘They are designed as simple timber framed “plug-ins” that will be constructed in a nearby Second World War air hangar and transported to site on the client’s combine harvester.‘The additions will be clad in easily available agricultural materials with the retrofit built to EnerPHit standards.’The client, who contacted the practice after seeing its PoMo-style Mountain View revamp of an Edwardian semi-detached house, intends to self-build the £375,000 project, starting on site this summer.Project data and text:Location Land at Monksthorpe Lane, Great Steeping, LincolnshireLocal authority East Lindsey District CouncilType of project Conversion of existing Second World War RAF operations block into a houseArchitect CANPlanning consultant Andrew Clover Planning and DesignGross internal floor area 375m²Procurement Traditional/self-buildConstruction cost £375,000 (self-build)Client PrivateStart on site Summer 2023