Forest of Dean planners have given their backing to a tourism scheme in a secluded village which lays claim to having the oldest roof in Britain.

Close to the Herefordshire border, the village of Kempley hit the wrong kind of headlines in 1994 when its neighbouring fields were confirmed as the location for two victims of serial killers Fred and Rose West, but the picturesque village's St Mary's church boasts the most complete set of Romanesque frescos in Northern Europe, with a roof that has been dated back to between 1120 and 1150.

The village also boasts the red sandstone gem of St Edward's Church, which was notably described by Sir John Betjeman as a "mini cathedral of the Arts and Crafts movement".

Mr and Mrs Andrew and Ann Robbins asked Forest of Dean District Council for the go-ahead in March 2024 on the project on 1,672sqm of land at The Gables Farm (formerly part of Brick House Farm), asking for permission to convert both a Dutch barn and a former milking parlour.

Hereford-based Arbor Architects told planners: "The clients have a background in Agriculture leading them to purchase The Gables Farm (formerly brick house farm) and have therefore developed this brief with the view to utilise this idyllic location, future proof the location with its redundant Barns and bring people in to share their setting."

In a report on the bid from planning officer Roland Close, planners were told that a "deceptively attractive metal framed barn reminiscent of the type of agricultural building one may find in America" would be converted into a two-bedroomed home, while an adjacent Dutch barn would be subdivided into two one-bedroomed self-catering tourism units and a further two-bedroomed unit.

Additionally, the applicant asked to knock down a large portal-framed building and the majority of existing single-storey buildings while retaining one bay of a building which would be used as a maintenance workshop and storage area for the tourism business.

A new single storey building, close to the southern boundary of the property, was also proposed to allow covered car parking, further storage and a bin and bike storage area. In total, the project aimed to create parking for eight vehicles, while the development would see a total of 708sqm floorspace reduced by 311sqm. No new job opportunities were indicated to arise from the project.

Natural England raised no objections to the scheme for the buildings, which will be roofed in corrugated metal, have metal windows and be finished in wooden cladding. Additionally, Kempley Parish Council raised no objections.

Any boost to accommodation provision in Kempley may find favour in the wake of the village's recent initiative to raise its profile with new road signs as a significant location in the area's history of daffodil harvesting. The village, with a population of 280, also maintains the Kempley Tardis, a redundant telephone box supported by English Heritage and an archive that documents local social, economic and cultural history.