ARCHITECT Joan Kinnane is aiming to help Lake District farmers to breathe new life into redundant agricultural buildings.

Mrs Kinnane, who has extensive experience of converting disused farm buildings, has set up a new practice in Windermere.

She believes she will be able to offer a timely service to farmers considering restructuring their businesses due to the current crisis in farming.

"Old, often disused farm buildings may offer a lifeline to some local farmers who are searching for a new way to make a living; old farm buildings can lend themselves to a variety of profitable new uses, from workshops to office space, and from holiday accommodation to farm shops," she said.

The practice, based at Sheffield House on Main Road, will not deal exclusively with farm buildings, since Mrs Kinnane has worked on many traditional and historical building projects as well as hotels, houses and office developments.

Examples of some of her work can be seen online by visiting the website www.kinnane.co.uk.

She is also interested in environmentally conscious and sustainable building design, having designed and built her own energy efficient home.