UK
Ireland
Scotland
London
Construction News
26/03/2013
Enforcement Notice Served On Eco-Home
Sculptor Charlie Hague and his partner Megan Williams could see their eco-home in Glandwr, Pembrokeshire being knocked down, after failing to apply for planning permission.
The couple, who built the home on land owned by his father, are at the centre of a planning battle with the Pembrokeshire County Council.
The eco-home, which cost £15,000 to build, has a grass roof and lime plastered straw bales for walls. The framework is made of branches and trees.
The couple planned on living in the home with their newborn son.
Mr Hague said: "On the smallholding we have a small woodland, from which we were able to harvest all the timber we required for the building. I was apprehensive to start the build, as I'd never done anything like this before and didn’t really know where to begin, but with the persuasion of my old friend to 'just start' and his ability to do just about anything, the site was cleared and the initial structure was raised. I had considered a few different designs for the house but when it came to it, it sort of designed itself. Using timber straight from the tree is an organic process, not really lending itself to straight lines, or too much pre planning. I was influenced by Simon Dale's house at Lammas, and he gave me good advice, but much of the building was trial and error. Our budget was small and we wanted to use recycled and locally sourced materials as far as possible. It was important to us to make the house as energy efficient as we could, and to use natural materials when we could. There are many potentially carcinogenic materials used in conventional buildings, and we wanted to avoid using these.
"With the birth of our baby in July 2012 we moved into the house and put in an application for planning as ancillary to the main house. We were told this was invalid and two weeks before Christmas received an enforcement order telling us to demolish the house. We have now appealed against this and put in a fresh application for a stand alone dwelling."
Pembrokeshire County Council issued the following statement: "An enforcement notice has been served on this property as it is alleged that an unauthorised dwelling has been built in open countryside without planning permission. It is currently the subject of an enforcement appeal."
(CD)
The couple, who built the home on land owned by his father, are at the centre of a planning battle with the Pembrokeshire County Council.
The eco-home, which cost £15,000 to build, has a grass roof and lime plastered straw bales for walls. The framework is made of branches and trees.
The couple planned on living in the home with their newborn son.
Mr Hague said: "On the smallholding we have a small woodland, from which we were able to harvest all the timber we required for the building. I was apprehensive to start the build, as I'd never done anything like this before and didn’t really know where to begin, but with the persuasion of my old friend to 'just start' and his ability to do just about anything, the site was cleared and the initial structure was raised. I had considered a few different designs for the house but when it came to it, it sort of designed itself. Using timber straight from the tree is an organic process, not really lending itself to straight lines, or too much pre planning. I was influenced by Simon Dale's house at Lammas, and he gave me good advice, but much of the building was trial and error. Our budget was small and we wanted to use recycled and locally sourced materials as far as possible. It was important to us to make the house as energy efficient as we could, and to use natural materials when we could. There are many potentially carcinogenic materials used in conventional buildings, and we wanted to avoid using these.
-- Advertisement --
"With the birth of our baby in July 2012 we moved into the house and put in an application for planning as ancillary to the main house. We were told this was invalid and two weeks before Christmas received an enforcement order telling us to demolish the house. We have now appealed against this and put in a fresh application for a stand alone dwelling."
Pembrokeshire County Council issued the following statement: "An enforcement notice has been served on this property as it is alleged that an unauthorised dwelling has been built in open countryside without planning permission. It is currently the subject of an enforcement appeal."
(CD)
Latest Construction News
17/01/2025
Leeds Trinity University has officially opened its newly refurbished City Campus at 1 Trevelyan Square in Leeds.
Completed by GRAHAM Interior Fit-Out, the transformation of the central Leeds site introduces state-of-the-art facilities designed to improve learning and collaborate with industry partn
17/01/2025
Trammell Crow Company (TCC) has secured planning permission for a Grade A logistics scheme in Heywood, Greater Manchester, following a successful planning appeal.
The development will feature two state-of-the-art industrial and logistics buildings. One building will house two units measuring 4,796
17/01/2025
Poole-based developer AJC Group has celebrated a record-breaking 2024, delivering 100 affordable homes, a significant increase from the 72 units completed in the previous year.
Since 2023, AJC Group has completed and handed over 172 affordable homes across five sites.
In 2024 alone, the developer
17/01/2025
Plans for one of the most ambitious parks projects in London have taken a significant step forward, with Haringey Council securing nearly two additional acres of land around The Paddock nature reserve in Tottenham Hale.
The agreement with Thames Water marks a major milestone in the transformation o
17/01/2025
Islington Council has unveiled two draft guidance documents aimed at helping residents, businesses, and developers combat climate change by making buildings more energy efficient and fostering a greener, healthier borough.
The consultation seeks feedback on the draft Climate Action Supplementary Pl
17/01/2025
The City of Wolverhampton Council has unveiled a £98 million investment plan over the next five years to develop around 500 new homes across the city.
The proposal, part of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan, received Cabinet approval this week and now moves to Full Council for final
17/01/2025
Croydon Council has announced a significant milestone in the redevelopment of the Purley Pool site, with revised proposals submitted for a new leisure centre, later living housing, and the regeneration of the surrounding area.
A planning application for the site was initially submitted in 2024, pro
17/01/2025
The City of Wolverhampton Council has announced that demolition work has commenced on the New Park Village estate, marking the start of a major £40 million redevelopment project to transform outdated council housing.
Contractor DSM Demolition has begun pulling down poor-quality bungalows on Valley
17/01/2025
Hillingdon Council has acquired 12 new homes at Carpenters Court in Uxbridge.
Leader of Hillingdon Council, Cllr Ian Edwards and Cllr Steve Tuckwell, Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Growth, visited the site to officially mark the handover of the properties from local developer Kearns Devel
17/01/2025
Organisers of UK Construction Week (UKCW) have announced another major coup for the show's 10th anniversary year, with the news that UKCW London will be co-locating with the 14th edition of The Stone Show & Hard Surfaces, the principal industry event for surface design.
Established 26 years ago, th
