"David Hall" wrote in message
. com...
SNIP
(more snippage)
Floods that may have
been expected every 40 years or so now come along every other year or
two.
So we will have to adapt. (too late for those living in the flood plains,
they will have to push for compensation from the fools who permitted the
buildings)
SNIP

I really do not understand that statement. If you want to build your
house on a floodplain and some government flunky doesn't say "you are
not allowed to do that" then the government should become responsible
for your stupidity (or your desire to live in a floodplain)?
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It's easy to understand once you realise that our approach is the exact
opposite of what you propose. Over here you build nothing without planning
permission. Nothing. So the local authority responsible for handing out
planning permission is also responsible for ensuring that your proposed
property is not on a toxic waste dump, swamp, grumbling volcano, sink hole,
flood plain etc.

To each his own I guess, but I find that mindset rather sad.



On the
one hand, I do not think it is the Government's business to tell me
whether or not I can build my house on the floodplain, but on the
other, if I do it should be my problem.
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Realistically though most of us buy existing or new development homes. So it
is a role of government to protect potential buyers from charlaten
developers that would build on cheap dodgy land that is a risk to life, limb
and wealth. If you build here without permission the local authority will
knock it down. Even with permission if you build it a couple feet away from
where it should be built they'll knock it down.

....And not only do you accept that, you seem rather proud of it. Again, I find
the mindset rather sad. A couple feet away from where your lords and masters
gave you permission, huh?


It would be nice for them to
let me know that it is a floodplain though. I MIGHT even be willing to
accept some reasonable building code stipulations such as flow-through
designs for the first floor, etc. But "permitting" me to use my own
land to build my own home......
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There simply isn't the space to humour the pioneering spirit that you
espouse.

Is where I come from, thank god (or the cosmos, or the ying & yang or whatever
for those that find the word god offensive).

Dave Hall