Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

I have a 2 acre plot in rural Suffolk. We do not live within the
village development boundary. The planning office has already
informally said they would not recommend permission for a new house.

However, I might still give it a bash... but I need an angle.

Here are some plus points:

* Part of my back garden is already fenced off and has been for years
- it looks like another plot.

* It has seperate access via a track which is well established.
Although the track crosses the village green, vehicles *are* permitted
along it because it's also used by another cottage.

* There are two unsightly delapidated barns (steel/asbestos) which the
house would replace

* If the house was a bungalow, it would probably not be visible from
the road.

* I have plans for an eco friendly house using solar water heating,
passive solar space heating with thermal storage, wood burning stoves,
eco friendly building materials and maybe some photovoltaic panels
etc.

* There is plenty of room for more than just one extra house, I could
offer a plot to put a couple of low-cost houses on, sold to the
council at cost.

What do you think my chances are?

Nick

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

NickW wrote:
I have a 2 acre plot in rural Suffolk. We do not live within the
village development boundary. The planning office has already
informally said they would not recommend permission for a new house.

However, I might still give it a bash... but I need an angle.

Here are some plus points:

* Part of my back garden is already fenced off and has been for years
- it looks like another plot.

* It has seperate access via a track which is well established.
Although the track crosses the village green, vehicles *are* permitted
along it because it's also used by another cottage.

* There are two unsightly delapidated barns (steel/asbestos) which the
house would replace

* If the house was a bungalow, it would probably not be visible from
the road.

* I have plans for an eco friendly house using solar water heating,
passive solar space heating with thermal storage, wood burning stoves,
eco friendly building materials and maybe some photovoltaic panels
etc.

* There is plenty of room for more than just one extra house, I could
offer a plot to put a couple of low-cost houses on, sold to the
council at cost.

What do you think my chances are?

Nick

explain to me how wood burning stoves are eco-friendly?

John

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"John Smith" wrote in message
...


explain to me how wood burning stoves are eco-friendly?

John

Because they are fuelled by a carbon-neutral, renewable resource which
can be produced on site and hence not subject to fuel expended to
discover, extract and transport it?

Wood as a fuel is essentially a long-term storage facility for solar
energy.

Neil

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

explain to me how wood burning stoves are eco-friendly?

Provided that the fuel is obtained from a renewable forest, it is carbon
neutral, unlike fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide. Of course, it
isn't entirely carbon neutral, as I'm sure the forestry equipment and
transportation uses plenty of diesel, but it is probably better than burning
oil directly.

Christian.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"NickW" wrote in message
om...

I have a 2 acre plot in rural Suffolk. We do not live within the
village development boundary. The planning office has already
informally said they would not recommend permission for a new house.

However, I might still give it a bash... but I need an angle.

Here are some plus points:

* Part of my back garden is already fenced off and has been for years
- it looks like another plot.

* It has seperate access via a track which is well established.
Although the track crosses the village green, vehicles *are* permitted
along it because it's also used by another cottage.

* There are two unsightly delapidated barns (steel/asbestos) which the
house would replace

* If the house was a bungalow, it would probably not be visible from
the road.

* I have plans for an eco friendly house using solar water heating,
passive solar space heating with thermal storage, wood burning stoves,
eco friendly building materials and maybe some photovoltaic panels
etc.

* There is plenty of room for more than just one extra house, I could
offer a plot to put a couple of low-cost houses on, sold to the
council at cost.

What do you think my chances are?

Nick

Firstly, seek advice on a planning consultant in your area.

Building a house to replace the existing one is fine. They can't do much
there, apart have a say in the style and size. Do you want to have two
houses, and keep the existing house?

Pushing an eco house is a great lever to some authorities. They all spout
eco credentials and like to be seen doing something in that area (few do).
If you state: renewable materials, the house will follow the local
vernacular (or made of wood) and all the eco and low to zero energy aspects
as you have stated, they may bend towards you. They can then use your house
as an e.g., of their eco credentials.

A 100% eco house is what they want in their area. Many of them partially
apply eco aspects on building which are not obviously visible. Say that the
house will have temperaure sensors to monitor its performance and that local
colleges and uni's will be invited along for presentations of the
construction and design and the performance data freely given to them. As a
bigger lever, see one of the local uni architects depts and get some of
their involvement, no matter how minor. All this adds up to someone caring
for the environment and the local community, not just a selfish person who
wants to save on fuel bills and locks himself up in his smart house.

Speak to them again with some hard outlines of an eco house design and the
prime eco functions. But after you have done the above.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

What do you think my chances are?

Two chances really: slim and none. Current planning guidance from central
government is that there should be no new development outside the
development limits or in open country. Go and take a look at the local plan
for details that is available at your local council offices.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
What do you think my chances are?

Two chances really: slim and none. Current planning guidance from central
government is that there should be no new development outside the
development limits or in open country. Go and take a look at the local plan
for details that is available at your local council offices.


Good advice. And also don't forget Capital Gains Tax. If you build this
additional house and sell one of them you'll have to pay 40% of the proceeds to
IR.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"Peter Taylor" wrote in message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
What do you think my chances are?

Two chances really: slim and none. Current planning guidance from
central
government is that there should be no new development outside the
development limits or in open country. Go and take a look at the local
plan
for details that is available at your local council offices.


Good advice. And also don't forget Capital Gains Tax. If you build this
additional house and sell one of them you'll have to pay 40% of the
proceeds to
IR.

40% maximum, there are ways of reducing that

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
What do you think my chances are?

Two chances really: slim and none.

I certainly hope you are correct on that!

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"NickW" wrote in message
om...
I have a 2 acre plot in rural Suffolk. We do not live within the
village development boundary. The planning office has already
informally said they would not recommend permission for a new house.

However, I might still give it a bash... but I need an angle.

Here are some plus points:

* Part of my back garden is already fenced off and has been for years
- it looks like another plot.

* It has seperate access via a track which is well established.
Although the track crosses the village green, vehicles *are* permitted
along it because it's also used by another cottage.

* There are two unsightly delapidated barns (steel/asbestos) which the
house would replace

* If the house was a bungalow, it would probably not be visible from
the road.

* I have plans for an eco friendly house using solar water heating,
passive solar space heating with thermal storage, wood burning stoves,
eco friendly building materials and maybe some photovoltaic panels
etc.

* There is plenty of room for more than just one extra house, I could
offer a plot to put a couple of low-cost houses on, sold to the
council at cost.

What do you think my chances are?

Nick

It depends on the council, of course, but it's quite likely that they
won't want to deviate from the local plan so if you want to develop
outside the designated envelope you will probably have quite a fight on
your hands. It also depends on whether they have identified sufficient
development sites to cover the predicted new housing requirements of the
area - if so you could also be in trouble.

One of the reasons that they can deviate from the plan is if there is a
lack of affordable housing for local residents in the area. Your
low-cost housing is a good bit of planning gain but I doubt that the
council will want to own them - have a word with a local housing
association instead.

An eco house was built near where my parents live - it's almost
completely burried in the ground. I think the original application was
rejected by the city council but it was granted planning permission on
appeal to Prezza - the eco credentials plus the minimal impact on the
vicinty (it is barely visible) made the case.

Neil

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"mich" wrote in message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
What do you think my chances are?

Two chances really: slim and none.

I certainly hope you are correct on that!

Why? What is wrong with demolishing ugly farm buildings and building a
state-of-the-art eco house? The whole country should be spattered with eco
house.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"Peter Taylor" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"Peter Taylor" wrote in
message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
What do you think my chances are?

Two chances really: slim and none. Current planning guidance from
central
government is that there should be no new development outside the
development limits or in open country. Go and take a look at the
local
plan
for details that is available at your local council offices.


Good advice. And also don't forget Capital Gains Tax. If you build
this
additional house and sell one of them you'll have to pay 40% of the
proceeds to
IR.

40% maximum, there are ways of reducing that

Please explain

There are a few web site around explaining it (the IR may have it on theirs)
If you have occupied the house for x number of years the rate goes down,
etc, etc.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"Peter Taylor" wrote in message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
What do you think my chances are?

Two chances really: slim and none. Current planning guidance from
central
government is that there should be no new development outside the
development limits or in open country. Go and take a look at the local
plan
for details that is available at your local council offices.


Good advice. And also don't forget Capital Gains Tax. If you build this
additional house and sell one of them you'll have to pay 40% of the
proceeds to
IR.

40% maximum, there are ways of reducing that

Please explain

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"Peter Taylor" wrote in
message ...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"Peter Taylor" wrote in
message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
What do you think my chances are?

Two chances really: slim and none. Current planning guidance
from
central
government is that there should be no new development outside
the
development limits or in open country. Go and take a look at the
local
plan
for details that is available at your local council offices.


Good advice. And also don't forget Capital Gains Tax. If you
build this
additional house and sell one of them you'll have to pay 40% of
the
proceeds to
IR.

40% maximum, there are ways of reducing that

Please explain

This is all from memory and so the figures are probably wrong - the
principle is OK though:-

For starters you don't pay CGT on the proceeds, you pay CGT on the
profit, so you can deduct the cost of the land, the cost of getting
planning permission, the cost of building the house and the cost of
selling it.

Any assets owned before April 1998 (I think) are subject to indexation
relief which reduces the chargable gain.

After April 1998 you get taper relief which reduces the chargable gain.

You get a CGT allowance of IIRC £7500, which is also lopped off the
chargable gain. If you are married you can double this by giving half to
your spouse before the sale.

CGT is charged at your marginal rate, so unless you are a higher-rate
tax payer you will be charged up to the 40% band at 20% and 40%.

So unless you are an unmarried higher-rate tax payer who already has at
least £7500 capital gains this year, you will pay less than 40% on the
profit.

Even then, you can sell your principal private residence tax free, so
you could build the new house and sell the old one without having to pay
any CGT at all.

Or, build the new house, move in to it for a while and nominate it as
your PPR. Then sell it and move back into your old one (a bit dodgy
this, so you might have to show there was a valid reason why you moved
out of and back into your old house, such as letting it to generate some
income).

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

NickW wrote:

I have a 2 acre plot in rural Suffolk. We do not live within the
village development boundary. The planning office has already
informally said they would not recommend permission for a new house.

However, I might still give it a bash... but I need an angle.

Here are some plus points:

* Part of my back garden is already fenced off and has been for years
- it looks like another plot.

* It has seperate access via a track which is well established.
Although the track crosses the village green, vehicles *are* permitted
along it because it's also used by another cottage.

* There are two unsightly delapidated barns (steel/asbestos) which the
house would replace

* If the house was a bungalow, it would probably not be visible from
the road.

* I have plans for an eco friendly house using solar water heating,
passive solar space heating with thermal storage, wood burning stoves,
eco friendly building materials and maybe some photovoltaic panels
etc.

* There is plenty of room for more than just one extra house, I could
offer a plot to put a couple of low-cost houses on, sold to the
council at cost.

What do you think my chances are?

Extremely good if you can find the right group of people to bribe.
I never did, but it mst be possble because developers etc seem to e
doung it all over the place.



Nick

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
NickW wrote:

I have a 2 acre plot in rural Suffolk. We do not live within the
village development boundary. The planning office has already
informally said they would not recommend permission for a new house.

However, I might still give it a bash... but I need an angle.

Here are some plus points:

* Part of my back garden is already fenced off and has been for years
- it looks like another plot.

* It has seperate access via a track which is well established.
Although the track crosses the village green, vehicles *are* permitted
along it because it's also used by another cottage.

* There are two unsightly delapidated barns (steel/asbestos) which the
house would replace

* If the house was a bungalow, it would probably not be visible from
the road.

* I have plans for an eco friendly house using solar water heating,
passive solar space heating with thermal storage, wood burning stoves,
eco friendly building materials and maybe some photovoltaic panels
etc.

* There is plenty of room for more than just one extra house, I could
offer a plot to put a couple of low-cost houses on, sold to the
council at cost.

What do you think my chances are?

Extremely good if you can find the right group of people to bribe.
I never did, but it mst be possble because developers etc seem to e
doung it all over the place.

Where are these developers doing it? Last year was the lower house building
figures since the early 1920s, yet the big builders made record profits. The
government launched an investigation, via Kate Barker, as to why so few
houses are being built. It seems the developers are bribing people not to
build houses.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
What do you think my chances are?

Two chances really: slim and none.

I certainly hope you are correct on that!

Why? What is wrong with demolishing ugly farm buildings and building a
state-of-the-art eco house? The whole country should be spattered with
eco
house.

It makes for the slums of the future for those who are unfortunate enough
to live by them quite often.

Its happened round my area in several places. When it was only one in a
"back garden" it want noticable, ( well it was actually , but no one said
anything) but then the precident was set and several others started doing
it and suddenly it was slum land.

More than that the liberty takers arrived and started buying houses with
large gardens and then building two or three on the sites ( one was little
more than a lay by!). These were not sold as affordable homes, so the locals
were still homeless and priced out of the market. And yes, I have seen the
eco builders even bigger pounds in pockets when they sell - and no one in
the locality benefits , and in a few years all the "eco" has been planned
out and changed with "alterations" to the house.

I think planning committes need to be more careful and vigilent on this - I
hope they are being.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
Where are these developers doing it?

Round our way, the developers seem to be bullzozing any Victorian houses
or
villas in sight and placing faceless blocks of flats on the plots. It's
like
the 1960s all over again.

It has been happening where I live too - but not budozing Victorian
terraces, simply putting up two or three houses under the guise of making
one affordable home ( what affordable at 180K for a 2 bed box with 20ft of
garden in rural Cornwall?) and the council had been allowing it.

Its just greed.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

Where are these developers doing it?

Round our way, the developers seem to be bullzozing any Victorian houses or
villas in sight and placing faceless blocks of flats on the plots. It's like
the 1960s all over again.

Christian.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message .net...
explain to me how wood burning stoves are eco-friendly?

Provided that the fuel is obtained from a renewable forest, it is carbon
neutral,

Yep, I have 200 ash trees (arguably the best firewood) onsite which
could be coppiced.

If the passive solar heating works as planned, I wont use the
woodburners much anyway.

Nick

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

Firstly, seek advice on a planning consultant in your area.

Building a house to replace the existing one is fine. They can't do much
there, apart have a say in the style and size. Do you want to have two
houses, and keep the existing house?

Pushing an eco house is a great lever to some authorities. They all spout
eco credentials and like to be seen doing something in that area (few do).
If you state: renewable materials, the house will follow the local
vernacular (or made of wood) and all the eco and low to zero energy aspects
as you have stated, they may bend towards you. They can then use your house
as an e.g., of their eco credentials.

A 100% eco house is what they want in their area. Many of them partially
apply eco aspects on building which are not obviously visible. Say that the
house will have temperaure sensors to monitor its performance and that local
colleges and uni's will be invited along for presentations of the
construction and design and the performance data freely given to them. As a
bigger lever, see one of the local uni architects depts and get some of
their involvement, no matter how minor. All this adds up to someone caring
for the environment and the local community, not just a selfish person who
wants to save on fuel bills and locks himself up in his smart house.

Speak to them again with some hard outlines of an eco house design and the
prime eco functions. But after you have done the above.

Thanks, sounds like good advice. I hope Mid Suffolk DC is eco mad...!

I could do with some more ideas of eco friendly ideas. The ones I've got so far a

- Super insulated - insulation from recycled materials
- wood frame - ?
- passive solar wall space heating
- solar domestic hot water
- wood burners with onsite ash coppice
- low energy lighting throughout

What else? I don't know so much about the eco friendly materials side of things.

Nick

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
...
What do you think my chances are?

Two chances really: slim and none.

I certainly hope you are correct on that!

Why? What is wrong with demolishing ugly farm buildings and building a
state-of-the-art eco house? The whole country should be spattered with
eco
house.

It makes for the slums of the future
for those who are unfortunate enough
to live by them quite often.

On what do you base this ridiculous assertion?

Its happened round my area in several places.

How many eco houses around you then?

When it was only one in a
"back garden" it want noticable, ( well it was
actually , but no one said
anything) but then the precident was set and
several others started doing
it and suddenly it was slum land.

Eco houses in all your back gardens?

More than that the liberty takers arrived
and started buying houses with
large gardens and then building two
or three on the sites ( one was little
more than a lay by!). These were not
sold as affordable homes, so the locals
were still homeless and priced out of
the market. And yes, I have seen the
eco builders even bigger pounds in
pockets when they sell - and no one in
the locality benefits , and in a few years
all the "eco" has been planned
out and changed with "alterations" to the house.

What you have is a big chip. You want affordable housing in your area.
Stopping people from building houses will not achieve that. In fact the
reverse will happen.

I think planning committes need to be
more careful and vigilent on this - I
hope they are being.

The OP has a 2 acre plot. hardly cramming in the back gardens. The solution
is allow people to build on the unused subsidised fields. We have a land
surplus. You are looking at the matter from the wrong direction. Stopping
people from building on subsidised fields, from our taxes, will prevent over
development in existing built up areas?

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

It has been happening where I live too - but not budozing Victorian
terraces, simply putting up two or three houses under the guise of making
one affordable home

That I could stomach. I don't mind some phosphate and nitrate polluted
farmer's field succumbing to houses. It is the permanent loss of some of the
most beautiful Victorian Gothic houses that I'm angry about.

Christian.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

The OP has a 2 acre plot.

And it will sonn be a half acre plot with what - four more houses on the
other one and a half acres?

Will that be in keeping with the area?
Does the area have the infrastructure ( health services, roads, employment,
etc.) to support it? I doubt it.

Planning rules are there for a reason. if his two acres are currently
outside the loacal plan devolpment area , its no doubt for a good reason
and it should remain so. Trying "tricks" - like eco building etc. to have
that changed is underhand and does no one good in the log run ( except the
developer maybe, who no doubt will sell up and run - no doubt a long way
from the mess he creates).

But he isnt in my back yard , so I dont really care.
I have just stated my observations in my own area.

Ive just bought another field ( 5 acres) in an attempt to keep any of that
happening near me in my lifetime at least.
But I guess I am a greedy b*stard of another kind. I like to see wildlife
and plants and trees.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
Where are these developers doing it?

Round our way, the developers seem to be bullzozing any Victorian
houses
or
villas in sight and placing faceless blocks of flats on the plots.
It's
like
the 1960s all over again.

It has been happening where I live too - but not budozing Victorian
terraces, simply putting up two or three houses under the guise of
making
one affordable home ( what affordable at 180K for a 2 bed box with 20ft
of
garden in rural Cornwall?) and the council had been allowing it.

Its just greed.

It is not greed. The country is short of millions of homes. The problem
is
that we are not allowed to build on subsidised fields. That is the
problem.
If we were allowed to build on boring fields then garden in-fills and the
likes would not happen.

Like the five acres of field I have just bought which borders my existing
smallholding and the lane ( I own) that allows access to it?
There is already one house next to me - built in the 1980's. That will be
the last within a five acre radius in my lifetime.

There are no mains services ( gas or drains) in the village down the road
from me - I too am outside the current building line - and the storm
drains cant take whats thrown at them already.

We may need that land you want to build on to house the millions to feed
the bloody hoards in a minute.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"mich" wrote in message
...

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
Where are these developers doing it?

Round our way, the developers seem to be bullzozing any Victorian houses
or
villas in sight and placing faceless blocks of flats on the plots. It's
like
the 1960s all over again.

It has been happening where I live too - but not budozing Victorian
terraces, simply putting up two or three houses under the guise of making
one affordable home ( what affordable at 180K for a 2 bed box with 20ft of
garden in rural Cornwall?) and the council had been allowing it.

Its just greed.

It is not greed. The country is short of millions of homes. The problem is
that we are not allowed to build on subsidised fields. That is the problem.
If we were allowed to build on boring fields then garden in-fills and the
likes would not happen.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

In article , Christian
McArdle wrote:
That I could stomach. I don't mind some phosphate and nitrate polluted
farmer's field succumbing to houses. It is the permanent loss of some
of the most beautiful Victorian Gothic houses that I'm angry about.

But those "most beautiful Victorian Gothic houses" were probably put up
by the Barratt Homes of their day. Probably 80% of Conservation Areas
are just yet another lot of Victorian spec-build and if they can be
redeveloped to provide more housing then I'd much rather this happened
than it being forced out into areas where there are no shops, no PT, no
other facilities and car ownership is therefore all but mandatory.

It's a strange thing about Conservative politicians: suggest closing a
steelworks or coal mine and severely impacting a community and they'll
be all in favour of it, claiming that it's just market forces at work.
Suggest replacing a couple of Victorian villas by a block of flats and
they suddenly believe that the state knows best. If market forces were
allowed to operate we'd have more housing being built, and with the
removal of an artificial shortage developers would have to work harder
to deliver good quality.

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"NickW" wrote in message
m...

Thanks, sounds like good advice. I hope Mid Suffolk DC is eco mad...!

I could do with some more ideas of eco friendly ideas. The ones I've got
so far a

- Super insulated - insulation from recycled materials
- wood frame - ?
- passive solar wall space heating
- solar domestic hot water
- wood burners with onsite ash coppice
- low energy lighting throughout

What else? I don't know so much about the eco friendly materials side of
things.

The Building Structu

- A light framed superinsulated structure (Minimum of 400mm of Warmcell in
the roof, 250-300mm in the walls, heavy foam in the floor if a concrete
slab).
- Face the house south to capture passive solar energy.
- Calculate the pitch of the roof for maximum insulation at your latitude.
- Calculate the roof overhangs to keep the sun off the windows and walls in
summer.
- Have the north side with few windows.
- Triple glazed with low "e" glass.
- Eliminate thermal bridges. These tend to be where the walls meet the
ground and the roof, or one material meets another. Use nylon tie bars if
cladding in brick
- Use SIP panels or TJI "I" beams. The void in the "I" beams can be filled
with Warmcell cellulous insulation (re-cycled newspaper). The Warmcell makes
the structure air-tight.
- Have all of the south facing roof being a solar panel heating water from
the sun. That is a large surface generating much heat.
- Could have a full width conservatory on the south side. Better if full
width and full height. This will help but not essential. Nice to have
though as bedrooms could have a balcony opening into the conservatory.
- No letterbox in front door. All doors heavily insulated and sealed (the
Swedes do the best doors).
- Specify a study for home working.

Heating, Vent, Thermal Storage:

- Store the heat in a large thermal store, which would have to be sized to
suit. Better have a battery of small cylinders, so if one leaks it is an
easy and cheap job of replacing.
- The heavy thermal stores can be at ground level. They could even be in a
separate building with superinsulted underground pipes between it and the
house if need be. The thermal store should hold enough energy to heat the
building over 3 or 4 cloudy days.
- Use "very" low temperature underfloor heating.
- In winter not a lot of very hot water will be generated, but hot enough
for very low temp underfloor heating.
- This low temperature water can act as a preheat for DHW.
- If hot water is generated, hot enough for domestic hot water, then this
water should be suitably stored for ready use rather than merging into a
large low temperature water store.
- The controls will be off the shelf and all be using the odd pump here and
there.
- A backup heat source can be incorporated when cloudy days extend over 3 or
4 days.
- The water system is understandable by any intelligent plumber.
- As underfloor heating is being used, bets have an extract only vent
system. Heat recovery is expensive. The thermal store should store enough
energy for the heating system to compensate for vent losses.

Water reclamation:

- There are large water tanks that fill from the roof available ready made.
The BENELUX countries have these as standard in new builds.
- The water tank is under the garden.
- The water is used to water the garden and flush toilets, reducing water
consumption drastically.

PV Cell:

- Don't bother as they are still super expensive with very long payback
times. If the hosue done as above then little elecricity will be used.

Low Energy Appliance:

- These tend to be German like AEG, etc. Find out which of these is the
most economical in energy and water consumption and put these in the spec.

Comms:

- Wire the place out in CAT 5 to accomodate computers and home working.

The above is the basic concept. Then, depending on site, size of house, etc,
it is a matter of applying numbers to size up the thermals store, heat loss,
How much energy the solar roof will generate, sizing a "very" low temp
underfloor heating system, etc.

Best of luck. I hope you get it and you build the house. We need more people
like you around.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
It has been happening where I live too - but not budozing Victorian
terraces, simply putting up two or three houses under the guise of
making
one affordable home

That I could stomach. I don't mind some phosphate and nitrate polluted
farmer's field succumbing to houses. It is the permanent loss of some of
the
most beautiful Victorian Gothic houses that I'm angry about.

And building over green spaces in cities and towns. I see Liverpool FC, or
is that Bangkok FC now, want to build a stadium on the adjacent park.
Scumbags.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

The OP has a 2 acre plot.

And it will sonn be a half acre plot with what - four more houses on the
other one and a half acres?

1/2 acre is a large plot for a house.

Will that be in keeping with the area?

Don't know.

Does the area have the infrastructure ( health services, roads,
employment,
etc.) to support it? I doubt it.

Don't know.

Planning rules are there for a reason.

Yes to keep very large landowners very, very wealthy. 1% of the population
own 70% of the land. Only 7.2% of the land is built on, rural and urban.

if his two acres are currently
outside the loacal plan devolpment area ,
its no doubt for a good reason

The reason is to create an artificial land shortage to ramp up land prices.
2/3 of the value of the average home is the land value.

But he isnt in my back yard , so I dont really care.

I thought so. A NIMBY!!!

I have just stated my observations
in my own area.

But lack understanding of the issue and don't see the big picture.

Ive just bought another field ( 5 acres)
in an attempt to keep any of that
happening near me in my lifetime at least.

So it cost you 15K approx. If the local plan in the future covers your
field, then it will be worth millions. Let's see your NIMBYism then.

But I guess I am a greedy b*stard of another kind. I like to see wildlife
and plants and trees.

So don't we all. We don't see it crammed into urban areas while field lay
there empty for mile after mile after mile.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"Christian McArdle" wrote in
message
. net...
Where are these developers doing it?

Round our way, the developers seem to be bullzozing any Victorian
houses
or
villas in sight and placing faceless blocks of flats on the plots.
It's
like
the 1960s all over again.

It has been happening where I live too - but not budozing Victorian
terraces, simply putting up two or three houses under the guise of
making
one affordable home ( what affordable at 180K for a 2 bed box with
20ft
of
garden in rural Cornwall?) and the council had been allowing it.

Its just greed.

It is not greed. The country is short of millions of homes. The
problem
is
that we are not allowed to build on subsidised fields. That is the
problem.
If we were allowed to build on boring fields then garden in-fills and
the
likes would not happen.

Like the five acres of field I have just bought which borders my existing
smallholding and the lane ( I own) that allows access to it?

If you want to build there, why not? As long as neighbours are not duly
inconvenienced nothing wrong with it.

There is already one house next to
me - built in the 1980's. That will be
the last within a five acre radius in my lifetime.

Good for you, if that is what you want. It would be nice if someone could
build a house in the fields near you and also have 5 acres around them too.

There are no mains services ( gas or drains) in the village down the road
from me - I too am outside the current building line - and the storm
drains cant take whats thrown at them already.

We may need that land you want to build on to house the millions to feed
the bloody hoards in a minute.

"may need". WE NEED IT NOW.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

On Fri, 04 Jun 2004 15:46:46 +0100, Christian McArdle wrote:

Where are these developers doing it?

Round our way, the developers seem to be bullzozing any Victorian houses or
villas in sight and placing faceless blocks of flats on the plots. It's like
the 1960s all over again.

Christian.

Large Victorian house around our way has just gone via auction. Waiting to
see what happens to it (Worcs).I suspect that it will be going to new
flats.

Dave

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"Tony Bryer" wrote in message
...
In article , Christian
McArdle wrote:
That I could stomach. I don't mind some phosphate and nitrate polluted
farmer's field succumbing to houses. It is the permanent loss of some
of the most beautiful Victorian Gothic houses that I'm angry about.

But those "most beautiful Victorian Gothic houses" were probably put up
by the Barratt Homes of their day. Probably 80% of Conservation Areas
are just yet another lot of Victorian spec-build and if they can be
redeveloped to provide more housing then I'd much rather this happened
than it being forced out into areas where there are no shops, no PT, no
other facilities and car ownership is therefore all but mandatory.

It's a strange thing about Conservative politicians: suggest closing a
steelworks or coal mine and severely impacting a community and they'll
be all in favour of it, claiming that it's just market forces at work.
Suggest replacing a couple of Victorian villas by a block of flats and
they suddenly believe that the state knows best. If market forces were
allowed to operate we'd have more housing being built, and with the
removal of an artificial shortage developers would have to work harder
to deliver good quality.

Excellent post. The term Jerry Built was from a Victorian builder named
Jerry Bros. It is the draconian planning act that is the problem, closely
followed by the land being in the hands of a few people. The artificial
shortage prevents market forces serving the people. There should be little
requirement for publicly subsidised housing, which takes an enormous amount
of taxpayers money each year, if the free market was to reign. And better
competition would mean better designs and quality and far cheaper house
prices. In short, solve the land/planning problems and many ills are also
solved. Land is the root cause of many of the country's problems and if
tackled even our taxes will drop.

The large landowners spend millions each year in propaganda to convince us
we are short of land (a downright lie, as we have a surplus) and that
subsidised fields, by great expense from our taxes again, should be left and
we are all rammed into tight urban spaces.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

I thought so. A NIMBY!!!

Contrary to your view I am not a wealthy person. I do care about the
environment and cannot see any way in which building more and more houses on
green fertile fields is good for anyone. I cant change the world but I can
make what bit of it I have a more enjoyable place.
Building on rural land creates ghettos of rich people getting out of sink
suburbia and then building more sink suberbia before moving on to more
green fields. Thats the bigger picture.

I have principles to wit:

Ive just bought another field ( 5 acres)
in an attempt to keep any of that
happening near me in my lifetime at least.

So it cost you 15K approx. If the local plan in the future covers your
field, then it will be worth millions.

It cost me all the spare cash I had - and I work hard for my money, I am not
a financier or a banker and I am not getting mega bucks , but its not about
money, its about having a decent home and a decent environment to live in.

I said NOT IN MY LIFETIME and I MEAN IT. ( I am forty).
The sole reason for buying the land is to stop development NOT to cash in
on anything in the future.
I consider myself a guardian of that land, not a wrecker of it.
I haven't got the land under cultivation and I wont do so. Its currently
been cut for hay and reseeded this year ( done before I got it) but I have a
large hedgerow and a deep border of uncultivated land right round my
boundary. I also have a small pond - and five years ago there was no
wildlife in it. I now have frogs, newts ( including crested) and toads. A
small colony of slow worms.

We have as well as the more common birds , swallows, sparrows ( tree, house
and dunnock) song thrushes, mistle thrushes, bats , barn owls and brown
owls living and hunting on this field.
And of course I havent begun to check whats in the hedgerows - voles etc.

They need homes too. They wont find them in a bloody housing estate and I
will not see them homeless to create one. As I said , I have principles and
I am sticking to them.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...


We may need that land you want to build on to house the millions to
feed
the bloody hoards in a minute.

"may need". WE NEED IT NOW.

Well when someone actually makes that clear to me ( ie starts saying grow on
this land , not build on it) then I will put it under cultivation. Its just
a nature reserve at the moment ( not a managed one I might add.)
The previous owner was a "part time" farmer and put a few cows in the field
every now and then ( like once a year) and cut it to hay in the summer.

I havent done anything yet.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

I thought so. A NIMBY!!!

Contrary to your view I am not a wealthy person. I do care about the
environment and cannot see any way in which building more and more houses
on
green fertile fields is good for anyone. I cant change the world but I can
make what bit of it I have a more enjoyable place.
Building on rural land creates ghettos of rich people getting out of sink
suburbia and then building more sink suberbia before moving on to more
green fields. Thats the bigger picture.

I have principles to wit:

Ive just bought another field ( 5 acres)
in an attempt to keep any of that
happening near me in my lifetime at least.

So it cost you 15K approx. If the local plan in the future covers your
field, then it will be worth millions.

It cost me all the spare cash I had - and I work hard for my money, I am
not
a financier or a banker and I am not getting mega bucks , but its not
about
money, its about having a decent home and a decent environment to live
in.

I like your approach.

I said NOT IN MY LIFETIME and I MEAN IT. ( I am forty).
The sole reason for buying the land is to stop development NOT to cash in
on anything in the future.
I consider myself a guardian of that land, not a wrecker of it.
I haven't got the land under cultivation and I wont do so. Its currently
been cut for hay and reseeded this year ( done before I got it) but I have
a
large hedgerow and a deep border of uncultivated land right round my
boundary. I also have a small pond - and five years ago there was no
wildlife in it. I now have frogs, newts ( including crested) and toads. A
small colony of slow worms.

We have as well as the more common birds , swallows, sparrows ( tree,
house
and dunnock) song thrushes, mistle thrushes, bats , barn owls and brown
owls living and hunting on this field.
And of course I havent begun to check whats in the hedgerows - voles etc.

They need homes too. They wont find them in a bloody housing estate and I
will not see them homeless to create one. As I said , I have principles
and
I am sticking to them.

You are right we should be living amongst wildlife. If they allowed us
access to build on all this land we could all be living like that.
Unfortunately we are all crammed into small spaces. that is the problem.
Allow people to spread out on the land and high density housing will be
vastly reduced.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"IMM" wrote in message
...

You are right we should be living amongst wildlife.

But most people dont want to live with wildlife ( despite Bill Oddie and the
Beebs attempts to convince them otherwise) . No matter what the density of
housing, they will try to eradicate the wildlife around them. They will
either seek to prevent or evict the bats from their roof spaces. They will
eveict the mice from the Englsih natural hedgerows by grubbing them out and
planting the scourge of suberbia - leyllandii .


Better that people cram themselves into small spaces where they can share
the task of killing off other species in their particular ring fence of
territory , than they travel around and kill it all off everywhere.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

"mich" wrote in message
...


We may need that land you want to build on to house the millions to
feed
the bloody hoards in a minute.

"may need". WE NEED IT NOW.

Well when someone actually makes that clear to me ( ie starts saying grow
on
this land , not build on it) then I will put it under cultivation. Its
just
a nature reserve at the moment ( not a managed one I might add.)
The previous owner was a "part time" farmer and put a few cows in the
field
every now and then ( like once a year) and cut it to hay in the summer.

I havent done anything yet.

No need to. No need to grow anything on it either as we pay farmers not to
produce. You should not have to go to these extremes to maintain your
quality of life. Change the planning system/land ownership and what you are
understandable doing will be a thing of the past.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

Christian McArdle wrote:

It has been happening where I live too - but not budozing Victorian
terraces, simply putting up two or three houses under the guise of making
one affordable home


That I could stomach. I don't mind some phosphate and nitrate polluted
farmer's field succumbing to houses. It is the permanent loss of some of the
most beautiful Victorian Gothic houses that I'm angry about.


Your are out of date. Its no longer commercially viable to use heavy
fertilizers on crops.

Round here they get a quick dusting of herbicide, and a little
fungicide, and the weeds grow alongside em.

A rotation takes care of butrient.

Christian.

Want to build a new house in my back garden
 

IMM wrote:


It is not greed. The country is short of millions of homes.

No, its overflowing with idiots. Like you. Where's Shipman when you need
him?