Target date been and gone

Apparently a target date for planning permission is just that a target but not fundamentally so important that it's actually going to be kept to! So in summary most people and professional bodies have by the looks of things approved our house with the exception of Highways and the tree conversation man. The latter is another upshot of falling into the Conservation Area. Harry went to see the two Andy's on Monday in order to explain and understand their thoughts. The meeting went well including no objections to the changes made to the east of the house reducing the first floor footprint and making the scullery to a single storey.

Harry went to see Hamish in order to see for himself how much space the wood boilers take .... Slightly frustrating that he didn't completely believe me eventhough I've seen a few examples. That element seems to be fine I think as long as the wood shed with the boiler can have a door on keeping people from looking into our wood supply. I'm increasingly concerned that the garden / yard area is going to be open for all the world to see especially one the splays mean only a 1m height wall beside each gate. The only solution I think is to plant either a beech or hornbeam hedge plus some more willow hurdling. It's not the same as having a large stone wall!

Harry has not yet been persuaded about the Porotherm blocks. We agreed that what Phil Neeve suggests we're go with. I think that no matter what the walls are made of they will probably have to be around 450mm thick. Harry's idea is to have a thinner 1st floor made from kingspan which I simply disagree with in so many ways.

I don't like high density insulation as it's a byproduct of the pretrochemical industry
Changing building methods have seems crazy surely it's better to make the house out of the same material?
I can't see how we're surpass (reach a level 4+) status with Harry's proposal. So I'll wait

Can't really consider any builders as we need more details of the fundemendental aspects of the house but time is rushing by and March will be upon us before we know it.

I'm beginning to hate Pottery Cottage. As I sit on the sofa there's always a cold chill coming from the porch area therefore I must do something.

And the walls came tumbling down

About two weeks ago some friends knocked on our door saying that our wall opposite the primary school was well and truly over. Luckily Martin had been booked for some weeks to repair it so that wasn't a bad thing.

We've been waiting to hear about planning permission since the target date of 29th Nov has been and gone but still nothing yet. Apparently they're waiting for the response from Highways.

Last weekend we spent many happy hours
Listening to the girls play whilst we got on with making our 25m willow hurdle running the length of the telephone exchange end. It took far longer to do with a bit of help from Frank for a few hours and Bruce & Barry cutting and delivering the willow plus lots of help lifting it on to the fence. All I've got to do is find a little time to tidy the top up.

I just want to record that I've been in correspondence with Victor and Francette who live at the top of Provender Mill.

A photo of our bonfire party in November!