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A planning application for a unique eco village will be = submitted=20 by wheelbarrow at County Hall this morning. The planning application will be submitted by Lammas = under the=20 council's new Low Impact Development policy. The group has spent the past two years designing the eco = village=20 and is asking the planners for consent to site nine eco = houses and a=20 community hub building on land in Glandwr. "We want to build a low impact community on 76 acres of = former=20 grazing land based on the traditional model of a village of=20 smallholdings but brought into the 21st century by the use = of=20 cutting edge green technologies," explained Lammas founding = member=20 Paul Wimbush. The project has been designed so that the nine = smallholdings will=20 fit into an overall design plan for the whole site that = takes full=20 account of the needs of existing wildlife and other = important=20 features. "Rather than conserve what is already there, however, our = aim is=20 to significantly increase biodiversity," said Lammas = chairman Sarah=20 Sims Williams. "We have rigorous monitoring procedures in = our plans=20 so we can measure our performance." advertisement
She went on to say that extensive ecological, soil, = geological=20 and visual impact surveys of the area have already been = carried=20 out. The project promises to protect the natural environment = and to=20 provide many direct benefits for local people, including the = provision of much needed low cost housing. "If the project doesn't go ahead, my family and I will = have to=20 continue renting indefinitely," said Simon Dale, a = prospective=20 resident of the eco village. "All we want to do is make a small living on the land but = the=20 current prices of smallholdings make this totally impossible = for us.=20 Even if we could borrow enough money to buy one, we could = never make=20 enough money from the land to pay the mortgage." Because of the strict regulations imposed by the = planners, the=20 buildings erected on the site will have a very low visual = impact and=20 blend into the landscape. They cannot be made out of conventional materials. = Instead,=20 natural materials sourced locally must be used. These = include earth,=20 turf, timber and straw. The buildings have been designed using a combination of = the=20 latest in green technologies combined with traditional = building=20 skills. The houses will incorporate many sustainable = technologies=20 such as passive solar heating, rainwater harvesting and = electricity=20 generation from renewable sources such as wind, water and = solar, and=20 the whole site will not be allowed to use any mains = services. Prospective residents know that life in the eco village = is going=20 to be hard work. The planners require that 75% of all = household=20 needs must be met directly from the land. Each smallholding = has had=20 to be meticulously planned to meet this requirement and a = broad=20 spectrum of enterprises is proposed ranging from strawberry=20 production to furniture making. The eco village plans to co-exist harmoniously with = Glandwr=20 village and enhance the lives of the residents there. = Smallholdings=20 will offer high quality seasonal produce for sale as well as = a=20 shuttle minibus to and from the local station. Further details about Lammas and the eco village can be = found at=20 www.lammas.org.uk including links to some short films on the = project. Log on on Monday for a video about the Lammas project, = recorded=20 and edited by Undercurrents. Related Links | |
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