Introduction

To live a low-impact lifestyle is to live lightly on the earth.

In essence, this means to intelligently and intensively manage our surrounding environment in order to maximise return (in the forms of energy, water, food, shelter and products) and minimise waste (through recycling, composting and energy efficient systems).

In practice, this means to adopt a land-based, simple, localised lifestyle that works with the land and natural cycles available to us.

In order to explore low-impact living, it is necessary to create an integrated system of dwellings and infrastructure able to support such a venture.

Low Impact Development

“Low-impact development is development which, by virtue of its low or benign environmental impact, may be allowed in locations where conventional development is not permitted".

Simon Fairlie

Low-impact development provides an unprecedented opportunity for the repopulation of the countryside by people committed to land-based, environmentally-conscious living.

Lammas aims to demonstrate that it is possible to live a modern lifestyle which does not cost the earth. Human beings are, through living on the land, able to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with the natural world which is able to support both a wildlife and a human culture.

We, as human beings, are dependant on the earth for our needs. We are an intrinsic part of the web of life, indeed we hold a privileged position. With good stewardship the potential for diversity and abundance is enormous. We believe this can best be achieved by bringing together the enlightened management of our natural world and integrating it with the management of the land to meet our own needs. This requires a personal and intimate connection with our environment, and requires people living and working with the natural rhythms and cycles that form our world.

Low Impact Policy

Pembrokeshire's new planning policy on Low-Impact Development is a groundbreaking policy which sets out a new approach to sustainable development in the countryside.

To view the policy, click here

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Campaign

Lammas is Campaigning for a Pembrokeshire Local Development Plan that embraces a low-carbon future:

The Pembrokeshire Structure Plan for 2011 – 2021 (Local Development Plan, LDP) is now out for public consultation. We at Lammas are very concerned by it. This document will determine what develpment can happen, where it can happen and how it must proceed. It covers ALL development in the County up until 2021. It will also provide a strategic direction for Pembrokeshire County Council (with a turnover of £300 million and more than 6000 employees.)

As far as we can make out, it basically proposes that the county should proceed on a BUSINESS AS USUAL basis, with a bit of greenwash for good measure.

• There is no mention of transition, peak oil, pemaculture, organic farming, ecological footprinting, carbon reduction or low-impact development.
• Renewable energy is considered, though as an add-on to conventional energy development.
• Sustainable transport is considered, though again as an add-on to improving road networks to encourage economic development.
• Sustainable Development is referred to throughout as something that needs to be addressed, though the interpretation of what sustainable development is seems to be very loose.
• Whilst there is a strategy being developed to tackle the impacts of climate change, there appears to be no attempt whatsoever within the LDP to tackle the causes of climate change.

The actual document is called “The Preferred Strategy” and is 111 pages long. The most relevant bits are on pages 32 (vision), 38 (objectives), 58 – 60 (policies) and 65 (sustainability appraisal). Unfortunately feedback to the Council has to be on one of their ‘standard forms’ (lots of boxes).

Click below to download:

We are suggesting that;

• the ‘vision’ for Pembrokeshire should embrace a low-carbon future.

• the objectives should include:
• Tackling the causes of climate change as well as the effects.
• Support the development of localised land-based economies.
• Prepare the County for a future without a cheap plentiful supply of fossil fuels.
• And policies that support:
• Transition Initiatives
• Low-impact development
• Renovation of existing housing
• With a sustainability appraisal that is based on ecological footprinting

This consultation has now closed. Thankyou to all of you who participated.

The Lammas team