Good news for & from roundhouse dwellers

[Tony Gosling]

see also BBC story below

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From: "Tony Wrench" <tonywrench at lineone.net>
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2005 21:46:35 +0100
To: "Chapter 7" <chapter7 at tlio.org.uk>
Subject: Good News for Roundhouse dwellers

 
Hi There.
Good News for the Roundhouse and round huts at Brithdir Mawr 

Wednesday June 15th 2005 

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park decided at their Planning Committee
today not to pursue court proceedings for an injunction against me, Tony
Wrench, and Jane Faith for our Roundhouse and Emma Orbach for her three
huts, and will defer any enforcement action until their new Policy 50 (Low
Impact Developments) comes into force around May 2006. At that time we will
put in a proposal for a low impact settlement within the new policy, and
will have the opportunity of being one of the first legal ones in Wales.
Until then we have agreed not to build any more roundhouses here. 

Although we are not completely in the clear yet, this is the first time for
over five years that we do not have the threat of demolition hanging over
us, and is a tribute to the sustained support from countless people over
the years to urge the authorities to give greater consideration to low
impact and sustainable lifestyles. 

Phew, whoopee, and thanks! 

 
 
 
p.s. For reasonably up to date news from me please check out
www.thatroundhouse.info <http://www.thatroundhouse.info>   . Thanks



Eco-house battle put on hold
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/4098594.stm
			
A lengthy battle over an illegally built eco-friendly house in west Wales
is being put on hold for almost a year.

Pembrokeshire National Park Authority will suspend attempts to demolish the
roundhouse while a development plan for the entire county is finalised.


It will take no more action until May 2006 so long as no similar houses are
built at Brithdir Mawr, near Newport.


Owner Tony Wrench who has lived there for seven years hopes it marks a
shift in the authority's stance on the issue.


The solar-powered earth and wood house was built without permission in 1998
but despite several court orders Mr Wrench has refused to knock it down.


Another couple have built a further three roundhouses nearby without
planning consent.

The park authority had always maintained that no new homes should be built
within the national park unless there were overwhelming reasons to justify
it.


Members repeatedly refused retrospective planning permission but at a
county court hearing two months ago a judge urged both parties to consult
to try to avoid further litigation.


This week the park authority members decided to suspend injunction
proceedings until a development plan for the county was completed.


Drawn-up in partnership with the county council it will lay down in detail
which areas of Pembrokeshire can be developed and the type of development
allowed.


'Wait and see'

Park authority chairman Stephen Watkins said the move did not mean the
roundhouse could stay.


"The authority is adopting a pragmatic approach to a difficult subject, and
this indicates no capitulation on our part to the situation."


But Mr Wrench said after years of planning and legal argument he now hoped
"there was light at the end of the tunnel".


"We are quite pleased about it and it's going the way we hoped," he added.

Mr Wrench said he was happy to comply with the park's demand there was no
more development at the site until next year.


He is hopeful that the county development plan would make provision for low
impact housing at Brithdir Mawr.


"We've been arguing for about two years that they might as well wait and
see until the development plan is completed," he added.