Ferdinand

There are several bird box designs around that use a single plank of wood most efficiently. Apols if already linked. eg https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-families/family-wild-challenge/activities/build-a-birdbox/ I miss our swifts that used to do circuits round next door's lime trees chasing insects. No pollarded, which means my pv gets more sun, but still missed.

Have you considered an owl box? I seem to remember that you are near the right sort of land.

I thought bird boxes were reckoned for 'next spring' usually. And for your garden - as for mine -- there may not yet be enough cover. Which reminds me I need some niger seeds for the finches which have not yet appeared.

Oooops. Did not remove it quickly enough.

No one has asked, so I will. Is this the Sussexlogs' runway? Or the Overlooked by Sussexlogs runway? ?

Let me see if I can find a couple of useful thoughts. I've read the Appeal Decision, and a number of docs from the original application (not all 36), including the D&A, and the Planning Officer report. I can't find a dimensioned plan of the existing house or plot; I may have missed it. I think your Design and Access document does not address these concerns sufficiently, rather it is a list of statements - it needs a planning argument (is that in a document I missed?). It provides an argument based on your build, but does not address the planning policy concerns expressed by the Council in terms understood by the Council. I think the Appeal Report is quite short because the Inspector felt that the couple of concerns he mentioned sink it, but any future application would need to address the points in the Council report too. The Council had clear planning grounds for rejection, so the Inspector has only gone into it far enough to establish his verdict (that is normal). To be honest, I agree with them on the rejection, because the App does not make a convincing planning argument imo, and - if I have understood what happened correctly - not meeting the full procedural bat report requirements of the Natural Wales body (or whatever it is called), such as 3 occasions of survey not one, is fatal to an application. I accept that I could be wrong on that last point if it has been addressed via docs I have not read. Your application was rejected for reasons architectural, and also for some details that are actually procedural. The importance of the streetscape is in rhythm and appearance, as it is a ribbon development on a route from the community. It is not a question of being just generally acceptable; the Council want some features to be regular, repeated well, because that row of houses set the backbone of the street pattern. If you had that bungalow they then may have been adaptable; as it is they wish to keep the rhythm of the housing row. It is my view that the Council want the roofs to be quite regular, and gaps between the houses, and the windows, to be similar. These were all mentioned in the documents for the Committee, but at ground level there seems to be variety. Some gaps have a garage; but some others have a wall or tree. The Assessment also mentions dreaded bat reports; you have one but they say it has not been done quite sufficiently. And so they say bats may still exist in your vicinity. I would say that this is what a Planning Consultant should have done. That is, discovered the requirements and addressed each of them one by one. So what can you do to fulfil the demands of the committee, whilst still building a pleasant dwelling for your family? Trying to be practical, I think: 0 - You are probably stuck with the roof and house size profile on the first floor upwards, and the width of the existing house. That likely means you are stuck with the existing footprint of the house except for maybe going backwards perhaps 50% on the ground floor. The external material and fenestration needs to be essentially unchanged - even maybe consider just putting skylights on the rear not the front. Though perhaps in-roof solar panels would be good on the front. I would also put the frontage of the dwelling on the building line, since that was mentioned. Can you establish whether the Council would have *any* flexibility on footprint, is you preserve the general "face" of the house? Even 1 or 2m in width may help. 1 - You could perhaps do a full width single storey 'extension' around the back, for a kitchen diner or whatever depending on the sun and so on. 2 - I think you should consider a full footprint basement. 3 - I think you could also consider a garden room for an office or a gym or a cinema room if these are in your requirements. 4 - I think you will need to consider your treatment of the side 5 - Find a treatment of the gaps between the houses that largely conceals your rear single storey extension, eg a 2m or 2.5m wall with an archway for your drive, or evergreen bushes etc. 6 - Is it possible to get an extra storey in the loft in the existing envelope but with a basement? You may also need a basic Planning Strategy. Since the Council objections are about the size and look, I would perhaps put in an applying for a Certificate of Lawful Development for extensions up to the same size and approx appearance as your intended final version under Permitted Development. That should help poleaxe any objections to something very similar when you apply for a newbuild, as Planning should not really be concerned too much with internal layout on a house that far from its neighbours. Then do a full planning app for a newbuild in the same building envelope. That is assuming that you come up with something that is Ok for your needs that meets those terms. Ferdinand Decision 3243827.pdf 19_1187_FUL--236970.pdf Current Proposed Elevations.pdf

I live in one of one type of these - a bungalow conversion done by the previous owner. My comment would be that you need to be *sure* that a chalet style house meets your requirement wrt fabric quality, as they are awkward to do major changes to upstairs and around the roof and windows. That says do the conversion of a wreck yourself, or get one that you know will meet your needs for a considerable periods with only minor works. Don't mess with Mr Inbetween. If you get a restored or renovated one, make sure it is renovated to modern enough standards that you are happy for the next decade. Compare them to current building regs for example, ask to see heating bills, take heat images and compare it to the similar neighbours, that sort of thing. It goes without saying that you need to develop a reasonable graps of what the cost of necessary renovations are in blood and treasure. In particular don't pay restored-house money for one that needs major work, but I am sure that is the plan and is easy to say. If you get a chalet style house in Zermatt, we will all come and visit you ? . Ferdinand

I think the Appeal System in Wales stops at that point, unless a Minister intervenes or you take them to the High Court. I think you are into a new application to meet the Council concerns, or a change of plot. F

Yes it is you. ? But have you tried to cancel your expensive order.

Slightly ouch, but their prices are usually OK. They have an ebay operation here: http://www.ebaystores.co.uk/Ron-Currie-and-Sons-Ltd which may have a different price structure, but that online shop is currently not operating.

My local merchant who have a big online and ebay operation are delivering and doing collection. https://roncurrie.co.uk/

At the start I would wash up as usual, then mild bleach and rinse. That is belt and braces, though. One of the problems you may get are sterility. One of my first trays grew compost mould mushrooms (last year's compost) rather than spring onions !

I overlapped an extra section, so I see no problem at all with that. Ferdinand

Welcome. A fascinating build, and next project. I have lots of questions I would love to ask, about the tech. side and the planning side and some of your interior decor (does that shower have any screen at all - how does it do if so?). I love the blue herringbone tiles on the wall. The game of Planning Poker must have been interesting. There are people here with wooden builds, and builds on stilts because they bought a bit of a hill, and maybe some potential cross-feedback from people building under 'caravan' rules in wood (which have to be movable) which may have some structural similarities. But I do not think we have any treehouses until now. All questions are welcome. Ferdinand

I think iKea have a standalone range, but I may be out of date as they have redesigned all their showrooms such that it is even harder to find things than it was before. In the meantime, a little censored from the Roy Rogers version:

Thanks - this is the sort of stuff that I do not know automatically. Some things I understand, but there are ignorance-holes everywhere too. Still have strawberries, gooseberries, a couple of wall-espaliers or fans to address. And the Himalayan Giant blackberry ?. F

Thanks. And they need tying in to a couple of new in line posts too. There are loads of things in my garden that need to be brought under control. F

That is, summer or autumn fruiting. I need to prune them back appropriately for this year, and thin a little. I think they are summer fruiting (ie July August not Sept Oct), going on the leaves on old wood. But honestly I cannot remember precisely when they fruit - all the soft fruit went by the board last year due to caring responsibilities, and raspberries were mum's not mine. Ferdinand

There is a further question about what to compost it in. I currently have a Council Dalek composter, of the freebie type, but one with no door at the bottom. My understanding of these is that you have 2, and then turn it from one into the other every so often. What is a good compost bin? F

Unfortunately I have no lawn :-). That was turned into an ornamental bed of decorative grasses and other items, which currently has mallards tiptoeing through the non-tulips !

So can I use printer shreddings as mulch? One house arrest project is to clear out many years of unnecessary paperwork, so I may have quite a lot. (I have a nasty feeling I really need to take out all the weeds - starting-out dandelions etc - to save me aggro later in the year.)

Welcome. For self-build most of the words you need have 4 letters ?.

I am about to do my garden spring clean, and I wonder if I can use the following for mulch or compost: First of all leaf sweepings And also printer shreddings - 2p for size comparison I assume I will need to add some greenery and moisture to make compost. This is not my area and comments are welcome. Cheers Ferdinand

Is that pump rate for paint or water? I have a Wagner Project Pro 119, and the thing that has caused the vast majority of my problems has been type of paint. Which paint are you using, and how many types have you tried? The main Airless Sprayer advice thread is here: I have had success with Leyland Trade contract paint, and Valspar from B&Q. Everything Dulux has been disastrous and gums it up. I have tried 2 or 3 times. Ferdinand

Update to this thread. I now have the Amazon Echo Gen 3 and two supplementary speakers from Tribit. Both are Bluetooth outdoor speakers (ie very bathroom safe) and excellent value. 1 - A MaxSound Plus 24W and about £40. Good across the range for a small speaker. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tribit-MaxSound-Bluetooth-Exceptional-Waterproof/dp/B07LGKLFFW 2 - An XSound Go. 12W. About £30. Even smaller. Linear across the range. Good for treble eg Sax Jazz or Female Vocal. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Speakers-Tribit-Portable-Waterproof/dp/B078S4P3J9 I find the easiest way to use one is to keep both off, turn one on and yell "Connect my Speaker" at Alexa, even from a couple of rooms away. Next job: connect the 3 Smart TVs to Alexa. F