Mud

[Nemesis]

Funny old world:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1056637/Lost-middle-class-tribes-secret-eco-village-Wales-spotted-aerial-photograph-taken-plane.html


http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Ancient-mud-house-given-new.4498120.jp

 

[Gervase]

Typical Daily Mail treatment! Grrr.
I know Julian Orbach - a very nice chap and very knowledgeable on vernacular buildings. He's one of the editors of the Pevsner series on West Wales, and has written a Blue Guide on Victorian architecture.

 

[Nemesis]

I don't normally read the Mail I say in haste Gervase - it was sent to me by a building campaigner, in connection with Pathfinder demolitions... sustainable? Well in the Credit Crunch maybe refurb might just be seen as that, finally. Although possibly not at the reported cost that one in Scotland was! No wonder the NTS is in dire financial trouble although its scheme for buying up, repairing and renting out as affordable housing historic buildings is admirable.

Never mind, despite the Mail treatment, glad in the end it's all turned out well in Wales. We dippy hippy huggy earthy types must all learn to cherish our mud and muck. Plenty of both here.

 

[Flyfisher]

I hope the officials that hounded them for a decade are ashamed of themselves, but I doubt it.

 

[Edwardia]

But if these people were sending their kids to school, using libraries and taking non-recyclables to landfill they were using civic amenities without contributing anything, which doesn't seem fair. Not that I'm in favour of snooping councils..GRRR..

 

[Flyfisher]

Perhaps, but then I'm not a fan of council tax anyway as property values are no indication of ability to pay. However the article did mention that rent was now being paid, so money must be being earned, so we should assume taxes are being paid. So they are contributing something.