My eco rant.....:) The real good life....hehehe..

Ken68

Building regs are easier in France. Something on Grand Designs a few weeks ago, chap bought 12 acres in Brittany and he was allowed to build an earthship from tyres rammed with earth. Then rendered with local mud etc. Plus a decent roof and glass frontage. Free labour (in return for food and experience).

Ste_C

Ken68 wrote: »

Building regs are easier in France. Something on Grand Designs a few weeks ago, chap bought 12 acres in Brittany and he was allowed to build an earthship from tyres rammed with earth. Then rendered with local mud etc. Plus a decent roof and glass frontage. Free labour (in return for food and experience).

Sounds interesting. Wonder if this is available on the channel 4 site?

Ken68

Probably Ste C......things might have improved on 'see again' Channel 4 but the last time I downloaded the software, it very nearly took over my computer. Kazaar something.

Soemthing here..

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/grand-designs/episode-guides/brittany-groundhouse-where-to-buy-09-02-25_p_17.html

Pippilongstocking

Hi there
Will subscribe and see how you get on - someone up here has just built a straw house using bales and willow (I supplied the willow thats how I know) they used an english straw bale house company - who was on grand designs I think - might want to google it.

Energy - have a look at micro renewable planning guidelines - as you are in england the law up here is different. I don't think its that onerous getting connected - but it will mean invasive infrastructure for a grid connection probably not what you are wanting?? Just a thought.

Other things I have looked into are storing hot water (made by your micro renewable) in big tanks - they do this alot at CHP plants and in buildings who use both heat and power - might make you more self sufficient? as over 75% of your energy use is generally for heat/hotwater.
Ground source heat pumps, solar and air source are good too - extra heat can always be channelled into a greenhouse? polytunnel etc to help you grow stuff when you get to that stage.

Waves and good luck

My ex just set up a yurt campsite - wood fuelled individual yurts and tipees - expenditure initially is minimal as you can do it bit by bit - might be worth looking at to tap into that kind of market and make yourself a sustainable living.

(You can tell I work in renewable heat eh??!!)

The book
Tranisition towns something or other - I forget the title - you probably know it might be worth a read?

ixwood

Sounds brilliant.

Ken68

Lots on here about self sufficiency.
Remember reading on the green building forum about moving a yurt a yard or so every month or so and tis legal to stay.

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=34

mdean

My reaction is how are you green - if we all needed 12 acres we would need more than the 3 planets we are consuming now- literally

ecoed

There are many small pieces of land around the uk that were previously small crofts and farms. After years of being grazed by farm animals the land will have resorted to
agricultural land and so therefore have a value of between 5K and 10K per acre.
See this web site for advice on living on your own land.
Be free!!!!!!!!
http://www.tlio.org.uk/chapter7/diy.html

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

so basically what you are saying the loophole is because its a 'motor' home not a static caravan etc, so technically its not a perminant building or fixture..

so this is why you dont pay rates either ?

and this is in scotland yes?

sorry for the questions, but it would be an internesting option for us as we could never afford a smallholding

ceridwen

mdean wrote: »

My reaction is how are you green - if we all needed 12 acres we would need more than the 3 planets we are consuming now- literally

But then - if the world wasnt overpopulated - then there quite likely would be enough land for everyone to have a decent size bit each (could be it would be a 12 acre size???). So if Britain's optimum population seems to be 17 million - certainly its not more than 30 million people. Then how much land is there in Britain on the one hand and if it were divided by 30 million - how much would we have each? (being very simplistic I know - but hey one has to start somewhere).

Just went googling to see just how big Britain is - wikianswers said "50,351 sq.mi. (130,410 sq.km) - errrm.....right....how many acres is that methinks? (my head hurts)

ixwood

What are you planning to do with the other 30 million people?