It looks like a lovely block. What sort of conditions can local government planning authorities put on the building of a cottage, unless it's built of paperbark. People build with hay bales, mud brick etc, and as long as the plumbing is correct, and the power connection is legally installed, what else can there be? You may be able to build your dream cottage somewhere else in another council area. All the best with the sale, and see you and the pooch on the road. Cheers Chrissy

Seems you don't know anything about Tamworth Regional Council! Originally I did want to build strawbale, but I would have been the first in this area and talking to the council reps I descided it would be easier to climb Mt Everest without oxygen support and no Sherpa. Then I went for colourbond clad house with reed bed grey water treatment + composting toilet - you would have thought I was a Neanderthol thinking of that as far as council was concerned.
I could go to another council area eg. Armidale who are far more progressive, but if I was going to settle full time I wanted it to be here. That is when I got the idea of selling up and becoming a Grey Nomad and honestly the more I look into it the more attractive the option seems. If I don't like a place I can simply move on and if I feel lonely at any time all I have to do is head the rig toward home and park in my kids' yards for a while until I wear out my welcome.

ah you see thats where you went wrong, on all aplications for any housing construction councils form work has "set" boxes, (1) sewerage disposal either septic or mains sewerage, composting only if out a set distance from sewage lines (2) grey water disposal is under the same box as sewage (3) building construction consists of certain materials and unless you are one of the 3 little pigs then straw is not one of them I constantly come up against councils by laws and tri laws (all of which date back to the 1800's and havent been altered since) the only way that you would get a "new Idea" through is if you employed an engineering architect at an enormous cost and submitted all plans to a certain level I have been nominated and awaiting results from council to ascertain whether i can join council and try to work miracles from within regarding grey nomads parking and camping areas, along with other issues, I will not be "joining them" but I cant "beat them" either the council is a blight on local communitys (big frogs in little ponds) and local council should be thrown out and ruled by local government

May I suggest you try west of the ranges, All the info I have recieved indicated that the only way you get to do all the stuff we are concerned with is too start off small in a country area, Then it gets publicised and built on One reason why I live where I live, I built my own septic, shack, plumbing wiring, etc

Good luck with the Council Dave. When I was in Pt. Lincoln I was asked if I would stand for council. I declined. As a journalist I thought I would do a better job sitting through council meeetings and reporting on the issues, thereby making them accountable for their decisions and keeping them honest. Unfortunately councils are made up of people who have the time to devote to their duties and commitments. They are usually business people, self-employed. It's hard for a real wage worker to get the time off to attend those commitments. So we are stuck with the best of a bad bunch until they do away with local government as we know it. They make their decisions based on the recommendations of the Council's highly paid officers. If you cross enough palms with silver it seems they are prepared to bend enough rules to recommend the councillors approve your proposal. Call me cynical, but I've worked inside local government as a clerical officer preparing agendas and minutes, and as a journo for 12 years, sitting in on the meetings of 4 councils. The CEO's head is the one you want to bounce against the wall if you want your plan to be approved. If he understands and recommends, you're in - or out. Bring on the Nomad Party! Chrissy

I might be a bit off thread, but ....

It makes me shudder when the discussion turns to removing the State Govts. and having the Federal Govt dealing direct with these people.

I think that a lot of work will need to be done before we could seriously consider giving this lot more power.

didnt like what I wrote in here so I took it off

-- Edited by dave06 on Tuesday 21st of April 2009 02:07:21 PM

Cupie wrote:

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I might be a bit off thread, but ....

It makes me shudder when the discussion turns to removing the State Govts. and having the Federal Govt dealing direct with these people.

I think that a lot of work will need to be done before we could seriously consider giving this lot more power.

---

Sorry to rain on your parade friend but I believe the discussion is referring to Councils as in Local Government, not State Government.

 

There has been a plan in the wind to do away with state govt, and give real local government more authority, with credible paid politicians. They'd work with the Fed Govt, from the grass roots up. It's been on the back burner for years.

Heard that also, Chris, but it was a long time ago, think it is ashes by now

Sorry If I didn't make myself clear JRH.

I was refering to the removal of the State Govts leaving the Federal & Local Govt.

In Qld the Peter Beattie's State Govt went thru a hotly contested phase of Local Council amalgamations that some say is a necessary step towards the demise of the State Govt.  Of course others say that in doing so the 'local interest' aspect was diluted.

Cupie wrote:

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Sorry If I didn't make myself clear JRH.

I was refering to the removal of the State Govts leaving the Federal & Local Govt.

In Qld the Peter Beattie's State Govt went thru a hotly contested phase of Local Council amalgamations that some say is a necessary step towards the demise of the State Govt.  Of course others say that in doing so the 'local interest' aspect was diluted.

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Ah!!! the penny drops finally.  Will teach me to read the message correctly in future before making any dumb comments.

 

The comments in fact are quite relevant. Local Govt council amalgamation has been a national initiative as the first step Local ratepayers were against it because they felt they'd lose the "control" they thought they had over their local distric. It was a lead up to the demise of the state governments. I don't know where it's up to now. The plan seems to change from govt to govt. I think the financial crisis has priority just now. I covered many council meetings through the amalgamation process, as a journo. Once again we've digressed from the original topic of council planning complications. How's that for lateral thinking?