We have just had a major blow to our hme building plans. A preliminary assessment has found lots of issues with our proposal.
First let me put most of you at ease, we are building in a green wedge area with all sorts of special environmental issues so most people will not face such a tough council.
We have to provide a bunch of reports and statements, fire plans etc. This sort of stuff is annoying but not earth shattering. What is a problem is that the home we propose to build apparently does ot fit in with existing homes in the area. The problem for me is that the existing homes are all old 70s, 60s and earlier. They are generally small - badly laid out and have poor thermal design.
The house we are looking to build is a double storey cube shape (approx 200SQM - and no garage). This uses the smallest amount of space on the block (not that our block is small - but to preserve the natural environment) and is heat efficient. It is also formal and symettrical which is my personal preference. We now have to go away and redesign the whole look to somethink I don't like, pay lots of extra $$$ and for what?
We plan to grow a high (up to 5m) "Neighbours-be-gone" hedge around the entire exposed perimeter so no one will be able to see it to be offended. The hedge we are going to grow will not shade out the neighbours as the sun comes from their side (and besides they have 2 massive trees which shade out our land.) and the other side is already hidden. We are on a terminated road (firegate one end) which is not frequented by tourists or anyone other than those that live there.
So what do people think, am I being unreasonable whining about having to change the fascade and possibly the design of the house? I get the feeling that people in areas like this will oppose any new house whatever. Changes are likely to blow our budget right out of the water, is this fair?
3timesbuilda