This natural home has been ordered to be destroyed by planners in Wales
Today, justice has gone unserved. Photos and stories of Charlie’s roundhouse have been circulating the web for the past several months, especially when it was announced that Charlie and his family might have to demolish their incredible and artful home, since the house was deemed “harm[ful] to the character and appearance of the countryside” by Pembrokeshire County Council planners.
Once you see images and hear the story of the home’s construction, however, you will realize the true depths of the soullessness and inanity of the planners. True, the home was built without official permission, but the defense is groundless and faulty. Here is a couple that built an incredible and gorgeous shelter using natural materials, in a highly respectful and humble regard, stemming from a basic need for a healthy living space. And now? The order to demolish the home because it negatively affects “the character” of the landscape? Sounds like that is one kind of landscape that I would avoid, if it cannot accommodate a gorgeous and timeless structure such as Charlie’s roundhouse.
Incredible interior of Charlie’s roundhouse
Unfortunately, the appeal for retrospective planning permission was officially denied, and now the house must be completely destroyed, with the land returned to its original condition, leaving the family homeless. Here’s the full scoop.
I’m unsure if there is any absolute last minute chance to turn the tide (doubtful?), but my goodness, my heart truly goes out to Charlie and family. I know the labor of love that is creating your own home from the ground up, using natural materials, and taking on the massive, daunting, and humbling task. It is an experience like few others. I could not imagine some one coming to my door, and telling me to take down my home, because of some nonsensical reason.
Charlie and family
Justice… where are you?
Image credit: Natural Homes
I want to cuss like a sailor right now but I will behave. This is unbelievable.
Agree, JT! This is such a shame, but this confirms the research my husband and I are doing before we move overseas. We plan on building our own “Hobbit Home” in Europe and we’ll be sure to check around and find out which countries will be agreeable to such building and what we need to do to make it legal. I just want to weep over their loss!
I shared this on Facebook. Thanks for letting us know!
Hi there,
How about you or Charlie start a petition on change.org or avaaz.org to make them reconsider this decision. It could make a difference!!
If you do get avaaz.org to take it on, let us know. I’m ready to send it out to my facebook friends and everyone else I know.
I remember seeing an old man shooting a police officer (not lethal) on TV,who came at the door to order him to leave his home somewhere in the middle of England. The authorities had planned a road through the land the house was build on. I sympathized with the old fellow, could see and feel his ordeal. Your story reminded me of that one. Come to New Zealand, you can build illegal dwellings, the only thing is that it can’t be insured, but so what? I’ve got a friend in the North Island who built a house in the early eighties, a fantastic place, it is still standing and he is still living in it with his family. Authorities practice their powers without any humane reasons. Their inspectors earning a living blindly following rules, possibly even feeling “sorry” for people like you. Good luck and take care, arohanui, Geert
This is sad that society would come to this. Obviously this young couple have invested a lot of time and love to provide, not just a house, but a home for each other and their upcoming family. I doubt very much that the countryside will suffer undue harm from such a beautiful, living, natural art form having been added for all to enjoy. I’m certainly thankful that I do not live in the presence of those that would be so jealous of this couple that they would seek to dig for unreasonable excuses to order this home destroyed. Shame on those that would make this order and shame on those that would carry it out. I would like to see any demolition crew that is hired, stand strong in protest against the terrible task they will be asked to perform! A natural home, in a natural environment, cannot be detrimental to the surrounding countryside; only a parking lot for government employees could do that! Leave this work of art in the countryside canvas. It’s where it belongs. ~ cw
HOWEVER they COULD Put a safety Railing on that porch,and change the exterior paint to a nice buff warm hobbity color ,just sayin’
But I agree we need to step up and forma a circle of defense around these people world wide here in u.s. city councils are banning food forest gardens etc.
the old world male will not just die out without kicking some ass on his way to the grave
particularly vicious what he knows he has lost his way
Tienen un hermoso hogar.
Hello again, today I saw the movie “You’ve been Trumped” about tycoon Donald Trump who got away with building a resort/golf course in the dunes near Aberdeen, and is now going to build another one, one wonders what is behind that…….I much much rather see your house enhancing the landscape.