Ecocrackers

While we are waiting

While we are waiting we have heard many stories of planning woes experienced by eco-villagers. Whether or not eco-villagers have had more issues that concerned the planner than others, who knows. Meantime, the councillor has spoken to the planner, now returned from holiday. The possibility of putting in a septic tank has been floated. Rodney has texted the area of the plot - approximately 0.1 hectares (sites 38 and 39) - and the area of the footprint of the house - approximately 120 square metres. Is this sufficient for a septic tank? What will be the outcomes of conversations in the council corridors?

What is also interesting is that the Tipperary local council and EU elections are coming up. Electioneers knocking at the door find that we are not yet resident in the village and that leads to questions about why we're here, and the whole planning story. Candidates for the council are seeking details. We are hoping their interest and any kind of involvement that follows is not going to muddy the waters or lead the planner into feeling pressured in any way. What has also happened is that planning permission for a property adjoining the ecovillage has just been granted. Is this a good sign? Are the council now not so concerned about overloading the Cloughjordan sewage plant now that the ecovillage plant is working and the discharge tested over the last three weeks is clean? If not, the suggestion (in jest?) was to call the 'race card' if permission is refused - that a local had been granted permission but foreigners not. Very strange thought. The two cases are not quite the same, the local asked for planning permission for a renovation and extension (to an albeit currently unoccupied property) whereas our request for permission is for a new build. Roll on 16 May when we hope for a decision one way or another. (I have been looking for properties for sale in Devon.)

Not being too good at waiting, we've taken the time to do some walking and exploring - to the south, the Silvermine Mountains, to the west the Burren and Cliffs of Moher, and to the north, Fairymount, Birr and Kinnitty. There is much to enjoy. The trees coming into leaf, violets, primroses, cowslips abound. Drifts of bluebells in the woods. And the ecovillage people - all keeping their fingers crossed for us. And given freedom to help ourselves to a gardener's abundance of allotment rhubarb.