Today we heard that we have a start date, although we have learned not to be sure of anything until we see it happening!So on May 3rd we may break ground - almost 2 years since we first saw the plot (June 2009) and a year since we submitted our planning application.
I thought that I would look back on our blog - and, because the camera battery had run down today - use one of the first pictures we took from the bottom of our garden.
Many things have changed since this journey began - and we expect more will. We had been warned to expect the unexpected, but I think that the biggest shock of all has been the amount of time this has taken.
Here is a quick journey:
2005 after occasional conversations dating back many years, we agree that we will work to fulfill our ambition to build our own house. We begin going to exhibitions, looking at likely plots, and learning about all the aspects of house-building.
June 2009 we see the plot in Denford, which comes complete with planning permission for a house. We do our homework and put in a sealed envelope bid.
July 2009 our offer is accepted and we contact Potton.
August 2009 the sale is completed & we begin to discuss the house design with Potton.
We realise that the house does not meet building regulations & some details that don't suit us cannot be ironed out.
December 2009 we begin to discuss a new, simpler design with Claire at Potton.
April 2010 the design is agreed
May 2010 Potton submit our new planning application
July 2010 we receive planning permission and we begin work on discharging the conditions & ordering materials.
October 2010 we apply to discharge planning conditions
January 2011 we are told that we have to keep the leylandii on the border at 6 metres height & we appeal as we want them at 5 metres to enable the photo-voltaic cells to get more sun.
February 2011 this is allowed, but we realise that the leylandii at the front of the plot will become unstable when the ground is levelled and apply to remove them.
March 2011 we are asked for a planting plan and there is a lot of discussion about replacing the leylandii. Fortunately we remembered Majestic trees on the A5 at Flamstead who are very helpful. We agree on a holly, a rowan & red robin, with forsythia & buddleia inbetween.
April 2011 the front stretch of leylandii come down, and the groundworkers tell us they will start after the bank holidays!
We still have to decide on a house name, and are re-considering the Bright House as it is a chain of furniture stores (we never saw any near Luton, but have come across them in Northampton & Peterborough).
I think in my next blog I'll write about all the changes we have made as we've gone along, but I do hope that on May 3rd there will be a picture of the the earth being turned!
