About Me

South Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
We are the neighbours of the "Chilterns Water Mill" - featured on the episode of Grand Designs first broadcast on the 4th February 2009. We were asked to take part in the programme, but were strongly advised not to due to the extremely serious nature of allegations we have made against South Oxfordshire District Council - including improper conduct on the part of specific employees and councillors. The council is currently under investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman and the Standards Board for England. If anyone is serious about wanting to know details of the allegations or a fuller account of what has gone on - email me (from an address I can identify please) and we might talk further.

Wednesday 11 February 2009

A Response at last!

Grand designs have now contacted us. It remains to be seen how they account for themselves...
Posted by NeighboursInTheWoods at 23:44

5 comments:

  1. Nemesis 12 February 2009 at 13:07

    I have kept my blog pages re this as updated as possible. I, too, look forward to hearing what Channel Four has to say.

    http://nemesisrepublic.blogspot.com/2009/02/chilterns-water-mill-grand-designs_07.html

    Direct link via my Followers picture below.

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    Replies
    1. ianmedium10 February 2012 at 00:50

      i have just watched the show (i live in Canada though am from the UK and returning to live there this year). I wanted to find out more about this build so searched the net and not only found this blog but other articles about the owner of the "mill" My initial thoughts were that you were yet another bunch of NIMBY's but now having read views other than that put across by Grand Deisgns I have a great deal of sympathy for your complaint. I looked at the video of the bridge and think it shocking that was allowed as it really does intrude upon your privacy, the house he has built looks totally out of proportion to the landscape.

      You have my sympathies, I feel you have been treated badly with this. 3 years later I hope that there has been some for of resolve to this issue.

      It just goes to show what I have always felt. Whatever you see on TV make sure you get the other side of the story before judging others!
      Good luck to you.
      Regards.
      Ian

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  2. Nemesis 14 February 2009 at 22:08

    I note that 'im next door' has posted this tonight on the Grand Designs site: "Matthew, it's a shame you got such a bad impression of events from watching the program. The kit house had come all the way from the States and due to some last minute changes to the frame design, it was delayed by 3 months. It was therefore decided that it was too late in the year to start the work of construction, due to the effect the weather might have on the exposed wood of the frame. The bright orange colour is sadly the result of what happens when one is forced to compromise with the planners. I personally wanted a much deeper rusty organic red colour, but I was overruled by the council and ended up with a colour nobody is happy with including me! The planning issue is a complex one and hard to explain fully in a program which is meant to be about building the house really. In fact the complexity of the issue kept my architect, planning consultant and solicitor very busy for 18 months while they all tried to sort out with the council what was in fact a mess up by another party altogether (who I can not name for legal reasons). I do see the neighbours perspective on this, however they did buy their property after I got my planning permission and then objected after the work had already progressed too far."

    Possibly some response is required?

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  3. NeighboursInTheWoods14 February 2009 at 23:13

    Thanks nem - yes I have seen that as well. There is false information in there and I have reported the post in that respect. I have no intention of getting into a public barney on that site (and I suspect ch4 would not let me post what I would need to say to deal with Ostwlad's points anyway). I think that quite possibly Ostwald and I are in agreement about who is responsible for the original "cockup" in terms of the council's part in this. In fact from the information available entirely in the public domain one can ascertain that the council accepts that the original "cockup" was made and who the person responsible was. The person concerned no longer works for SODC as of mid-late 2007 but has since regained employment in a similar capacity with another nearby council.

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  4. NeighboursInTheWoods17 February 2009 at 21:46

    Note it has now been deleted as a result of...umm...words I had with them...

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