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 4 August 2010

Local Government Ombudsman Adjudication

The Local Government Ombudsman has now issued her adjudication on our complaint. The finding is maladministration on the part of South Oxfordshire District Council. Watch this space for more info...
Posted by NeighboursInTheWoods at 21:22

32 comments:

  1. Nemesis 5 August 2010 at 10:39

    Good news indeed, I look forward the reading the findings.

    Well done.

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  2. webmaster20 May 2011 at 21:14

    I presume this was the adjudication?
    http://www.lgo.org.uk/complaint-outcomes/planning/planning-archive-2010-11/south-oxfordshire-dc-08-015-461/

    Looks like the no-watermill will be staying for the moment.

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  3. gow21 May 2011 at 22:21

    Stop being jealous , petty and bitter. You sound like Mrs Bucket from keeping up appearances. You need to get a life and stop acting like grumpy old people!!! I'm glad the guy got his permission I hope he sells to loud hippies for a tonne of money ! I hope the hippies become a serious noise nuisance for the rest of your miserable lives! Unbelievable!!!

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    Replies
    1. Unknown27 June 2020 at 11:33

      Love it.
      Lets hope karma bites the neighbours on the butt

      Delete
  4. Ironlung19 August 2011 at 22:43

    I saw the GD programme this evening for the first time and found some sympathy with the eccentric Chris Ostwald, as that was the way it was generally presented. The problems he encountered were, I gathered, largely due to innocent misunderstandings, as often seem to happen in these programmes, but are usually sorted retrospectively. Having been sufficiently interested to Google his name, I find another side to the story and, indeed, the house, as it appeared that there were no neighbours nearby - easy to leave out of any filming I suppose. Particularly telling is the wee clip you have put up of the bridge - if I tried that where I live, there would be an outcry from all around, and if one of MY neighbours tried that I would be complaining loudly. Previous comment from this "Gow" shows he is just a troll, ignore it and keep shouting!

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  5. neighbours who think they own the village21 August 2011 at 17:03

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  6. Mike7 January 2013 at 07:46

    What is the current state of affairs?

    Curious after having seen the episode yesterday for the first time.

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  7. Unknown24 May 2013 at 18:57

    You meddling busy bodies are utterly disgusting. You don't own the world around you, and you went out of your way to crush a man's dream. Oh boo hoo, his house overlooks yours! Try living in a city.

    Repulsive NIMBYs like you don't deserve to bully other people out of having their little corner of the world. We all have to live here, and ultimately we will all be living on top of each other. Selfish and vindictive don't even begin to cover your level of self-entitlement.

    Your vendetta against a family, the council, the Grand Designs program- all of it shows what a nasty and spiteful person you are. You should be ashamed of yourself, as should everyone cheering you on.

    Pathetic. You are an embarrassment to this great engineering nation and its creative people.

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    Replies
    1. Unknown24 May 2013 at 18:59

      I'd like to add that I *have* read the entire blog, and it becomes increasingly clear that you are a grownup child having a tantrum.

      I hope you get what's coming to you.

      Delete
    2. Unknown26 June 2020 at 22:47

      And you rob the world of oxygen

      Delete
  8. Unknown28 June 2013 at 01:36

    Why oh Why when the steel work went up did you not go and see the bloke and tell him you think its wrong ?

    You could have avoided most of this but since it appears you like to shout in public I wonder if some of this construct is deliberate attention seeking.

    However the house looks awful that close to others and that's not how it appeared on GD. But filming him on the bridge and posting on a public website is invasion of privacy is it not ? The very thing you complain about !

    I conclude that if you had really wanted to stop the project, a quiet civil conversation at the stage the steel went in would have produced a result. As it is and taking into account the public blog I think you created this mess because you wanted to. Yes - its your fault as well.

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    1. Unknown20 May 2019 at 21:10

      Your dreaming in cuckoo land. Go back to the hole your crept from and improve your own life by keeping your nose out of other peoples business. Are wipe.

      Delete
    2. Greenandpleasantland17 October 2020 at 22:54

      Lol.odd comment on a public forum. I wonder who the 'are wipe' really is...

      Delete
  9. Unknown14 November 2015 at 16:42

    I have just seen the show for the first time, I live overseas but am English.

    You appear to have suffered a bit at the hands of someone hell bent on doing what he wants. The show never said you where bad or did anything wrong, perhaps you should of put your case on air.

    He should of been forced to lower his house at that early stage when the frame went up. Engineeringly a relative easy process however expensive.

    An article updating the world to the resolution now the dust has settled would be very interesting even though it may cause you to expose some old scars.

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    1. Unknown20 May 2019 at 21:08

      What an arrogant arse you are. Live and let live...old nazis don't deserve to live. Leave the guy alone to build his dream home.

      Delete
  10. Basil4 June 2016 at 14:00

    You need to get a life. No one wants to look into your house. You life can't be that interesting!

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    1. Unknown25 August 2017 at 21:07

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  11. Unknown20 November 2016 at 09:46

    Crazy that this guy was allowed to get away with it. what a nasty piece of work building another storey on top of the permitted levels.

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  12. russcelt25 August 2017 at 21:35

    Where I come from,"if you don't own it, you don't control it." Britain is marketed as a green and pleasant land. Where its inhabitants believe in fair play, manners and like tea and garden centres. Maybe not so much.

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  13. Granddesignslover20 May 2019 at 21:12

    Any update? Buzzing to see if the aggy neighbours won or if Chris’ fantasy new house is still stuck in the spare room of his mind.

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  14. Unknown26 June 2020 at 21:12

    I have just watched the programme for the first time. Who was the neighbour that complained? As i couldn't see a house within the vicinity. the house now finished looks fantastic. As for the council, i believe they need looking at. It has already been proven that within certain areas of this country, there are certain people that would quite easily turn a blind eye if palms are crossed.

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  15. Unknown26 June 2020 at 21:56

    Lol love how this aired tonight and two ppl in the whole country found this page straight away. Im all for leaner planning laws so would have been happy to let him build it, but the dam thing is ugly and plain - i mean painting that ceder!!!! Seriously it would have been just about pretty if he'd have left it

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    Replies
    1. Unknown26 June 2020 at 22:51

      It is the design of a mad man. Very endearing mad man at that though...

      Delete
  16. Unknown26 June 2020 at 21:58

    Oh yeah and whats the outcome? I assume the neighbours lost cause they removed comments and stopped posting.... ah well bad luck

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  17. Unknown26 June 2020 at 22:20

    I was hoping for a recent revisit! I'd love to know what happened in the end!

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  18. Unknown26 June 2020 at 22:54

    I think I'm going to start building a 3 storey block of flats in the garden in the morning.

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  19. Greenandpleasantland17 October 2020 at 22:46

    Sad and pathetic neighbours in the pink horrid house. The land there isnt flat, the land was higher than theres. The chap owned it for 20 years with the well known intention to build a house.
    Also they must have more money than sense, and interesting connections with the council. Firstly because they engaged solicitors and were willing to threaten the council with judicial review- something which would cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. Secondly because it is strange how a councillor turned up to supervise the surveying following the complaint. Clearly a friend of theirs.

    Also, note perspective in these photographs, its nothing like theyre trying to make out.

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  20. Greenandpleasantland17 October 2020 at 23:07

    https://www.lgo.org.uk/decisions/planning/planning-applications/08-015-461

    Funnily enough, the points they 'won' the council maladministration complaint on, had they not happened, their initial planning complaint would have had no grounds. Essentially, the planning officer who verbally told the chap building that it was okay, should have checked the height and confirmed it in writing that it was all good.

    Given that they were awarded only a contribution to their costs, of £5000, I wonder how much these vile neighbours spent in legal fees and associated costs? Must have been a fortune.

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  21. Unknown23 March 2021 at 21:53

    They say you never have to pack a gobshite as there will be one there just waiting for you. How true in this saga.
    Congratulations to Chris, his wife and family, to me they seem like the neighbors I would enjoy, true free spirits with family values, not bigoted. 👍

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  22. The Misadventures of Le Petit Chou8 May 2023 at 21:33

    Having just watched this episode many years later, I am so glad Chris and his family got their dream house! It’s very very sad that these ‘neighbours’ could be so incredibly petty. Unfortunately you are at the bottom of the hill! I wonder how much has changed in 14 years and hope the neighbours have apologised and are nicer people or have moved. The fact they started this blog anonymously makes me think they know they’re in the wrong.

    ReplyDelete

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