Karuna >> Planning Update

Planning update

13 August 2010

The hearing is now booked for 21 September in Picklescott village Hall.

Thank you very very much for all who wrote a letter of support for the POLYTUNNEL & TOOLSHED APPEAL, 56 LETTERS were sent to the Planning Inspectorate !.

Please click here to read some very good support letters:

userfiles/files/Paul Wimbush.pdf Lammas Low Impact Initiatives LTD

userfiles/files/Rachel.doc Rachle Finch-Lees, local resident

userfiles/files/Phil stebbing.doc Philip Stebbing (film director & camera man for National Geographic and Discovery channel)

userfiles/files/Steve G.doc Steve Griffin

userfiles/files/Jo & Alan Day.gif J & A Day, local residents

userfiles/files/Jess Forest Gardening.doc Jessica Clynwood, permaculture teacher

userfiles/files/Bev Walker.doc Beverley Walker, local resident

userfiles/files/jean-michel.doc Jean-Michel Vernay

userfiles/files/Jax.doc Jacqueline Savage, local resident

userfiles/files/Rob Lea.doc Robert Lea, local resident

userfiles/files/Misha.doc Misha Jepson

userfiles/files/Mike Layward.doc Mike Layward, local resident

userfiles/files/Mike Flecher.doc Mike & Terry fletcher

userfiles/files/Mark A.doc Mark Arbon, local resident

userfiles/files/N Botham.doc Nickolas Botham

userfiles/files/Graham Lambert.doc Dr Graham Lambert / Myriad Organics

userfiles/files/christin(1).doc Christine Lawrie, local resident

userfiles/files/LAND coordinator.doc LAND Network coordinator

userfiles/files/Bangor Forest Garden frank Bowman.pdf Bangor Forest Garden

userfiles/files/Diane Gaffney.doc Diane Gaffney, local resident

userfiles/files/Martin Prydun.doc Martin Prydon

userfiles/files/Emily Langdon.doc Emily Langdon

userfiles/files/Sue Fisher.doc Sue Fisher, local resident

userfiles/files/Kate Evans0001.pdf Kate Evans, local resident.

userfiles/files/zoe0001.pdf Zoe Salvesen

userfiles/files/Lucy Langdon0001.pdf Lucy Langdon

APPEAL REF: APP/L3245/A/10/2129856/NWF

Shropshire planning authority have refused our application for the following.
We have appealed to the Planning Inspectorate(National governing body) .

A single polytunnel – 145 square meters(This appeal replaces our previous application that was aborted on the morning of the hearing. Planning inspector Allan Wood decided that the council have been negligent in handling the application, demonstrating unreasonable behaviour and therefore awarded us our costs against the LPA)
Agricultural wooden storage shed & workshop– floor area 81 square meters

The proposed location for both agricultural structures is side by side, adjacent to the horticultural area

The Polytunnel is an essential part of this small-scale agricultural enterprise.

It is reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture

Lengthening the growing season.
Enabling cultivation of a wider variety of produce.
Making vegetable & plants production economically viable.
Supporting local food security
Germination and raising vegetable plants in modules.
Protected crops (tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, chilies, cucumbers, melons, courgettes, squashes, salad leaves)
Propagation of soft fruit bushes & perennial herbs: Aloe Vera, Jostaberry, black, white & red currant bushes are propagated from cuttings, propagation of perennial herbs by different methods.
Propagation of trees: from seeds, cuttings and by grafting & budding
Curing of vegetables before winter storage.

The WoodenToolshed (the heart of the project),will incorporate the present secure (metal) toolshed inside it so that it is completely unseen, this addresses the LPA’s concern about the appearance of the present metal toolshed.

The wooden shed will be constructed of recycled telegraph poles, clad with vernacular Larch waney edge & green steel roof. Climbing plants/vines will also be trained to grow up the walls for ultra perfect camouflage with the surrounding trees and shrubs.

This is similar,(only better screened) to the approved storage shed within the constructed barn at the bottom corner of the larger field on site. The AONB chairman’s written comments on the barn follow. “your wooden barn demonstrates good practice for a small agricultural building, being sympathetic to the landscape and using sustainable methods of construction”

All Rain water will be harvested from the tool shed’s roof and used directly in the adjacent horticultural area and in the proposed polytunnel, this will increase the sustainability of the site considerably.

The proposed development is intended as a storage facility for the numerous hand tools & materials required to work & maintain the horticultural area and this 18 acre holding, as well as serving as a workshop for grafting fruit trees, potting plants & site maintenance. This wooden shed would also house other tools that are now stored around the present tool shed, 5 years ago this tiny secure tool shed was suitable for the first phase of the project but we now need something a little larger, as the project has developed and we have more tools . It remains very small in comparison with what we see in the surrounding area. Karuna is officially a class A agricultural unit.

LPA’s REASONS FOR REFUSAL of both structures:“The siting is in a location visually prominent from the south and remote from the existing approved barn structure on this holding and would therefore be contrary to Policy statement 7 and the Shrewsbury and Atcham borough Local plan Policies LNC3 and LNC9.”

Our grounds of appeal : to read the full grounds of appeals click here userfiles/files/GROUNDS OF APPEAL TOOL SHED 2010.doc userfiles/files/Grounds of appeal Polytunnel application 2010.doc

In short, this appeal is very much about LOCATION

Any visitor to karuna can see for themselves the thriving & expanding horticulture area, tree nurseries, forest gardens & orchards in this field – this is the heart of the project (Zone 1 in permaculture terms) this is where daily work takes place, this is where we need our tools & polytunnel. All that we have achieved so far is by operating from the small existing secure shed, however the LPA will not allow this toolshed to remain(as they claim it is “inappropriate by design & materials”)and are taking legal action to remove it. The proposed wooden shed is a solution to this problem & to the growing storage needs in this location – we are simply unable to operate the project without a base in this field. Karuna’s aims are to reduce oil dependency, we would be forced to drive around the land the whole day through collecting and returning tools to a remote location. The councils suggestion does not fit in with government policies Carbon reduction commitment (CRC).

The fact that the council do not accept this alternative demonstrates that their reasons for refusal are not genuine in the first place. In previous appeal the LPA considered that, “while the principle of the erection of a Polytunnel is acceptable, the exposed nature of its location is unacceptable” therefore the only dispute here is the location. We are the owners of the land, we know it best, it’s advantages and disadvantages and know what location will be viable to work and which will be waste of time, we have designed our permaculture project taking all that into account.

[The LPA are refusing any application for agricultural structures in this field for fear that it will support our justification & need to living accommodation in the future]

Here are some important points for your information & guidance.

We contend that the polytunnel& shed would have minimal visual impact from the south – any visitors to the site will confirm this. You are welcome to visit and see for yourself.

The tool shed & polytunnel are required to be close to the horticultural area which is being cultivated .To locate them significantly further away from the horticulture area would undermine the entire Permaculture principle of the project itself. Because a key principle of permaculture is that of zoning and appropriate location of components within the design The design of the development aims to deliver the highest viable energy efficiency and maximum security.

The daily work at the polytunnel is not related to the purposes of the barn, which is some 500m distant from the horticultural area and is used for long-term storage of fruits, vegetables, hay, straw and agricultural implements.

Tree cover: the proposed location benefits from mature hedge cover as well as cover from thousands of trees planted on this Agro Forestry project.

We would be happy to implement more screening and landscaping to further reduce the visual impact, should this prove necessary in the view of the Inspector.

The necessity for a tool shed and polytunnel is even greater on this site given the nature of the permaculture project itself and the nature of Merav’s medical condition. As you are aware Merav has Huntington’s disease, this is a degenerative condition which affects her everyday life. The work which she does on the horticultural area is crucial to her wellbeing and it is essential that her tools are close by, she is physically weak and does not have the energy to walk to 1km to the shed repeatedly throughout the day and be expected to use up her reserve energy to carry out her tasks in the horticultural /forest garden area.

It is good to mention your line of work (if you feel it is relative)and your own personal experience. If you have visited Karuna, say what you feel about the location & alleged “visual impact” from the foot path….. It is all very simple common sense, anyone that ever put a spade in the soil understands why the tools & polytunnel need to be in the horticultural area, but we need to convey this to the planning inspector in the best possible way.

*Those of you who wrote letters of support for the aborted polytunnel appeal can re- use their comments with slight changes to include the toolshed as well because the location & issues are very similar and serve eachother.

*Last week we were at Magistrates court in relation to so called ‘Non compliance with an enforcement order’ to remove our toolshed.

As there is now a fixed date for our appeal we asked the judge to stop the court proceedings and let the planning inspectorate decide the matter of the toolshed.

Disappointingly the judge refused to do this so. More public money, court time and our most precious time is now going to be wasted at trial on 18^th august.

We have both pleaded not guilty to this offense as there has been an ‘abuse of process’, the council led us to believe and demonstrated that they would not issue a summons whilst we were working on a solution to the matter.

I addition to written letters of support we would really appreciate your supportive attendance at trial and will send out a circular very soon with more details.

*Please write to you Local MP about the painstaking, prolonged insane process we are being put through.

Our deepest sincere thanks to all of you, please visit soon.

With love and respect

The Karuna family. (Merav,Caio,Soma & Janta).

Letter to our Loacl MP :userfiles/files/Dear Mr Kawczynski.doc (no reply received)

In May 2010 we submitted 2 fresh planning applications: one for a polytunnel again and one for a timber storage shed that will house the current small tool shed (which is now subject to enforcment). Both application have been refused by LPA and now a new appeal has been lodged against the refusals (June).

In April 09 - application for a polytunnel: refused by LPA, we have appeald against the refusal and the hearing was set for 13 April 2010, however the appeal was aborted on the day as a results of the LPA negligence in validating the original planning application. To read a report about the aborted appeal click here: userfiles/files/What happend on the Appeal.doc

The Planning inspector on the hearing Allan Wood has decided the LPA demostrated unreasonable behavior and will need to pay Mrs Wheelhouse the appeal cost.to read the cost award decision click here :userfiles/files/Costs_Decision.pdf "I therefore find that unreasonable behaviour resulting in unnecessary expense, as described in Circular 03/2009 has been demonstrated and that a full award of costs is justified."

To read letters of support for the polytunnel appeal click here:userfiles/files/Jim Gaffney.doc, userfiles/files/Myriad Organics0001.pdf, userfiles/files/tim shaw support.doc, userfiles/files/Dr_L_Maxey_Karuna_polytunnel_appeal_letter.doc

We have written a formal letter of complaint to the Planning Inspectorate regarding the conduct of the inspector at the Public Inquiry. Please click here to read it :userfiles/files/complaint about inspector.rtf

The appeal will now be chalenged in High Court, the hearing date is October 21 2010.The grounds being that the inspector made an error of law by failing to apply Human rights in her decision.

Appeal Decision : please click on this link to read the appeal decision (Jan 2009)userfiles/files/Decision_.pdf

Letters of support for the public Inquiry, please click here to read:

Final Submission Brian Cox.pdf

Click on this link to read a good article published in the GUARDIAN by Paul Evans

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/19/low-carbon-living-karuna#history-byline

What we found Ironic was that the TOP FRONT PAGE HEADLINE of the above issue read

''We have less than eight years to start making an impact on co2 emissions'

Inside this issue there is a 4 page article by Ian McEwan titled ..."The worlds last chance".

In which he wrote...

"We are still dreaming still murmering in our sleep as we grope for the leavers that connect thoughts to actions"

"The human and economic consequences could be catastrophic.Americans have already seen what happens when a warmer atlantic ocean lends it's energy to the hurricane season".

John Schellnhuber,one of europe's leading climate change scientists and cheif scientific advisor to Angela Merkel,the german chancellor,"what is required is an industrial revolution for sustainability,starting now" To be effective,this is only possible at the level of international cooperation-far more difficult than any technological breakthrough.

I would say cooperation needs to come from top down and bottom up.

Recently a Scientist from Troon, Ayrshire contacted us after reading about Karuna in the Scottish renewables newsletter.He stated that we are doing exactly the right thing ,a few days later he forwarded us a letter of support for the Karuna appeal.

Frank MacCullach Environmental scientist a recent supporter of Karuna (21.11.08) Writes...

“I cannot see what scientific argument or approved local/national planning policy would or should prevent these people from living on and using the land as they are currently. This form of sustainable, low carbon, living is to be applauded as it will define the blueprint for many generations in the future, At worst the government could monitor the project as a test case to examine the benefits and disadvantages to the local community”.

Sadly this was unable to be submitted.Nevermind ,there have been many letters of support from various sensible people from both the near and wide community.

Tim Shaw reported in Guardian (19.11.08)

“The way forward is about supporting diversity, reducing carbon dependency, growing food, recycling waste, generating our own energy and reconnecting with the land to survive”.

This is exactly what we are doing at Karuna.

The spirit of Karuna reaches it’s visitors and the fact that we are working with nature is clear to all of them.

All friends of Karuna enjoy the positive action for its own sake and rest confident that it will bear more fruit.

“Nature never did betray the heart that loved her”.

W.Wordsworth.

We remain open, staying grounded.

The thankful prayers of future generations are with us. We and all the friends of Karuna have faith that the higher forces of wisdom and compassion will manifest through our actions of the healing of the planet.

We would like to send a big thank you to all those who have given their support to Karuna over the past months. The’re are hundreds of you.

Special thanks goes out to supporters who spoke and attended the inquiry.

Andy Goldring.. Director of Permaculture association Britain.

Prof Ian Trueman.. Botanist researcher.

Rev’d Simon Lockett.. Church of England minister.

David Finny.. Light foot, Energy Surveyor.

Allen & Jo Day.. Community support networkers.

Barbarra Staples..W.Midlands Permaculture networker and Theraputic horticulturist.

Claire Rhydwen ..Forest garden course Participant at Karuna.

Jaise Kuriakose ..Centre of Alternative Technology,CAT, Elctrical enginner.

Steve Boulding.. Local Environmentalist /Organic gardener who stepped up from the audience to speak.

Jim Lindsy.. Bussiness link advisor who intended to speak in support of our business plan but was refused the opportunity to do so, on grounds of being an expert witness, we didn’t agree with this.

Chris Bolton..Local school/Shropshire Jazz band leader /Music teacher.

Dov Jacobs..Local Tree and Footpaths warden.

Mike Hannis.. Support & Advice on planning and recording the inquiry.

John Tuer.. ITF tree planting organiser & arbouriculturist

Brian Cox.. Solicitor, Project representative.

Mike Layward..(Artistic Disability arts in Shropshire).Attended but never got the chance to speak, he tells it the way it is in his support letter anyway.

Also Special thanks goes out to..

Simon Dale ..for support and creation of Karuna website.

Andy Thomas..senco, local School teacher.

Glennie Kindred..Author and writer of earth awareness books.

Chris Evans..Permaculture/forest Garden teacher.

Tim Shaw..Coordinator Dinefwr Green Group.

Sheila Ward..Shrops/Dorset For inspirational letter of support.

Sogs..Shropshire Organic Gardeners.

We didn’t know any of you before we started the project(except for Tim and Sheila). You came to offer your help and support us in our work in a part of the country that can take many years to gain peoples trust and support, we thank you for your trust and blessings. We hope we can continue to celebrate together and share with you ..Karuna.