Eco-Village Notes:

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The underlying problem with modern estate housing in Ireland, is that it is primarily developer led.

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Profit motive is the objective, so standard housing types are constructed, regardless of the individual needs and special requirements of each and every family. Particularly in this age when computerized manufacturing allows us to customize house components at negligible additional cost!

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Common sense tells us that the economic resources and needs of every family are different!

So why are we being directed to live in these mega-expensive, standardized boxes with little variation. Where profit on the serviced land alone can make up to half the sale price?

Check: Serviced land cost + house building cost + fees & charges + profit = sale price.

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I suggest that politics and the political system is at the source of the problem!

Land price greed has been a lucrative "under-the-table" source of funding for politicians and political parties, since the foundation of The State.

This is unlikely to change until a frustrated public demand action!

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People become very frustrated when they, their children & grandchildren cannot afford to house themselves.

Yet even in the ghetto's of South America and the displacement camps of Africa and the Middle East, people are being housed. So why has it become such a problem in Ireland?

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The archaic Planning System, demands building standards which are admirable in theory, but which very few can afford.

Irish Building Standards can be constantly upgraded, until only millionaires can afford houses.

Surely, the sensible objective is to allow most families to own a decent house, at a price-point they can afford.

It is obvious that the Planning System requires fundamental reform!

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An Annacotty Cooperative Society was formed in the 1890's. So Annacotty already has a long history of community cooperation. A Cooperative Trust could form the basis for managing an Eco-village Community. Individual Sites could be leased and a zero-carbon footprint could be set for each individual house design. With profit motive absent costs will be significantly lower. Individually designed, innovative house forms should be permitted, once these are supervised and signed off by any qualified architect or engineer.

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