News

Amazing eco-home costs family just £27,000

Published

8 years ago

October 28, 2016

The exterior: The eco home took four years to build (Pic. Grand Designs)

BEGINNING with just £500, Simon and Jasmine Dale built a three-bedroom family home made with recycled goods and reclaimed material that’s being called ‘the cheapest house ever built in the Western Hemisphere’.

Living in the sustainable community of Lammas, in rural Pembrokeshire, Simon and Jasmine’s eco-home has been featured on the TV programme ‘Grand Designs’.

The home, made with reclaimed materials including glass, timber and insulating sheep’s wool, encompasses the family’s dream of living off the land with their children, Elfie and Cosmo.

Lammas is a pioneering sustainable village and in return for the right to build on the open farmland, Jasmine and Simon will have to prove that they had become self-sufficient on the seven acre plot within five years. If not, they will be forced to move on.

Featured on Wednesday’s (Oct 26) episode of Grand Designs, presenter Kevin McCloud told viewers: “This won’t be a cramped hobbit house, but a spacious, solid, three bed, low impact family home.”

Simon excavated 12 feet into the hillside in order to build a retaining wall along the back of the property, made from sandbags filled with excavated earth.

The floors of the eco-home are made from rammed earth, polished and hardened with linseed oil. The structure of the building comprises of round timber poles grown locally. The trees were then felled, prepared and cut by Simon.

The same poles were used to construct the roof, which was then covered in a damp proof membrane and insulated with sheep’s wool. A layer of grass was then planted on top for further insulation.

Due to delays caused by Welsh winter weather, the construction of the ‘Hobbit home’ took four years to complete.

In 2012, Simon had to postpone work on the eco home due to the wet weather; however, in the spring of 2013, he begun again, constructing the retaining walls made from hundreds of yellow sacks bought from eBay for 7p each. The sacks were filled with clay, sand and fine stone.

Simon and Jasmine planned to move their family into the property by autumn 2013 but, due to requirements of living at Lammas, they first had to set up a small business.

The family made the decision to postpone the main building work whilst they constructed greenhouses. During this time, Jasmine ran horticultural courses and Simon took on consultancy work in order to increase their original £500 fund.

Four years after beginning the project, Jasmine and Simon estimate that their eco home cost £27,000 to build, including the costs of £5,500 on sheep’s wool insulation and £5,000 work of vegetables used to feed volunteers.

Following the completion of their project, Simon commented: “I don’t think I could quantify it, but I can feel it in my heart when I walk around at the end of the day and see the bats flying round and hear the birds sing.

“It’s been hard and I wasn’t asking for an easy life. I like challenge. To put in a hard day’s graft and be tired at the end of the day. That exhaustion is a nice feeling.”

Crime

Unanimous verdict in Ceredigion sexual assault case

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A CEREDIGION man has been convicted to three years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in her own bed after the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

27-year-old Suroj Bk, from Llangrannog, was sentenced this week following a week-long trial at Swansea Crown Court (May 1).

On 7 October 2023, Dyfed-Powys Police received a report that Bk entered the victim’s home and sexually assaulted her while she lay in her bed.

When the victim realised what was happening, she kicked Bk out of her bed and called the police.

Upon receiving the report, officers quickly attended the victim’s home and conducted a thorough search of the surrounding area using police dogs and scenes of crime officers.

Evidence gathered from scene, together with extensive local enquiries, led officers to arrest Suroj Bk the next day (8 October).

While Bk was in custody, detectives, crime scene investigators, and digital forensic officers worked tirelessly to uncover the evidence that ultimately placed Suroj Bk at the scene.

After hearing the evidence, the jury took less than two hours to agree a unanimous guilty verdict.

The detective in charge of the case has praised the victim for her ‘tremendous courage’ in reporting the assault to police.

“Incidents of this nature are thankfully very rare within Ceredigion, and I’d like to reassure the community that this was an isolated incident, and that the identification and arrest of suspect was done quickly and efficiently,” said Detective Inspector Sam Gregory.

“The victim in this case demonstrated tremendous courage in reporting to police, and while this investigation was not straightforward in its nature, it was through the expertise and tenacity of forensic officers, working together with the investigation team, and the victim, that led to this successful prosecution.

“I hope the sentence given to Suroj Bk sends a clear and strong message that Dyfed-Powys Police takes reports of sexual offences seriously.

“We will listen to you, and we will work tirelessly to get justice.”

On Wednesday, 1 May 2024, Saroj Bk was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and a five-year restraining order, and he will be on the sex offenders register for life.

If you have been a victim of a crime such as this, report it to Dyfed-Powys Police either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

In an emergency, always call 999.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.

News

Body recovered confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, say police

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS police have said today that the body found on Wednesday, May 1, has been confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, who was reported missing from the Pembroke Dock area on April 14.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We will continue to support the family and will assist with issuing a tribute publicly if the family wish to do so.”

In a statement, his family said: “Luke was a joyful and funny young man and always wanted to help others. He was a loving son, brother, grandson and uncle, and will be forever missed.
“We have lost a huge part of our family, and our loss is shared by his many friends who also loved him dearly.
“We would like to thank the local community for the overwhelming support we have received.”

Business

Port of Milford Haven now official ‘a great place to work’

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PORT of Milford Haven has been officially accredited as a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organisation. As the first Port Authority in Britain to secure this Certification™, it is a significant achievement.

“We are very proud to be Great Place to Work-Certified™,” said Vidette Swales, HR Director at the Port of Milford Haven. “It means so much that our employees have reported a consistently positive experience with their colleagues, their leaders and their jobs. Offering a positive employee experience is not only beneficial for the people who work with us but is also key for our continued business success.”

Tom Sawyer, CEO at the Port of Milford Haven added: “Our team is operating the UK’s leading energy port, and it is of the utmost importance that we do that safely, responsibly and effectively. We’re striving for excellence and aim to provide a world class service to our customers as well as supporting sustainable coastal communities for the prosperity of future generations. Our employees are clearly at the centre of this which is why I’m delighted that they feel supported in their role. I’m especially proud that this Certification™ demonstrates our core values of Safety, Excellence, Collaboration and Sustainability so perfectly.”

“We congratulate the Port of Milford Haven on achieving their Certification™,” said Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK. “Organisations which put the employee experience at the heart of their business gain their employees’ trust and, in turn, are truly able to build a great workplace culture that delivers outstanding business results.”