JennyMorgan

I could write a long and true article on that very same scenario and once again it would be no great credit to the BA! I won't bore you though!

All very true, East Coast, but as far as pushing boundaries there are no greater experts than the BA itself, witness the faux national park furour! Anyway, that's not a planning issue but boundary pushing has long been the name of the game at Thorpe House. Regarding being in a no win situation, I stand by that, the BA will be criticised if it does and it will be criticised if it doesn't. Should this one go to appeal then I can see the Authority losing, hardly going to help their credibility!

What can be done about it? Well, back off would seem to me as the wisest move. If I believe what I have been told then Building Control has signed off the cladding as being suitable for the job. Apparently the BA don't enforce building regulations, that's farmed out to convenient local authorities. I can't help feeling that the BA has been lapse on this one as it doesn't appear to be the case that this cladding went up yesterday so to speak. As MM has written, the Authority has managed, once again. to put itself into a no win situation. I agree with folk who have written here there and everywhere that the developer should have abided by the detail of his planning application. On the other hand, I think, he has made a reasonable substitution of material that, having gained agreement over the windows should not be a problem. As with the Barnes Brinkcraft abuse, it wouldn't have happened had the Authority kept a close eye on what was going on in it's own backyard. Best close the door before the horse bolts from the stable so to speak. However, it appears that Building Control and the Planning Department are not working hand in hand and this doesn't appear to be a one off.

Bill Dickson, a member of the committee, however, is quoted as saying that allowing the cladding to remain would compromise “the integrity of the planning system”. Well, Mr Dickson, what integrity the planning system ever had in regard to the Authority walked out of the door over the farce of Jenner's Basin & Thorpe island, not to forget those wandering yurts at Burgh St Peter. In regard to this present hoo-har The Authority has allowed a change of materials in regard to the windows so why not to the cladding? Consistency & logic please, Mr Dickson.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/xx-1-5774439

Zero privacy and sometimes rather less than some owners realize. We once sailed though Potter during the early hours and not everyone had drawn their curtains! One chubby pair, in matching yellow baby doll nighties, were gleefully disciplining each other, much to our amusement!

Perhaps mooring bow on is the solution?

I know that the day will come when either my Lynn or myself will have to make a decision as to what to do with our aging boat. We do have children & grandchildren & it would great to think that they would wish to take her on but she's now forty years old and not easily divisible between four families. She's also something of an idiosyncratic boat at the best of times and more so following my various 'improvements'. I rather think that you, Chris, made the right decision.

I admit it, I went there with the avowed intention of confronting Dr Packman should he almost inevitably have used, and probably repeatedly, the BNP title. Not just that, the Acle Debacle too would have aroused me and, I suspect several other MOGs. Indeed, in conversation with others, after the workshop, it soon became abundantly clear that I was not the only one intent on mischief. One quite elderly, Miss Marple look alike, told me that had JP mentioned the BNP then she would have gone for his jugular! It was not a marketing event, it was a workshop. Of the sixty or seventy participants I wonder just how many were actually there in order to confront JP? My guess is that those in authority were acutely aware of that probability hence both his absence and the very obvious lack of BNP propaganda or the mention of the BNP from the front of the hall. It could have so easily dissolved into a shambles, great credit to those involved in the organisation of the event that it didn't. Very clearly the disquiet of the hoards is finally being recognized by the upper management, we must be getting through to him! I did feel for one well meaning Authority member though. Quite innocently mentioning the BNP, the naughty, naughty person! Bearing in mind that he was sat at a table with seven others, almost as one six of those individuals expressed horror! That particular Authority member was later taken to one side and had the BNP issues, and several others, explained in some detail. Nothing was planned nor orchestrated, it just happened that way. Just to put your minds at rest several people, not just me, had our says on that matter, and other JP related issues. All praise to all those who were involved, and that includes the attendees. It will be interesting to see how many of them return to subsequent meetings.

As one who was there it was an excellently well lead workshop, only one obviously inadvertent mention of the dreaded BNP which was quickly amended to 'a member of the NP family'! Clearly a clear understanding of the likely objections should that term have been used. In that respect Dr Packman was not there, a very wise move in my opinion because, having looked around the hall, he would have been well short of support. High praise for Adrian, an excellent workshop, however, we shall have to wait and see what comes of it. Yes, we did ask for more moorings at mooring hot spots! All in all, potentially a valuable meeting, hopefully the first of many, let's hope that it is productive. Certainly a feather in Adrian's hat and potentially one in the Authority's, subject to outcome.

I own a public footpath, I would dearly love to ban dog walkers who's dog foul and spoil it for others but I can't. I suspect that owning a public staithe is pretty much the same, you can't pick and choose who uses it.

I'm sorry to read that, Jim. My wife's going through it at the moment, not good watching a loved one suffer so I do appreciate the corner that you were in. When I was in work , indeed the day before I actually retired, I asked a regular customer/friend how he and his wife managed in retirement. Their solution was simple, buy what you need, not what you want. We adopted his advice, it works. Retirement is certainly not to be feared. We now have time for each other, closer than ever, and she encourages me go fishing whenever I want!. Here's to 2019

Jim, if you were to move up to the Broads, Oulton Broad in particular, then for your 60/70k you could buy quite a tasty live-aboard, mooring at the Yacht Station is about thirty quid a week, then you could throw yourself onto the State and adopt one of our local and generally excellent pubs. On the other hand your left over dosh is enough for a useful deposit . . . . . . . . . Where there is a will there is a way! https://www.howards.co.uk/lowestoft

Back to a 'real' wherry, one that's flying a Leo Robinson's burgee, seen here near Beccles. Not exactly a quality reproduction but at least it sails!

Go on, try something different! Some real beauties here! https://www.topsail.co.uk/

I'm told that we are in for a really rough, tough ol' winter this year. Must be right, holly berries were early this year. Best get it all in for Christmas AND Easter!

Nicely put, young man! The early 70's, when double and even treble moorings were mandatory, and often great fun!

I am fortunate in living here, not having to travel far and having my own mooring, but if I didn't then the ever increasing costs of moorings would be my probable tipping point.

Nigel & Tracy at WRC, I was sad to see them go. Nigel could be rude and I know that he upset a few but for all that I miss him and his sometimes obscure humour. All that said I rather like the Waveney Inn as it's become. My wife and I had some good meals there during the summer. All things considered I now welcome the changes. The Locks, we shall have to wait and see. I have now heard two different stories, not sure what to believe. I too miss Green Jack and I don't doubt that there will be other changes as well. I doubt that it will be as it was though, Colin will be missed. Oulton Broad is the one that worries me. The loss of the Spar Shop is already being felt and with a rent of a thousand a week I don't see other businesses flocking to take it on. I have a premonition of further loses during the coming winter. Mind you, on the bright side the village has some excellent boozers. We also have the Carlton Marshes nature reserve and that looks very, very promising and that could prove to be a god send for the B&B trade. It's not all doom and gloom!

'Goodness me there is a railway line not so far away 2 hrs on the train and you are back in precious London'. That's provided that you can trust the trains. My son in law has his perfect 'boy's' dream job working in London so I don't blame him for working there but if I had the aggravation of the train journeys that he has then I would wonder if it was all worth it!

No wish to wee-wee on anyone's parade here but a few words of realism on this one. Over the years I have met a number of incomers and whilst its worked well for many, Hylander for example, it has been a cause of regret for others. The two commonest comments have been in being cut off from family & friends. Secondly the grim realization that winters are very different to the idyllic Broads summers. As one man commented, if he'd visited the area during the winter then he'd never have made the move. He now feels trapped, now unable to afford to return to what he still considers as home. I once did it the other way, moved from here to London for my ideal job, I absolutely hated it! I was just so glad to come home! Right, that's got over being a miserable old sod, get it right and as many others will tell you, you'll have absolutely no reason to regret your move. Success is all down to you though!

Periodically Lidl sell aerosols of clear lacquer which seems to do the job well.

Just hope that this doesn't mean the end of this welcome project.

Pleased rather than surprised.