Lammas Ecovillage

The project was the first ecovillage in the UK to attain prospective planning permission, and this was achieved in 2009 after a three-year planning campaign culminating in a public hearing.{{cite news |title=Hundreds hear Lammas concerns and aspirations |url=http://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/4522203.Hundreds_hear_Lammas_concerns_and_aspirations/ |newspaper=Western Telegraph |date=31 July 2009 |accessdate=2013-02-19}} The project had applied under an innovative local planning policy designed to support low-impact development. The policy required residents to live a sustainable lifestyle and substantially support themselves from land-based livelihood.{{cite news |title=Revised plans for 'eco-village' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/7287943.stm |newspaper=BBC Online |date=11 March 2008 |accessdate=2013-02-19}}

The ecovillage is centered on a Community Hub, from which courses, conferences and open days are run.{{cite news |title=Self-reliant residents live the good life in eco-village |author=Sian Morgan |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/07/09/self-reliant-residents-live-the-good-life-in-eco-village-of-lammas-91466-29021449/ |newspaper=WalesOnline |date=9 July 2011 |accessdate=2013-02-19}} It was constructed using local timber, straw bale insulation and locally sourced aggregate as well as incorporating various green technologies (such as a masonry stove, passive solar heating and a wood-fired kitchen). Funding for the Community Hub came from the Department of Energy and Climate Change.{{cite web|url=http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/saving_energy/community/lc_communities/winners/winners.aspx |publisher=DECC |title=Low Carbon Communities Challenge Winners |archiveurl=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121217150421/http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/saving_energy/community/lc_communities/winners/winners.aspx |archivedate=17 December 2012 |accessdate=10 February 2013}}

The project has been designed as a replicable template - with each household purchasing a 1000-year agricultural lease from the organisation which provides them with autonomy and security.{{cite news|newspaper=The Independent |date=10 July 2010 |first=Charlotte |last=Philby |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/easy-living-the-truth-about-modern-communes-2020668.html |title=Easy Living, The truth about modern communes |location=London, UK}} Each household has access to approximately {{convert|7|acre|ha}} of land from which they derive food, fuel and income. One resident utilises permaculture techniques for managing the land, and electricity is generated by solar panels and a micro hydro turbine.{{cite news|publisher=Western Mail|date=23 January 2013|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/go-green/go-green-green-living/2013/01/23/a-new-way-of-life-takes-shape-in-west-wales-91466-32654992/|title=A new way of life takes shape in West Wales|accessdate=19 February 2013}}

The nine smallholdings demonstrate a range of natural building techniques though there have been challenges over compliance with building regulations which led to some of the residents being taken to court by Pembrokeshire County Council.{{cite news|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=23 June 2011 |first=Sarah |last=Lonsdale |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/greenproperty/8582624/Lammas-Britains-first-eco-village.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625180418/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/greenproperty/8582624/Lammas-Britains-first-eco-village.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 June 2011 |title=Lammas: Britain's first ecovillage |location=London, UK}} These issues have since been resolved.{{cite AV media | people =Helen Iles (Director) | year =2013 | title =Living in the Future - Lammas | medium =Motion picture | url =http://livinginthefuture.org/lammas.php

| accessdate =16 November 2013}}{{cite news|publisher=BBC|date=22 January 2013|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-21132515|title=Pembrokeshire eco village: Lammas film hits cinemas|accessdate=23 January 2013}}

The site is listed by RCAHMW and featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs, Series 17, Episode 6 in 2016.{{Coflein|desc=Tir y Gafael Eco Village|num=422827|accessdate=15 February 2019}}

Since Lammas, the Welsh Government introduced a national low-impact policy, "One Planet Development", which creates a framework for land-based smallholdings and ecovillage projects to be established in Wales.Welsh Government, Technical Advice Note 6, Planning for sustainable rural communities, July 2010, 4.15 - 4.23

One house, built at a cost of £27,000 over several years, was destroyed by fire in January 2018, with a total re-build estimate of £500,000. The house was not insured as construction had not been completed.{{cite news|work=BBC News|date=6 January 2018|title=Lammas eco house fire: Family 'still in complete shock'|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-42589509|accessdate=11 January 2018}}

• Diggers and Dreamers
• Low-impact development (UK)

{{reflist}}

• Chris Bird, Local Sustainable Homes, Transition Books, 2010, p71 - 74 {{ISBN|978-1900322768}}

• [http://www.lammas.org.uk/ Official website]

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Category:Sustainable buildings in the United Kingdom

Category:Sustainability in Wales

Category:Villages in Pembrokeshire

Category:Ecovillages