The Downs...

Ok one of the downs is that I am down on my bended knees in apology for the long gap between posts. I've been back in Australia for a few weeks now after 9 weeks in Namibia and then 10 days in Botswana  - but my feet have only just started to touch the ground.

Another of the downs is the news that Newcastle City Council have approved the DA for the house next door at number 18 Bond Street! While there have been minor modifications to the original plans, there are none that in the slightest way improve the bulk, scale or setbacks of the building, so we lose just about all our natural light, our views and our privacy. Not to mention the fact that after all our hard work, and our diligence in recreating as close to original as possible, Coutts Sailors Home  will become the jam in the sandwich and mostly lost from view. If you walk round and stand in front of the building, then you can see the front facade, no more Grand Vistas!

(Perhaps the fact that we will no longer have views of the iconic Customs House clocktower from 14 different windows gives Alastair an excuse to invest in more long case clocks??)

It's not all over, after following up using GIPA (Freedom of Information) we have discovered some interesting things relating to the process at both the Heritage Council and the Newcastle City Council, so we have taken legal advice and are challenging now!

There's been a lot of downs in the bank balance (we always knew it would cost lots), and been a few downs with regard to what's been done  (and what's been not done) at the house while I have been away and not able to monitor so closely, but there has been some great progress and that leads us on to the next post ..The ups...