Uploaded on 2017-02-26 by Phil Jones

Which are your top liveability criteria? e. Environment a. Climate n. Safety k. Job Opportunities h. Housing Why do we live where we live? I live in an area called Queens Nympton. There is no village. It is a few farms, houses and my shack, adjacent to the roads between the small market town of South Molton and the villages of Alswear and George Nympton in rural South West England, the county of Devon. The reason I live here is down to the fact I bought the land. It was all I could afford and is in an area I have called home for all my adult life. In list form the top five reasons would be: Opportunity to acquire land/property that doesn't drain me financially. Environment and location. Ability to design, construct and experiment an off grid home blending old and new ideas and technologies. Freedom to live without acting against my values. Safety. To what extent does your own place of residence fulfill your ideal liveability criteria? Environment 80 Climate 68 Safety 98 Job Opportunities 20 Housing 90 General liveability 71 What would you change? The major problem with the area in which my home is located is the lack of decent employment. There was a time when the town of South Molton was a centre for antiques and drew people here to buy and sell. Much like the wool trade before it the trade collapsed. A major road bypassed the town, relieving it of the congestion, but also the influx of visitors. If I were to make one change it would be to concentrate on attracting visitors back to the area. We are a stepping stone from the Exmoor National Park. There is a whole street dedicated to alternative health practitioners,chiropractors and osteopaths. We have a thriving arts and crafts movement around the area with some world renowned artists resident and working nearby. Historically, the area has connections to the English civil war. The Romans mined silver and iron nearby. There are ancient structures dating back to the earliest settlement of the area. Some of the most spectacular coastline and scenery in Europe can be found along the network of coastal and inland paths. These would be my target attractions to bring visitors to the area. With the revived economy that would bring the locals would be able to afford to spend money on their property and themselves. That would increase the local trade, which is already a major contributor to the economy. I would aim to make the wonderful local foods, sights and sites, skills and arts as widely known as possible. There is the possibility to take over the airfield that is presently run by the military. Cuts mean they are to vacate this base soon and the advantage that having an air connection to Europe and beyond could bring in visitors to the area in more environmentally friendly way than the long drive along mediocre and meandering roads. I would make every effort to designate as many places protected natural sites to limit development and maintain the natural heritage of the area. Why do we move? This part of the exercise is the most difficult for me. I have lived all over this country at one time and another. Primarily in rural locations. Briefly in cities such as London, Bath and Exeter. I have never found anywhere yet that is as pleasant nor attractive as where I am now. I can't abide cities. They stink. The noise never stops. Everything is at a pace that leaves me feeling bewildered. There are few places I would ever consider moving to. As for leaving this country, I have travelled to Ecuador, Spain & Portugal. None of these places have anything to lure me back. Sure the climate is better, but I am not part of the culture and I understand little of the things that are essential to feel at home. I can be at home anywhere, but I would always yearn to back here. Ultimately, were I to move anywhere it would be to a similar location nearby but with a larger percentage of land, some woodland and a source of natural water. As these are abstract concepts when specifying a location, I am unable to answer this part of the question unless I were already aware of such a place or places. My five qualities therefore would be, in no specific order: Location, rural and coastal. Woodland. Water. Aspect, south facing and on a moderate slope. Proximity to other similar minded persons. The likelihood of finding such a place is slim to none. The cost would be so much as to require me to live another fifty years to pay for it. I would be heartbroken to leave behind the trees I have nurtured here, the building I sweated and bled into as I built it and continue to build and develop. The photo is a view toward the West from near where I live.