Our home is part of Wales’ One Planet Development planning policy — a forward-thinking scheme that allows people to build in woodland or open countryside if they can show they’re living in a genuinely low-impact way. That might include growing food, generating renewable energy, and managing resources directly from the land.

A One Planet lifestyle means living within the limits of just one Earth: reducing our carbon footprint while giving back to the ecosystems we depend on. Our home was handcrafted with local, natural materials, generates its own energy, heats water with a wood-boiler, and treats sewage naturally — all without compromising on comfort or style.

Buildings don’t have to harm nature. By raising our house on stilts, creating ponds and glades, and including wildlife-friendly features, we’ve protected and enhanced our woodland, welcoming everything from fungi and dormice to bats and birds.

For us, this way of living is more than a choice — it’s a hopeful example of how we might build and live differently, with respect for nature, a sense of place, and space for what really matters.