No go zones for 'McMansions'

[bluelabel]

I ummed and erred on this for a while as to what category I should put it in. Considering it is an S.A story I was going to break in the S.A real estate forum, but reading the article, I thought it more appropriate to place it in general because I feel this approach should be taken Australia wide.

Story: Zones to Stop McMansions: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24754313-2682,00.html

Unley City Council in S.A wants to stop developers from ruining street scapes by constructing McMansions. The aim is to keep the suburbs intact by protecting streetscapes from inappropriate development. I say a big here, here to the Mayor of Unley City Council. :thumbs:

However, I have a different reason for stopping these McMansions being built and that is that I feel these over compensating 'penis envy' style houses are a contributing factor of the current debt bubble that has just burst.

People have built these houses as show piece just because they want to out do the Joneses with no foresight as to implications if interest rates go up when the houses were built to the edge of the household budget with no room to move. Add a Toorak Tractor or two and a plasma T.V in every room and you are in a spot of bother.

So while I am at it, I say get rid of these 'soft' 4wd vehicles that you can't even drive up a dirt driveway. My parents used to squeeze 3 kids a dog and enough luggage to deck out a football team into a Mazda 323 and we turned out alright. :2twocents:


:bier:

blue

[Wildkactus]

Another reason to get rid of these mac mansions is the energy they use.
it is just a waste of good energy to heat or cool and run these things for just 2 or maybe 4 people and most are not designed to save any energy, except for the min that is required by the code.

The worst of these are the mac mansion holiday homes you see around. you know the ones that are built and never used, or just used a few days a year. the QLD coast is full of them, and so are other parts of the OZ coast.

anyway at least someone is doing somthing about it.

[TheASXGorilla]

Another reason to get rid of these mac mansions is the energy they use.
it is just a waste of good energy to heat or cool and run these things for just 2 or maybe 4 people and most are not designed to save any energy, except for the min that is required by the code.

I see this as a nationwide problem for Australian housing. Realisitically, if the McMansions were built to a very high standard, and in a way that took into account the Australian environment, AND (big AND) they were architecturally considered with their designs...and some are...then energy costs should be reduced drastically.

Have you ever gone into one of those old houses with thick as anything walls during the middle of summer and noticed how it's still cool inside??? Why the heck don't we build houses like that any more? Build them nice, build them well, and let them stand 100 years I say.