What counts as success? Wider implications of achieving planning permission in a low-impact ecovillage

Shirani, Fiona, Groves, Christopher ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5873-1119, Henwood, Karen ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4631-5468, Pidgeon, Nicholas ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8991-0398 and Roberts, Erin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4818-2926 2020. What counts as success? Wider implications of achieving planning permission in a low-impact ecovillage. Environmental Values 29 (3) , pp. 339-359. 10.3197/096327119X15579936382536

PDF - Accepted Post-Print Version Download (329kB)

Abstract

The need for energy system change in order to address the energy ‘trilemma’ of security, affordability and sustainability is well documented and requires the active involvement of individuals, families and communities who currently engage with these systems and technologies. Alongside technical developments designed to address these challenges, alternative ways of living are increasingly being envisaged by those involved in low-impact development. This article draws on data from a qualitative longitudinal study involving residents of a low-impact ecovillage in West Wales, UK, in order to consider how the successful meeting of their planning targets has not been without personal and social troubles, which are absent from official measures of the project’s success. We argue that, in exploring issues pertaining to scaling up, policy timescales and the legacy of such projects (such as inspiring others), insights drawn from this study have a wider relevance beyond the specific case site.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Psychology Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	White Horse Press
ISSN:	0963-2719
Funders:	FLEXIS is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the Welsh Government.
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	5 June 2019
Date of Acceptance:	31 January 2019
Last Modified:	12 Nov 2024 15:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/123197

Citation Data

Cited 3 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item