Today we went to see the mill. It’s a very impressive structure, 14 m high, with a small earthen hill around the base giving the impression that there lives a very fine hobbit indeed. Our friend David from Cologne came along to give a second opinion. He likes it as well.

There’s a barn on the property, a very ugly one. The ugliest part (grey cinder blocks visible on the photographs in my previous post) dates from the 1940s, while the red brick part was built in the 1950s. I would to see these torn down, as I don’t think they would ever contribute to the aesthetics of the mill. In fact, they partly obscure the view of the mill, which should be the first (impressive) thing you see as you enter the property.

Unfortunately, while there is an allowance for converting the barn into a house, no such allowance exists for the windmill. This is Belgium, paperwork takes for ever, and nothing is ever a given. According to the seller, Jan, the Flemish Parliament are close to a positive decision on allowing the rezoning of the mill from agricultural use to rural use. Once this is done, there will be nothing stopping us from applying for permission to convert the mill into a house.

Paperwork, paperwork and ever more paperwork.

Categories: General
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