Planning permission

A week ago I posted this blip of an ugly new house in the village that mysteriously burned down while it was still under construction.

This is the public notice that was put up near the site. Belgian law requires that a demande de permis d'urbanisme or request for planning permission must be posted in a prominent spot by the road of the building site a certain number of months before building work can begin. This requirement extends to all new builds or renovation work, big or small, including, somewhat mystifyingly, the planting of Christmas trees for sale. The notice must stay visible all throughout the construction period. This particular notice was lying on the ground behind some bushes. I found it by accident. It had been defaced, kicked and trampled. If you view this large, the new house that caught fire is the large one at the bottom right of the drawing.

Curiouser and curiouser.