Week 47: The Price of Development

Friends of mine used to have a house at Atley Downs (between Arrowtown and Queenstown). They were surrounded by fields and their nearest neighbours were about a mile away. They sold the house and the land about seven years ago. The area has been subdivided to (literally) an inch of its life. Box-like houses crowd the dirt and abut the road. It's ugly.

But the burgeoning post boxes which adorn the entrance are quirky and reflect the personality of the residents, while their strict formation hints at the stifling conformity within. All shapes and sizes, they resemble the eclectic participants in some ghastly line dance in which they must stick to the rules shouted out to them and curtailing their individual flair - a lot like the body corporate which controls the development.