Better access in Wales?
Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, Hannah Blythyn, has made an announcement about improving public access in Wales. This follows the government’s consultation in 2017 to which there were more than 16,000 responses. The minister extols the benefits of an accessible countryside and the importance of supporting rural areas to maximise revenue from tourism.…
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Walking Well In Carmarthenshire
We have recently learnt of a group in Carmarthenshire called Walking Well. It is a Welsh Government initiative designed to help those who want to get fitter, or just to stay fit. Carmarthenshire is extremely rural with a low population, and there are a large number of paths for the poorly-resource county council to deal with. …
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PINS Determines Proposals For Deregistration From Bridgend County Borough Council
PINS has determined the two proposals made by Bridgend county borough council for deregistration of school sites, at Pencoed School and at Brynmenyn Primary School, both under s.19. We succeeded in objecting to one, and the other was granted without any real objection from us. We objected to both, on the grounds that the council…
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Massive Motorsport Development On Common Land In South Wales
We have objected to plans by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council to revive the ill-fated Circuit of Wales motorsport development. The council has applied for renewal of planning permission for the massive racing circuit, hotels, showrooms and other industrial development on common land at Rassau, Ebbw Vale. Circuit of Wales – artist’s impression We fought…
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Appalling Decision To Allow Wind Turbines On Powys Beauty-Spot
A Welsh Government minister has approved an application for seven wind-turbines at Llandegley Rocks, near Llandrindod Wells in Powys. The decision overturns the recommendation of an inspector at a public inquiry held in March. The Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, has rejected the report of the inspector, planner Hywel Wyn…
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We fight common-land swap at the Canyons
We have objected to an application from Peakman Ltd to remove part of Mynydd Llanhilleth Common from the common-land register. This popular common is near Abertillery in south Wales. As part of its plan to extract aggregates from the nearby quarry, Peakman wants to widen the existing Blaen y Cwm road and create parking bays.…
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Council challenged over 50-year failure to comply with legislation
A question was asked at the full meeting of Powys County Council last month by Peter Newman, our local correspondent for Powys, about the failure of the council to comply with the 1968 Countryside Act. This laid a duty on highway authorities to signpost all public paths where they leave a metalled road. Peter went…
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Welsh access on hold
Last year we responded to a consultation from the Welsh Government, Taking forward Wales’s sustainable management of natural resources. Chapter 4 was about access to the outdoors. We welcomed its proposal for extended access to coast and cliff, riverbanks and lakesides, an all-Wales digital map of access, and the repeal of the 2026 closure of…
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Common-land swap at Gorseinon, Swansea
We are disappointed that Welsh Ministers have approved plans by Persimmon Homes to swap an area of Mynydd Garngoch Common at Gorseinon, north-west of Swansea. Persimmon has been permitted to strike 0.71 hectares of common land from the register and use it for development, replacing it with 0.81 hectares of land which the Open Spaces…
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Eyesore rejected on much-loved Bridgend common
Welsh Ministers have rejected an application for timber posts on Pen Y Fai Common at Bridgend. The application for works on common land was made by Save Our Greenery, to prevent vehicles from parking on the common. The decision letter came from planning inspector Joanne Burston, on behalf of the Welsh ministers who determine applications…
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