THE Tirpentwys Cut is a “beautiful area” of which many people are proud, but is also seen as a “cash cow” by a few, a planning inspector was told today.

At the beginning of what is set to be a combative public inquiry to decide the future of the area - a former opencast mine near Hafodyrynys - opposing parties made their cases as to what that future should be.

Landowners Peakman Limited are appealing a decision in 2016 by Torfaen council to refuse planning permission for it to reclaim old opencast workings, recover secondary aggregate - gritstone that can be used for building roads - and build a new access road for the purpose, blocking rights of way.

The council turned down the plan on the basis that it would cause the “irreplaceable loss” of ancient woodland.

Protesters, under the banner of an anti-quarry coalition, are also opposing the Peakman plan, fearing a worsening of air pollution and traffic problems, and the loss of what has, over the decades since the opencast operation ended, become a popular place to walk, and a haven for wildlife.

Phil Williams, representing the protesters, said the Peakman plan would “ostensibly destroy the canyon utilised by thousands of people”.

He said there was no public support for the company’s appeal and warned that if it is allowed, the harm to the environment, the local community, and the public at large would be “catastrophic”.

In his opening statement to the inquiry, being heard at Blaenavon Workmen’s Hall by Welsh Government-appointed planning inspector Clive Nield, Mr Williams declared that the argument in favour of the need for the aggregate from the site is “flawed” and the justification for the plan “suspect”.

“This beautiful area is the pride of so many,” he said, “(but) is seen as a potential cash cow by so few.”

He added that those he represented found the circumstances of the inquiry to be “alien and worrying”, and criticised what he described as the late submission of evidence by Peakman as “prejudicial” and “the cause of unfairness”.

Representing Peakman, Morag Ellis QC told the hearing that the plan for 20 years of operations at the site would enable the extraction of “a significant proportion of gritstone capable of producing high specification aggregates for use in... road construction”.

She added that “the material is acknowledged to be an important national resource” and that recently published planning policy for Wales recognises that “society needs and will continue to need for the foreseeable future, a wide range of minerals” for housing and infrastructure, requiring a steady and adequate supply.

There is, she said “a demonstrable need” for the material at Tirpentwys and the council had allocated the site in its current Local Development Plan as a ‘preferred area’ for minerals extraction.

She acknowledged that the loss of ancient woodland - 1.51 hectares, or 3.7 acres - and common land was unavoidable, and an “irreplaceable, natural resource”.

But she argued that the public benefits of the plan outweighed that loss, which was being kept to an absolute minimum, and that there was a plan to replant woodland and provide replacement common land in the area.

She acknowledged too, that while the public has become used to the “current unrestored form of ‘the Canyons’ and enjoy it for recreational purposes”, they do so “as trespassers and in circumstances which are potentially highly dangerous” with informal paths having no legal status.

For Torfaen council, Michael Bedford QC said the ancient woodland was “irreplaceable” and a natural asset of “significant biodiversity value”.

In his opening statement he argued too, that there is a significant ‘ bank’ of aggregate for purposes such as road building, of 45-56 years, “more than sufficient to meet current and future needs”.

He said “the provision of additional supplies cannot be regarded as a public benefit” or as outweighing the importance of an irreplaceable natural resource.

The inquiry continues tomorrow, and is expected to last up to three weeks.

Before the start of the inquiry, representatives from Torfaen and the wider Gwent region spoke about their commitment to continuing to fight against plans to reopen the quarry.

Torfaen MP Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “I am grateful to all those who have already contacted me setting out their strong view that this local beauty spot should be preserved.

“It is a wonderful, unique place that should be protected for future generations – I have spoken out on this and will continue to do so, working with Lynne Neagle AM and many others.

“I would encourage all those with objections who have not yet contacted me to get in touch – let’s continue to demonstrate the strength of feeling locally on this.”

Blaenau Gwent Labour AM Alun Davies also pledged his support for the quarry.

He said: “This is something that I have argued against for some years. Our valleys have suffered enough from mining and quarrying and it’s time for a fresh start.

“The Canyons are a beautiful part of our local environment and need to be protected from future exploitation.

“As a minister in the Welsh Govt I worked hard to develop the idea and concept of a Valleys Regional Park. This is now becoming a reality. We simply cannot say that we want a new clean green future for the valleys and then allow this sort of destructive application to succeed.

“I will be campaigning and arguing the case against this proposal.”