A DECISION on whether to allow controversial plans for Llandegfedd Visitor and Watersports Centre to go ahead have been put on hold due to wildlife concerns.

A decision was due to be made yesterday (July 6) on whether to allow both the visitor centre and water sports centre to be used for meetings, functions and events as well as extending the opening hours.

However, concerns raised by the Gwent Wildlife Trust led Monmouthshire council planners to withdraw the items from the planning meeting agenda.

Under the plans both buildings would be used for functions, events and meetings and the current opening hours of 9am to 9pm would be extended from 6am to midnight.

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The water sports facility is currently used for storage on the ground floor, with some changing rooms, while the first floor has a multi-functional clubhouse room.

The visitor’s centre has a Grab and Go coffee shop, which acts as a point for enquiries and booking. The building also houses the Waterside Cafe.

If both applications were approved then each building could be hired out for meetings, family events, community groups and wildlife rambles.

The report says: “The visitor centre and water sports facilities will be used independently throughout the year and for the majority of events, although they could be used concurrently should a larger event be required to use the entire reservoir site.”

Although both plans had been recommended for approval, the decision to withdraw them from yesterday’s meeting came because the council wanted to consider the objections from the Gwent Wildlife Trust.

The Trust raised concerns over potential noise and light related disturbances to wildlife. They also said there was a lack of detail in the proposed planning conditions and urged the authority to refuse the applications until they were fit for purpose.

The reservoir was built in the 1960s off Croes-gweddyn Road and straddles the boundary between Monmouthshire and Torfaen.

The local ward member has raised concerns over the increased level of traffic, noise disturbance and the overdevelopment of the reservoir. 

Llangybi Fawr Community Council has also objected to the proposal citing “grave concerns” surrounding safety and loud music. 

The community council said: “Locating alcohol-fuelled events in close proximity to a large and deep expanse of water seems to be inviting disaster, especially during the hours of darkness.

“Personal experience suggests that staff at the reservoir are not able to keep dogs and even people out of the water in daylight hours, so it isn’t clear how they would manage it in darkness with a large and noisy event taking place.”

The council has received 22 objections to the change of use. The concerns raised include the impact on biodiversity, an increase in traffic, parking concerns, public safety concerns and a lack of public transport.

Council planners will take some time to assess the concerns raised by Gwent Wildlife Trust and both applications will be brought back to the planning committee at a later date.