VILLAGERS near Tredegar will be living in fear of landslides if plans for tourist accommodation in an abandoned school site are approved, councillors were told.
At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Planning Committee today (Thursday, September 7) councillors listened to arguments for and against a planning application by Mr and Mrs Ross Hughes for four “leisure pods” and associated works at the Old School, Troedrhiwghwair.
The site is an area which has been susceptible to landslides.
Historically landslides had been noted in the area from 1910 to the 1970s which was due to the “geotechnical setting” and in times of heavy rainfall.
This danger led to many families leaving their homes in the village in the 1970s and 1980s, with the school and chapel shut as a result.
Planning office Sophie Godfrey said latest data for the site comes from 1976 which advised that monitoring the hillside should still be done.
Ms Godfrey explained that the council had not heard of any landslips recently and monitoring the hillside had stopped.
Ms Godfrey went on to advise councillors to approve the application as information from the applicant saying the site is stable had been seen and agreed with by statutory consultees.
At the meeting villager Tricia Thomas-Coundley spoke against the proposal.
Mrs Thomas-Coundley said: “Professor Steven Bentley of Cardiff University maintained that the mountain was dangerous for the houses there and it could come down at anytime.”
She believed that building work associated with the development would “disturb the mountain and we’d all suffer.”
Mrs Thomas-Coundley said: “If that happens who’s going to sort that out?
“The applicants believe the ground is sound from a desktop analysis.
“There’s no way to say that the ground is safe.”
Mrs Thomas-Coundley told councillors that they would all only “find out” once work on the development starts.
Mrs Thomas-Coundley said: “Please think this over very seriously. It’s not a thing to do.
“People who will be nervous that this mountain will come down on their village.”
Infrastructure services manager Jessica Norris explained that coal mining risk assessments showed there was “no mining risk to the development.”
Ms Norris said: “With regards to the slope stability the proposed development is outside of the previous landslip areas and zones.”
This was contested by Mrs Thomas-Coundley.
Ms Norris believed that the applicants could be asked to do some “shallow ground testing” to address residents’ concerns.
Committee chairwoman, Cllr Lisa Winnett asked this to be added as a condition should planning permission be approved.
Borough councillor for Georgetown, which includes Troedrhiwgwair, Cllr Jacqueline Thomas believed the site is on an old geological mining faultline which had identified in the desk top exercise.
Geotechnical officer, Kevin Kinsey said: “There are two faults mentioned in the desk top report, one is the Tredegar fault and the other Sirhowy fault.
“They run either side of the development not through it.”
Planning agent Roger Field spoke on behalf of the applicants, he said: “This is only a small development of lightweight structures deliberately chosen so as not to cause problems in terms of site stability.”
He added that the Hughes’ intend placing two pods and “seeing how they go” before deciding on whether to add another two.
Cllr David Wilkshire said: “I welcome tourism into the borough it’s something we need to improve upon, the mountain was unstable and may still be, experts tell us it’s safe.”
The application then went to a vote and a majority of eight councillors to one backed the proposal.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here