THE chairman of a Gwent residents' group has warned his community it could suffer unless it "pulls together" financially to fight two controversial schemes.

Langstone Action announced its intention in February to raise £20,000 in order to buy in expertise in a bid to win them two public inquiries.

The first inquiry on April 24 and 25 concerns a special nursing home at Llanbedr Court, Langstone.

Independent Community Living (ICL) was granted Planning permission to open the home in May last year, but is fighting conditions imposed by Newport planning chiefs that restrict patients serving custodial sentences, or serving under any order including those under the Mental Health Act.

The second inquiry, set for July 14, concerns Columbus House, also in Langstone, which was due to open as a Crown appeals hearing centre for asylum-seekers on December 2 last year.

Encouraged by residents and politicians, Newport planning committee appealed against the court because of "change of use".

Residents' group Langstone Action received notification from the Assembly Planning Inspectorate in February that it will be included in the formal process of both inquiries. Langstone residents were asked to raise a remaining £20,000 out of a total £25,000 needed to pay planning consultants to represent them.

Since then only £5,500 has been raised, leaving the group nearly £15,000 still to find. Langstone Action chairman Simon Lane, who was due to meet consultants for both public inquiries today to instruct them, said: "More than 1,200 residents have signed our mandate allowing us to speak for them on these serious issues and we're chasing more signatures.

"But now we need financial commitment to get the job done. Because we're a residents' group and not a plc we need to show the money up front.

"We have sufficient funds for the Llanbedr inquiry but Columbus House will be more costly, we're taking on the Crown, who will take it very seriously.

"The community needs to be aware that failure to act now will have a negative effect on Langstone, their residential amenity could be drastically affected."

Mr Lane said there are fundraising events planned which will be announced at a public meeting at the Hilton Hotel in Chepstow Road, Langstone, at 7pm on April 11. "Now is not the time to shy away, but to pull together and give us as much support as you can," he added.