CONCERNED residents came face to face with travellers at a meeting over plans to expand an existing gipsy site in Cwmynyscoy.

The public meeting held at the Race Club, Pontypool, attracted more than 50 local residents to discuss council plans for ten new caravan pitches at Rose Cottage, a privately-owned travellers site in Upper Race.

The meeting turned into a noisy debate between local travellers and residents, who have joined the Cwmynyscoy Neighbourhood Action Group (CwmNAG), to oppose the plans.

Residents object as there are already three traveller sites in Cwmynyscoy ward.

Local resident, Adrian Bold, chaired the meeting, which was also attended by local councillors and Torfaen officers.

He said: “The people in the ward have lived with people from the travelling community for several generations.

“There are social issues associated with this. There is no intent to criticise the gipsy community but just a recognition of the increased number of pitches in the ward, that could in turn increase anti-social behaviour.”

Some residents at the site referred to anti-social incidents including being spat and sworn at by people from the gipsy and traveller community, and said these sorts of incidents had led to fears over the site expanding.

But a local traveller, called Dan, argued the site needs to be expanded to make room for younger generations, he said: “There is good and bad among all of us. To be honest it’s the new ones coming in, but where will my grandchildren go to live?”

Mr Bold explained that Torfaen County Borough’s 2009 gipsy and travellers study states that there are already 37 permanent pitches on public and private sites and 61 caravans sited throughout the borough. All of these pitches are in the Race, with 27 at the councilowned Shepherd’s Hill site and ten at the privatelyowned Mountain View and Rose Cottage sites.

Rose Cottage is outlined as having potential to provide ten pitches. Torfaen’s chief planning officer, Duncan Smith, said: “Rose Cottage does not have planning permission.

It has been there for so long that it has become immune from a legal view.

“We have been speaking to the owner about cleaning up the site and improving the access as they could then fit in more pitches.”

A Gwent police spokeswoman, speaking after the meeting, said: “We would encourage any resident who has concerns about antisocial behaviour in their area to report them by calling 101, or to contact their local Neighbourhood Policing Team.”

It was agreed that members of the CwmNAG group will meet local councillors and MP Paul Murphy to find a solution.