An area of land in Trethomas looks set to receive protected ‘Village Green’ status following a decision by Caerphilly county borough council’s cabinet earlier this week.
The land is located close to the former Bedwas Colliery site, which has been allocated in the council’s Local Development Plan (LDP) for mixed-use development comprising housing, education and leisure uses.
The council has been working with the Trethomas Conservation Group to identify an area of land which can be declared a ‘Village Green’ and be protected from any future development. It has been agreed that the playing fields (known as the Cornfield site) will be allocated as a Village Green, subject to endorsement by a meeting of Full Council, along with land adjacent to a new access road due to be constructed onto the development site.
Cllr Ron Davies, local ward member and CCBC cabinet member for regeneration said, “The proposal to allocate this site as a Village Green will ensure that residents can enjoy the benefit of a protected area of community land that is safe from future development.”
“We are aware that the reclamation plans for the old colliery site are a contentious issue and we are mindful of these concerns, but the Planning Inspector has agreed that the inclusion of the development scheme in the LDP was ‘sound’ and we now want to move forward and work with the local community to make the scheme work for all concerned,” he added.
It is also proposed that a liaison group of local residents be established to monitor all aspects of the reclamation scheme and related issues.
The matter will now be referred the next meeting of Full Council for final consideration.
