'Disgusting' mountainside fence to be removed after backlash
A huge fence put up across a mountain and overlooking a beauty spot is to be removed after a public backlash.The 2.1m (6ft) tall steel fence - dubbed the "Great Wall of Clydach" by villagers - was erected without notice last month, along the Monmouthshire village's Pwll Du Road, spanning 200m (652ft).It sits across the face of Gilwern mountain in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park and close to the boundary of the UNESCO Blaenavon World Heritage site.Locals claimed the galvanised steel structure with sharp spikes was "disgusting" and demanded its removal.
Monmouthshire County Council, which said it had to take action to stop people accessing the road - which has been closed to traffic on safety grounds for the past five years - has now agreed to replace it, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.The council has said it will use stock fencing instead and the posts at either end of the road, supporting the fence, will be reduced in height.It will also be painted to blend in with the surrounding countryside.
Simon Howarth, independent councillor for Llanelly Hill, said he was pleased with the outcome, but was critical of the council's actions and costs involved, saying "we shouldn't have got here".He said, at a recent meeting held at Clydach Village Hall, the council said it would be going out to tender to remove the fence, but costs would be in the region of £20,000.At a public meeting held in April, the council confirmed the bill for putting up the fence was £40,000.Howarth said: "Overall we are where we should have started, but around £50,000 to £70,000 worse off."The councillor said he was also pleased the council intended to allow access to the backside of the fence, between it and the mountainside, for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as holding talks with farmers and landowners over access for moving stock from the Keeper's Pond end of the mountain road.
A council spokesman said: "Following a positive meeting, the local community and the council agreed with the proposal to reduce the height of the back line of the palisade fencing, replacing it with stock proof fencing and painting the reveals and pillars with a suitable colour to blend in with the landscape."The council had said its previous measures to keep vehicles off the road, including gates and boulders, had failed as they had been damaged or removed, while a rockfall in 2023 had prompted it to commission a further report which suggested the road should be closed to people, as well as vehicles.The report outlined alternatives including new footpaths over the top of the mountain and below the existing road, or rebuilding the road but moving the carriageway further back into the mountain, which the council had said would cost millions of pounds.Farmer Wayne Elliot, who was involved in court action that ruled the council was responsible for the road, previously said he had been battling with the authority since 2020 to get it moved back, claiming "the farmers would help do it, they'd get it done in a week".But a council spokesperson shut down this suggestion, saying it was "not going to happen".
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Wales Online
3 hours ago
- Wales Online
200m steel fence blocking beauty spot view to be removed after public outcry
200m steel fence blocking beauty spot view to be removed after public outcry The 2.1m-tall steel fence appeared suddenly and without warning across the face of Gilwern mountain in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park and close to the boundary of the Unesco Blaenavon World Heritage site in April The fence that has been out across the Pwll Du Road on Gilwern Mountain, north Monmouthshire (Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service ) A massive fence erected without consultation across a mountain and overlooking a scenic spot is set to be dismantled following public outrage. Residents were angered when the 6ft steel barrier was unexpectedly installed across the face of Gilwern mountain in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park and near the boundary of the Unesco Blaenavon World Heritage site in April. Locals dubbed the 200m long galvanised steel structure with sharp spikes the Great Wall of Clydach and demanded its removal sparking a planning dispute. Monmouthshire County Council, which argued it had to intervene to prevent people from accessing Pwll Du Road that runs across the face of the mountain and has been closed to traffic due to safety concerns for the past five years, has now agreed to take the gate down. The council has announced it will instead use stock fencing and the posts at either end of the road, supporting the fence, will be reduced in height. It will also be painted to blend in with the surrounding countryside. Farmer Wayne Elliot has been battling Monmouthshire council over the road, that is now fenced off, since 2020 (Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service ) Independent county councillor for Llanelly Hill Simon Howarth said during a recent assembly at Clydach village hall council authorities announced a plan to tender the dismantling of an unpopular fence for approximately £20,000 – a figure that has unsettled many residents. Article continues below The councillor said: "The fence is coming down. They did say they are going out to tender and the cost is around £20,000, which hasn't gone down very well. We shouldn't have got here." Following the uproar over the original £40,000 expense to erect the barrier it will now be replaced by a less obtrusive 1.5m-high stock fence while the current posts and concealed gates that bar vehicle access will remain in place. Cllr Howarth expressed frustrations about the financial impact, saying: "Overall we are where we should have started but around £50,000 to £70,000 worse off." The 2.1m-tall steel fence overlooks the village of Clydach in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service ) The councillor said he was also pleased the council has said it will allow access to the back side of the fence, between it and the mountainside, for cyclists and pedestrians though some points still have to be made safe. He also said the council will hold talks with farmers and commoners over access for moving stock from the Keeper's Pond end of the mountain road, which he welcomed. Article continues below A council spokesman said: "Following a positive meeting the local community and the council agreed with the proposal to reduce the height of the back line of the palisade fencing, replacing it with stock proof fencing and painting the reveals and pillars with a suitable colour to blend in with the landscape." Earlier safety measures, such as installing gates and boulders, had been ineffective since they were frequently damaged or removed. As a result of a 2023 rockfall incident the council commissioned another report, which proposed banning pedestrians in addition to vehicles from using the road. That report also suggested potential alternatives including the creation of new footpaths above and below the current road and realigning the road farther into the mountain. However the council has said these alternatives would require a multi-million-pound outlay.
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
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The Independent
20 hours ago
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Peru allows miners to seek permits in area removed from Nazca Lines protection
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