4 days ago
Villagers win battle against 200m ‘Great Wall' at Welsh beauty spot
Villagers have won a fight to tear down a giant fence that was blocking views of a national park.
The 200m-long, 6ft-high steel fence was dubbed the 'Great Wall of Clydach' after it was built by a Labour-led council without notice at a cost of £40,000.
But weeks later, officials have agreed to tear it down – and will spend £20,000 on its removal.
The roadside structure blocks views of the mountains and valleys within Wales's Brecon Beacons National Park (now known as Bannau Brycheiniog) and close to the Unesco World Heritage site of Blaenavon.
Locals described the fence, made of galvanised steel with sharp spikes on top, as 'disgusting' and criticised the council for a lack of consultation.
Officials said it was erected along Pwll Du Road, which has been closed to traffic for five years, over fears it could collapse.
Resident Clive Thomas said: 'It's just an eyesore. When the sun is on it and everything, it just looks out of place.'
Simon Elliott added: 'There was no consultation with anyone. The fence has been put up with no understanding at all of what the area is.
'All it needed was a low-level fencing to stop any cattle or people going over the edge into the quarry.'
Monmouthshire County Council has agreed to remove the fence and replace it with a shorter structure that will 'blend in' with the surroundings.
Independent councillor Simon Howarth said he was pleased with the council's decision, but added: 'We shouldn't have got here' and claimed huge bills could have been avoided.
He said: 'Overall, we are where we should have started, but around £50,000 to £70,000 worse off.'
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.'
