Villagers hoping to save green from new homes
LOCALS in a South Wales village are bidding to save their village green which has been earmarked for social housing.
Six houses and four flats could soon be built on land north of Maes-YFfynon, Bonvilston, as part of the Vale of Glamorgan council’s house building programme.
But villagers in Bonvilston are fighting the plans by applying to register the land formally as a village green, which could prevent the Vale council receiving planning permission to build there.
However, the Vale council has a conflict of interest – being at the same time the landowner wanting to build houses; the planning authority granting permission for the building; and the registering authority deciding whether the village green should be formally recognised.
A public inquiry will be held to decide whether to register the land as a village green, and potentially save it from housing. The council said this was to ensure transparency and a fair process.
An independent barrister will chair the inquiry and recommend to the council whether to register the land as a green.
The inquiry could cost the council more than £10,500.
The application was jointly made by St Nicholas with Bonvilston community council and the local residents’ association. The residents association said there is evidence of the green being well used as far back as the 1950s.
Ian Perry, chair of the community council, said: “It’s a nice space and it should be protected. The green was put there for the health and wellbeing of residents.
“It should be protected and preserved, and not given over to building.”
A spokesperson for the residents association said: “The green space is integral to supporting community spirit, and traditional family and village values.
“This has historically contributed to a better quality of family life, and community togetherness.
“The houses and the village green were designed to complement each other and serve to support a lifestyle that promoted community activities, including recreational sports and pastimes.” After hearing evidence, the barrister chairing the public inquiry will recommend to the council whether to register the land as a village green.
Councillors on the planning committee voted in July to defer deciding whether to grant permission for the 10 homes until after the public inquiry.
If the green is registered, the council would find it much harder to get planning permission for the social housing.