A march against gypsy site
CAMPA I G N E R S opposed to a planned new gypsy site will stage a march against the proposal.
About 100 people voted unanimously for the march at last Friday’s inaugural meeting of the St George Village Action Group in Abergele Town Hall.
Conwy Council has identified the former Smithy layby in St George between Abergele and Bodelwyddan as a proposed transit site.
The Welsh Government requires the council to find sites for gypsies and travellers.
The demonstration will be held in the rural village of St George on Saturday, January 31. Exact details are yet to be agreed.
Supporting the march, Cllr Jacqui Richmond, mayor of Towyn and Kinmel, told the meeting: “Conwy (Council) are not going to want that bad publicity. They are going to want to get rid of that sharpish.”
Darren Millar AM, who chaired the meeting, updated residents on the situation and called for campaigning ideas.
He revealed that Conwy Council had agreed to extend the pre-consultation period in which people can air their views by three weeks to February 6.
The meeting elected Conwy county councillor Tim Rowlands as chairman of the action group.
They also decided to send objections to Conwy Council, set up a Facebook page and a Twitter account, lobby councillors and approach the media.
Mr Millar said he had received three offers from professionals to give town planning advice, and it was agreed that they should be briefed and put on standby.
He said: “I think we can win this campaign. We have people power, we have elected representatives of different parties, and there are some jolly good reasons not to have it in that location.”
Branding the council proposal “flawed”, he pointed out that it was near an expressway and on a slip road, and said there had been a lack of consultation.
Mr Millar said: “Three firms have expressed an interest in working with the action group, and there have been two pledges of cash from local businesses should professionals be engaged.”
But landowner Dickon Fetherstonhaugh, of the Kinmel Estate, said it may not go that far.
He said: “I would suggest there is still a chance it could be thrown out before it goes to planning.
“A town planner is going to charge somewhere in the region of £2,000 to £3,000. I would suggest town planners are approached now with a view to taking on the work on instruction. They are not instructed until the council put in their planning application.”
He also suggested that alternative sites “scored” by Conwy Council officers were owned by him and he would not allow them to be the subject of Compulsory Purchase Orders.
The meeting also heard that Conwy Council has now given out about 120 consultation forms to gauge public opinion.
Last Friday’s meeting followed an intense debate at a public hearing the week before at St George Village Hall.
Conwy Council has also identified a permanent site for gypsies and travellers at Bangor Road in Conwy.
A council spokesman said that letters have been sent to residents and businesses near the proposed sites, and site notices have been put up.
For more information, visit conwy.gov.uk/G&T.
The closing date for comments is February 6.
A spokesman for the council said: “Further representations can be made at formal planning application stage and all representations on planning grounds will be considered by the planning authority.”