£100k plan to end 70-mile diversion for villagers cut off by landslip

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

A council will spend at least £100,00 to buy a patch of land slightly larger than a football pitch to save residents a 70 mile diversion.

Villagers have been having to make the 35 mile each way detour, over Wales’ highest mountain road, the Gospel Pass, after a landslip closed the main road to Llanthony and Capel Y Ffin at the end of January.

Storm surge from the fields above the road and the river below combined to cause a landslip including a section within the carriageway.

Monmouthshire County Council’s cabinet is being asked to approve the acquisition of the land on the Llanthony Valley Road at Neuadd Straight so it can secure long-term access for residents and businesses.

The cabinet is due to meet at 4.30pm on Monday, March 30 for the urgent decision, which the chief executive and the chair of the council’s place scrutiny committee have agreed can be taken without the usual call in process by which backbench councillors can ask for a review and put any decision on hold.

A report outlining the urgency of the decision will be presented to the next meeting of the full council.

A report for the cabinet states purchasing the 1.5-acre strip of land, which will be used to re-align the road at the point of the slip, is “the only viable option”.

The report states residents and businesses have been badly affected by the closure of the road that has left the villages cut adrift, other than for the lengthy diversion which is a round trip of 70 miles that can add up to an hour and a half to journeys.

“Access for over 50 residential and business properties was compromised with the only access available over the Gospel Pass and 35-mile diversion,” the report states.

“The businesses are reliant on delivery of animal food for livestock and access for visitors to the wide range of tourism businesses, including the Llanthony Priority, that are prevalent throughout the valley and in the foot of Black Mountains and Bannau Brycheiniog region

“The residents of Llanthony and Capel Y Ffin are reliant on access to Abergavenny for work, medical care, shopping, post deliveries etc and access for those basic services results in an additional 70-mile diversion.”

It said emergency services have rerouted vehicles but have identified potential delays due to the extended alternative route while the council has incurred increased costs in providing services such as waste and recycling, winter and highway maintenance.

Due diligence

The council, which has reached in agreement in principle on the value with the landowner, is proposing to purchase it for £100,000, with surveyor and legal fees on top while the deal is still subject to legal due diligence.

The report stated: “This value exceeds the market value of the land but reflects the opportunity available and therefore land premium applied.”

The council said it has also reviewed all engineering options to repair the road but they have been discounted due to deliverability and costs while “deliverability and topographical constraints” ruled out improving tracks and trails through the valley as an alternative.