Campaigners in disbelief as portable homes project is signed off

Ted Peskett Local Democracy Reporter

Local Campaigners challenging a Welsh council over the development of dozens of portable homes near residents’ back gardens say they are in disbelief that the project has been signed off.

Vale of Glamorgan Council announced last week that it is ready to start moving Ukrainian refugees and families on the housing waiting list into the temporary housing site where Eagleswell Priamry School used to be in Llantwit Major.

The site, known as Heol Croeso, is made up of 90 portable homes and was initially approved using special planning powers called permitted development rights.

This allowed the scheme to go ahead without needing planning permission – something residents were furious about as they were not consulted on the design of the homes, some of which are just metres away from back gardens.

Campaigners are now claiming  the council has not addressed the privacy concerns it said it would this year.

Disbelief

Eagleswell Action Group said: “The members of the Eagleswell Action Group have read in disbelief this morning that a planning officer at the Vale Council has accepted the proposal from the developers that putting a plastic film which can be easily removed over the windows on a number of the units satisfied a planning condition which states the windows should be obscurely glazed.”

They continued: “Surely, no reasonable person would believe that a piece of plastic meets that condition. People have to ask the question whether such a judgement would be so forthcoming on a private development.

“The condition also states that no one should occupy the site until this condition has been met in full. We feel that this is just another example of the Vale officers doing as they please concerning this development.”

As well as having concerns over the design of the site, some residents said they were able to see into the portable homes from their upstairs windows.

Conditions

When Heol Croeso was given planning permission to remain in place for a minimum of five more years in July, a number of conditions were attached including that some windows of a certain height would need to be “obscurely glazed”.

However, one resident claimed the material being used was simply a “decorative film” that could be easily removed. The council denied this.

A planning document shows the material being used to glaze the windows is called MACal Glass Decor 700.

The document describes it as “polymeric translucent vinyls coated with a long-life durable… adhesive”.

Eagleswell Action Group added: “As a group we have never been against a development on the site, or on who the final residents might be.

“This has always been about the development in its current form. The council has squeezed 90 containers and some 400 people into a small site with a total disregard for the current residents and community of Llantwit Major.

“The action group now has over 2,000 members from our local community.

“As we had no support from our elected Vale councillors, we have no choice but to challenge this on our own at every stage of the development. Our fight goes on to get what is right and fair for the people of Llantwit Major.

“Our legal challenge is with the court, still awaiting review by a High Court judge, It appears the wheels of justice run slowly.”

Rights

Permitted development rights are usually used in an emergency, like the housing of Ukrainian refugees.

Vale of Glamorgan Council’s leader Lis Burnett said the site will also be important in “easing the pressure on council housing stock” and “represents a far more dignified solution” than using hotels.

A council spokesperson said: “The windows in question will feature obscured glazing to level three on the Pilkington Scale, the recognised standard when it comes to protecting privacy, not simply a decorative film.

“The council retains control over the Heol Croeso development and compliance with this planning condition will be monitored and maintained. Nothing has been overruled.”