Castle path approved to support ‘20-minute neighbourhoods’

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

A path through castle grounds intended to make “20 minute neighbourhoods” a reality has had the go-ahead.

The 500-metre long path will run through the grounds of Caldicot Castle and is intended to create a traffic free route for pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users to get around Caldicot and surrounding villages including Caerwent, Portskewett, Crick and Sudbrook.   

Monmouthshire County Council’s delegated planning panel approved the application which it had to decide as it had been made by the authority. 

The council’s Labour/Green Party cabinet had earlier in January approved using funds collected from housing developers to cover a £310,000 shortfall in the total £650,000 cost. 

The footprint of the path is currently used as a maintenance and access track as well as an unofficial footpath for users of the Country Park and it is expected as many as 200 people an hour could use the upgraded 2.5 metres wide route. 

It will connect, via informal but well-used paths, with an earlier phase of the Caldicot Multi User route which follows a former Ministry of Defence munitions railway line from Portskewett to Caldicot. 

The western section currently has an unbound gravel surfacing with the remainder unpaved and it will have a “buff-coloured” asphalt surface “drawing on the yellow hues of the castle stone”.  

At the eastern end, a small section, used for a previous development as a compound with unbound gravel surfacing, will be replaced by standard asphalt but is hidden from the castle view by mature trees. The construction compound will be reinstated as grassland following construction of the path. 

Where the existing public rights of way have been realigned with the new path a “Hoggin” material, which is a traditional path construction, formed of a self-binding 10mm aggregate stone to dust, will be used and is intended to match similar paths running through the castle grounds. 

The upgraded path is intended to provide an “improved ride comfort for cyclists, as well as offering greater weather-resistance for all users” and though the path is through a flood zone there is no objection from environmental regulator Natural Resources Wales. Signed diversions will be in place when the path is unavailable due to flooding. 

A report by planning officer Kate Young also confirmed there was no objection from Welsh historic buildings body Cadw. 

A design statement included with the application stated the path would assist Monmouthshire County Council in “creating 20-minute neighbourhoods for both current and future residents and promotes cohesive communities where active travel is the preferred option for trips under three miles”.   

The phrase 20-minute neighbourhood echoes the 15-minute city concept, which was a planning idea that regained prominence post-Covid, and aims to provide everything you need within the local area to reduce the need to travel. They become controversial because they were seen as anti-car and prompted fears of restrictions on people’s movement.