Council may use compulsory purchase for £20m road landslip repairs

Nicholas Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter

A council may have to use compulsory purchase orders along an A road where it plans to spend £20 million on repairing landslip damage.

Caerphilly County Council estimates it may have to spend £340,000 to secure ownership of the land alongside the A469 in Troedrhiwfuwch for its stabilisation project – although it hopes compulsory purchases would be a last resort.

Landslips in 2014 and 2020 have forced periods of closure, and temporary traffic controls have been in place for the past six years to prevent further slippages.

But a council report warns the A469 is stuck in “cyclic states of periods of stability and instability” fuelled by heavy rainfall, and a permanent solution has to be found.

In January, councillors gave their unanimous backing to a £20 million funding package for the project, which could take two years to complete and will lead to road closures and diversions.

The feeling among senior figures at the local authority, however, is that the Upper Rhymney Valley’s residents have waited too long for the main road to be repaired.

Cllr Jamie Pritchard, the council leader, said securing ownership of the development site along the route is a “necessary next step in repairing this long-standing highway issue”.

Ahead of a cabinet meeting to discuss the matter, he said the council was striving to reach an agreement with interested parties for the acquisition of the land required, but a compulsory purchase order (CPO) option “should be run in tandem to reach a quick turnaround”.

“Since becoming leader in November 2025, my first commitment was to pursue every available option to sort out this road once and for all,” he added. “It is crucial for residents living in the Upper Rhymney Valley that this road be rebuilt, and that all obstacles are overcome.

“The land negotiations and CPO are next on the list. I’ll be continuing to engage with the Welsh Government throughout the pre-build and build phase.”

It is understood £340,000 is the upper estimate of costs for purchasing the land, and will be included in the £20 million overall budget previously approved for the project.