Plans approved for new BMX track on land where material from landslide had been stored

Anthony Lewis, local democracy reporter

Plans for a new BMX track on land where material from a landslide had been stored, have been approved.

The cycle pump track will be constructed on what is known as Site RS-A1 in Ferndale, where material which had slipped from the Llanwonno Upper Tip in Storm Dennis was temporarily deposited and held.

About a quarter of the site will be used to create the pump track which is primarily for use by BMX-style bikes as well as balance bikes and scooters.

The track will be for riders of varying abilities and would be a hard-surfaced cycle track occupying part of the sloped valley side and a section of flatter ground.

Bumps

The track would include straights, banked turns, cambered turns and bumps with the undulations and embankments created with imported material. It would be surrounded by low fencing.

A short community link would be provided to the nearby path which is currently being enhanced as part of phase four of the Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s planning report said the difference between a “pump” and “BMX” track is the former can be used without the need for the user to pedal or push.

The application also includes drainage, signs, and landscaping plus the use of remainder of site for landscaping and natural regeneration as well as habitat and ecological mitigation measures.

Regenerate

The majority of the application site will not be affected by the track and will be left to regenerate naturally. The report said signs of this “return to nature” can be seen on site and this is progressing satisfactorily.

A small part of the site falls within the Blaenllechau Woodland site of interest for nature conservation (SINC) but this area will not be affected by the track.

The site is known to have been former colliery railway sidings and any mining beneath the application site is known to be at a significant depth.

Vehicle access to a parking area is possible to a small area immediately off Station Road in Ferndale.

No change in this arrangement is made as part of the proposal and the track and leisure route is not available to vehicular traffic other than construction and maintenance vehicles.

The construction is due to take approximately eight weeks and there have been no public objections.

In February 2020, Storm Dennis caused the Llanwonno Upper Tip to fail above the village of Tylorstown resulting in a large landslide.

‘Positive feedback’

Urgent work had to be carried out to move the slipped material to prevent further damage and three parcels of land, including the location for the application, were identified as capable of safely accommodating the large amount of material.

Two applications were approved for the deposit of the material, which included conditions which required the submission of further details relating to a “finished landform and any proposed after-use”

Councillor Jayne Smith, who sits on the committee and represents the area on the council, said it had created positive feedback on social media it was a “well-appreciated facility”.

In recommending approval, the council officers’ planning report said: “The development will provide a valuable community facility utilising (most of) the material from Site RS-A1 used in the storage of slipped material from the land slide event following Storm Dennis in February 2020.

“As well as providing a community facility and negating the need for such a large volume of material to be transported off site through the local streets and wider highway network the development will provide ecological enhancements for the benefit of the local ecosystems as well as permanently blending the slipped/tipped material into the landform.”