Revised plans submitted for shared-use path across common in Gower

Richard Youle, local democracy reporter

Plans for a shared-use path for walkers and cyclists across a common in Gower have support from people locally, a councillor said.

Swansea Council has submitted revised proposals for a 2.1km shared-use path between Bishopston, Gower, and Mayals to the east.

Drawings show it running along the southern side of the B4436, which crosses Clyne Common, and on the south side of a stock-proof fence which runs parallel with the road.

‘Huge support’

Bishopston councillor Lyndon Jones said there has been “huge support” for the proposed path and the feedback at the most recent consultation locally was no exception.

Cllr Jones said he had also spoken to residents at Campion Gardens retirement village, which is on the route of the planned path, just before Christmas. “The elderly people were looking forward to it,” he said. “They would be able to walk across the common.”

The plans by the council have been amended following its previous shared-use path application across the common which went on to be turned down by a Welsh Government-appointed planning inspector.

The inspector said it would interfere with the rights of commoners and would be harmful for nature conservation and the landscape although she said it would benefit the public who had rights to use the common “for air and exercise”. Responding to the decision at the time the council said it would redesign the proposal, which is what is has done. Updated ecology documents have also been submitted.

Discussions

Peter Lanfear, chairman of the Gower Commoners Association, said the association has had good discussions with the council and that it did not object to the current proposal.

The shared-use path would join up with another one from the top of Mayals Road to the bottom, emerging opposite the seafront.

The Welsh Government awarded the council £1.28m for the original shared-use path – the one that would be rejected – early in 2023.

Swansea Bay cycle campaign group Wheelrights said it backed the proposed path across the common. “We support it wholeheartedly,” said a spokesman for the group.