Welsh council in talks with residents of an illegal traveller site on what happens next

Elgan Hearn, Local democracy reporter

Talks are taking place between residents of an illegal traveller site extension in Blaina and Blaenau Gwent council.

Back in January, the council’s Planning committee refused a retrospective planning application that would have legitimised an extension to the traveller site at Glyn Milwr, Stone Houses, in Blaina.

At a full counci meeting earlier this month, a senior councillor asked for an update on the fate of residents living at the extension at Glyn Milwr, Stone Houses, in Blaina.

Former deputy council leader Cllr Helen Cunningham (Llanhilleth), who left the ruling Labour group in December and now sits as a non-aligned councillor, asked what was being done by the council to resolve the situation.

She pointed out that some of the residents affected by the planning row are children and someone in “cancer remission” lives there.

Council Leader Cllr Steve Thomas (Labour – Tredegar) replied at the time that he would “get back” to her with the information.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) asked the council what action it is taking to resolve the issue and whether enforcement action had been taken to evict the families.

A Blaenau Gwent council spokeswoman said: “The council remains in dialogue with the applicant and the agent in relation to next steps.”

The planning issues surrounding the traveller site extension have been ongoing for several years.

The application rejected by councillors in January has been the second put forward to try and legitimise the site extension.

Planning officers recommended that councillors refuse planning permission as the Highways Authority had objected on the grounds that the access road and track are substandard.

They said that it’s narrow, lacks pavement for pedestrians, and does not have lighting or proper visibility splays.

When the application was submitted to the council in October 2024, it suspended enforcement action being taken by the council to remove families from the site.

A previous retrospective application to legitimise the extension was refused by the council’s Planning committee in October 2022.