Land battle goes to a public inquiry (From Barry And District News)

Land battle goes to a public inquiry

BARRY residents who have been fighting for more than 20 years to stop a piece of land being developed have managed to force a public inquiry.

The White Farm open space near the Pastures is parted owned by the Vale of Glamorgan Council, who own a ransom strip, a piece of land retained by the owner to control access or profit from its development. The other piece is privately owned.

For more than 20 years the residents have campaigned to keep the land a public open space and have put their case to the Open Spaces Society. Evidence has been sent in support of a claim for registration as a new green.

In 2002 the Vale of Glamorgan Council put in a claim to dispose of the ransom strip and gain £395,000 for its sale. This money would be used for improvements in the area and a 2.2 hectare open space would be given to the council.

Keith Lewis has been one of the leading campaigners and lives in the area. He said: Not only will the land be lost forever, there will be extra traffic and greater strain on services.

Pastures resident Irene Frost, said: This area should be an open space, we need it to be here. We deserve an area of land which is not built upon. It is a disgrace that we could lose this land.

The land has some archaeological significance as it was a base for some of Cromwell's soldiers in the battle of St Fagan's in the 18th century.

At the start of the campaign the land was not required for the housing development plan for the Vale of Glamorgan Housing quota, but plans have been revised and the land would fulfil the required quota.

The public inquiry will be held in the new year when members of the group will be putting forward their case.