Families excavating a hillside to create space to live ordered by court to stop

A council has been granted a high court injunction to stop a group excavating a grassy hillside close to playing fields and nearby homes. Over Easter weekend, tonnes of earth was allegedly removed from land close to Porters Road and Banna Bungalows in Nantyglo.

The work was seemingly done without the correct planning permission, with hundreds of residents outraged by the sudden developments. Pictures at the time showed the ground completely flattened with caravans and diggers on the site. . It is understood the group bought the site earlier this year but as yet doesn’t have planning permission to develop there.

Land registry documents show that there is a covenant on the land which dates back to 1996 stating the land can only be used for grazing. It states no buildings should be erected on the land.

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Shortly after the work commenced, worried residents contacted the council regarding the safety of the land and the potential of a landslip. The council spokesperson said the authority commissioned independent geotechnical and geoenvironmental specialists to assess the stability of the land. The specialists confirmed that the land posed “no immediate risk to nearby properties".

At the same time, the council issued a temporary stop notice to the group which was in place for 28 days. Now, on May 1, Blaenau Gwent Council has secured an interim High Court injunction to stop further excavation on the land.

As a result of this, the landowners can now no longer carry out any engineering or development work on the land without prior planning permission. Alongside this, only the six caravans already on the land are permitted and only the landowners will be able to stay on the land overnight. The temporary order will be in place until the case returns to the High Court on 21 June.

Atmosphere has reportedly been tense in the area since the work began, with several residents claiming they feel intimidated and many unwilling to openly voice their concerns due to fear of repercussions.

The petition against the work which has over 1,300 signatures reads: "As residents of Porters Road and Banna Bungalows in Nantyglo, we are deeply troubled by the unauthorised occupation of land in our community. This issue is not merely a question of legality; it directly impacts our lives, devalues our properties and infringes on our privacy.

"The encroachment has led to a significant decrease in property values. According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), unauthorised occupations can reduce nearby property values by up to 20%. This situation is not only financially damaging but also emotionally distressing as we feel that our right to privacy is being violated.

"We are calling for immediate action from local authorities to halt this unauthorised occupation. We believe that everyone has the right to live peacefully without fear of unlawful encroachments on their property or invasion of their privacy.

"This petition is personal because it's about protecting what we hold dear - our homes, the value they represent and most importantly, our peace and privacy. We urge you all - residents, neighbours and concerned citizens - to join us in this fight against unlawful occupation." For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter

A resident who has lived in Banna Bungalows for 25-years but wanted to remain anonymous said the work happened quickly, and he has been left with huge mounds of earth behind his property. He said: "They've just completely bulldozed the ground. It happened last weekend, Thursday I think it started.

“One minute the ground is there and the next it's gone. I don't know what is going on there but they say they are going to put caravans there. It's terrible. It's private property so I suppose we can't do anything about it. From what I understand they've done it without any permissions. I've just got a big mound of soil behind my window now.”

The main concern of residents appeared to be about the way in which the land was excavated which prompted landslip concerns, however the council have said that there is “no immediate risk to nearby properties".

The GoFundMe pay appearing to be from the people who have moved onto the site says: "We need help to live. Our family and kids need somewhere to live to raise. Our family. Council is not providing us with the right needs so we are doing our own property up which we are entitled to do. We are sick of living in needs that is not being provided. un racial people around us."

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