A Welsh town has become embroiled in a heated dispute after caravans were accused of blocking off residential properties and a sports ground.
Some 70 residents of Talywain, Pontypool, submitted formal complaints to Torfaen council about the vehicles’ location.
The caravans’ owner, Tony Janes, parked them near the entrance to a football pitch and adjacent to several bungalows.
Despite widespread opposition from the community, councillors have permitted the caravans to stay – for now.
The approval comes with stringent conditions that Mr Janes must follow.
Residents claim the vehicles obstruct routes to homes and the football pitches.
During a planning committee session, council planning officer Justin Jones detailed numerous complaints from residents about obstructed pathways and unneighbourly conduct.
He told councillors: “A lot of points raised other actions taken by the applicant in terms of blocking access to the field, blocking access for the bungalows, and not acting in a neighbourly manner.”
The committee then imposed strict regulations including a three-month maximum stay for any caravan, and a management plan which will require a registration log.
Some 70 residents of Talywain, Pontypool, submitted formal complaints to Torfaen council about the caravans (file photo)
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PA
The log must be available for council inspection at 24 hours’ notice.
Mr Jones, of the council, confirmed the local authority is pursuing independent resolution over access to the pitches.
Mr Janes, of the caravans, contested several allegations when approached for comment.
He rejected claims that he had obstructed routes to garages and residential bungalows.
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But he admitted blocking off access to the football pitch, asserting his right as the landowner.
“I’m pleased I can put up people who are homeless, with nowhere to stay,” he added.
“They’ve got somewhere to live for three months. Their caravans can pull up there for three months as there aren’t enough caravan sites around Wales for travellers.
“It means they don’t have to pull over on the side of the road and not have any facilities to go to the toilet or for the little kids to go to school and get an education.”
The land adjacent to Blue Boar bungalow, which remains in Mr Janes’s possession, had hosted as many as six caravans since 2023.
Some vehicles had been positioned on property he didn’t own, without proper planning consent.
The planning application seeks to reduce the site from six to two caravans with dedicated parking spaces.
All vehicles will now be situated exclusively on property owned by Mr Janes, with the overall site area significantly decreased.
The location will serve as a transit facility specifically for travellers as defined by Welsh planning regulations.