Editor

Concerning the proposed housing development on the ground adjacent to Hafan y Waun. During lockdown I and many others enjoyed walking across this site, especially in the summer. It is a sanity slot, which has been untouched in living memory and is full of wildlife.

Wales and West Housing did conduct an ecological survey which recorded sorrel, buttercup, silverweed, plantain,hollyhock and St John’s wort, numerous grasses, ivy and dog rose. Trees - Hawthorne,Blackthorn, honeysuckle, Yew and Elder, young Sycamore and Ash. Good bird habitat and potential dormouse resting sites.Many butterflies - common blue, skipper, small tortoiseshell, gatekeeper. Dense bramble, slow worms. Bats - Common and soprano pipistrelle, brown long eared bats, Noctule and Natterers bats. Badger and fox travel through the site. Polecat, weasel and stoat have been recorded within a mile.

It is proposed that the far north-west i.e. the most boggy area of the site be left, but says that this is a very small proportion of the whole. Also a pond is planned.

They state that if the site is built on, many of its creature will be killed and injured.

It might look like empty ground, but others live there.

Surely the modern and green solution to housing those desperate for accommodation is to convert the numerous properties in ready-made communities, e.g.the chapel for sale in Llanbadarn and St Winifrede’s, the old post office, the Deva, the numerous empty shops and all the little cottages being bought up as second homes. There is already planning permission for hundreds of houses uphill and down from this site. Why not buy some of those houses for the homeless?

I urge others who walk here to write to their councillors and the planners.

Elizabeth Lee

Have your say on the local issues affecting you - email [email protected] or join in the conversation on our Facebook page