MUDDY HELL
We’re fuming after hill behind our homes was completely bulldozed for caravans – and fear it could trigger huge landslip
Huge muddy mounds of earth have been left behind the homes
RESIDENTS have been left fuming after a hill behind their homes was bulldozed to make way for caravans.
Outraged locals living below Nantyglo Rugby Club in Blaenau Gwent, Wales, said caravan-owners excavated near their residential area.
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Infuriated residents are up in arms after discovering a stunning hillside behind their beloved homes has been razed to make room for caravans.
The grassy hillside is located near playing fields and the Banna Bungalows residential area.
It's about protecting what we hold dear - our homes, the value they represent and most importantly, our peace and privacy.
Banna Bungalows residents
Images show the once lush landscape close to Porters Road flattened by heavy machinery.
A resident, who has lived in the area for over two decades, said the works have left huge mounds of earth behind his property.
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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 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.”
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Over 600 people have now rallied behind a petition opposing the destruction of the land which started on March 27.
They claim no planning permission was sought prior to the works.
Land registry documents dating back to 1996 claim the land is earmarked only for grazing - banning any form of construction.
The petition read: "As residents of Porters Road and Banna Bungalows in Nantyglo, we are deeply troubled by the unauthorised occupation of land in our community.
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"This issue is not merely a question of legality; it directly impacts our lives, devalues our properties and infringes on our privacy."
'NOWHERE TO GO'
A campaign reportedly initiated by the caravan owners claims the move came in a desperate need for housing.
The GoFundMe post read: "We need help to live. Our family and kids need somewhere to live to raise. 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."
However, residents fear the move could negatively impact their lives, property values and privacy.
With the excavation leaving behind a slope of mud and gravel, they claim it has posed a threat of landslip to their homes.
They added: "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 per cent."
Homeowners said the move has also put a huge toll on their private lives.
Locals slammed: "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."
Blaenau Gwent Council has now confirmed they have served a Temporary Stop Notice to the caravan-owners.
The council dubbed the excavation "unauthorised" and it will monitor the hill for a potential landslip.
A spokesperson told The Sun Online: "We can confirm that today (Friday, April 5 2024) we have served a Temporary Stop Notice to the landowners and interested parties using the relevant powers under the Town & County Planning Act 1990.
"The notice will remain in force for 28 days and we are considering options for when it expires.
“We consider that there has been a breach of planning control by the unauthorised excavation of this land. This includes importation of material, creation of embankments and re-profiling of the area.
"The notice requires that the activity specified is stopped with immediate effect.
“We consider that the works may not been conducted in accordance with sound engineering practices including appropriate retaining works, site compaction, appropriate use of gradients to embankments and drainage to ensure the long-term stability of the site.
"It is for this reason that the Temporary Stop Notice has been served.
“We have also commissioned independent Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists to provide an opinion on the likely stability of the land following the works carried out.
"This concluded that there is no immediate risk to nearby properties or the road above as a result of the work but recommends measures are put in place to ensure longer term stability of the land."
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It comes as homeowners told how their properties are set to fall off a cliff following a huge landslip.
Cliffside residents in Trimingham, Norfolk, have moved their houses away from the cliff edge twice before - but are now leaving the buildings to their fate.
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