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Council orders removal of homeowner's security gate

Richard Clarke Picture of the gates from inside Cwmparc Forest, large pine trees can be seen either side of the bricked wall and black gates stand in the middle of around 1 metre tall. Mountains can be seen in the background, cutting into a grey sky.Richard Clarke
Rhondda Cynon Taf council has issued a legal order to remove a homeowner's security gate which blocks access to Cwmparc Forest

A homeowner in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) has been ordered by the council to remove a security gate as it is blocking access to a forestry.

Put up in February, the gate sparked an outcry from locals calling for public access to Cwmparc Forest in Treorchy but the homeowners said the gates were for their safety.

More than 4,000 people signed a petition for the gate to be removed, with "no to the gate" posters and stickers seen in home and shop windows across the town.

The council has now issued a legal order for the gate's removal but hopes to work with the property owners to remove them without enforcement.

The property owners previously said the family were left with no choice to erect the gates, after feeling their home had been "abused".

They described it as a very difficult situation and said the gates were for safety purposes, after experiencing "dangerous driving, dog fouling, people urinating, aggression, theft, drugs and air rifles".

But locals have been vocal about the importance of keeping the entrance open, as they said the path had been used for decades for nature lovers, cyclists and dog walkers.

Petition founder, Richard Clarke, welcomed the announcement as "great news" but warned supporters to stay calm while the council continue its processes.

In a statement, Andrew Morgan, leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf council, said all legal information had been gathered and reviewed, and the council believes there to be "strong legal grounds" to order the removal of the gates.

Mr Morgan recognised the "strong community feeling" around the issue and asked residents to bear with the council while the legal order is served.

He said further updates would be issued by the council, where appropriate.