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Residents have questioned why a new £110,000 playground has been built next to a busy road in Pontllanfraith.

The playground is next to Blackwood Road and has been built to replace the park near the former council offices, where the new 123-home Chartist Garden Village development is being built.

Plans to build the playground were approved by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet back in July 2020.

The funding is coming from the council’s reserves, but the council’s Independent group leader, Cllr Kevin Etheridge, has questioned why it has been paid for by the council and not the housing developers.

The new housing is being built by housing association Pobl, alongside developers Lovell Homes.

In a report presented to cabinet before the decision was made, it said that if Pobl were made to pay for the park, the amount of money the council would receive from them for the sale of the land would be reduced. It said that there would be no net cost saving either way, so “it is felt that the play area is better constructed by the authority”.

Cllr Etheridge also criticised the consultation process. He said the nearby Libanus Primary School, which is within his Blackwood ward, had not been consulted about the park.

Deborah Llewellyn, who lives directly opposite the park, also criticised the consultation and said: “Nobody was informed about this park – not even the school [Libanus Primary].

“There was no consultation with the community. Loads of people have now complained but it’s too late.”

She said she was one of only two households to receive letters informing them of the plans to build the new playground and has submitted a complaint to the council about this.

After the plans were approved in 2020, Cllr Etheridge tried to get the decision looked at again due to the lack of consultation, but was unsuccessful.

A council spokesperson said the development was “subject to the normal consultation process as it progressed through the planning process”, which included “consideration of location and input from statutory consultees, including highway and transport specialists”.

“It’s right next to a busy road”

Miss Llewellyn, who has a young daughter, said she’s worried the new playground’s location could be unsafe for children.

She told Caerphilly Observer: “It’s right next to a busy road. A child could run out onto the road trying to get to the park.”

She also said she was worried youths could congregate at the park, as well as possible antisocial behaviour.

With the park directly opposite her home, she is also fearful for her privacy.

She added: “The old park was in a nice environment in Sir Harold Finch Park. This is not the same.

“The community is unhappy. Nobody asked for this new park and nobody wants it. How is this an improvement for our community?”

A council spokesman said: “The old playground needs to be removed as the site is soon to be developed into a major new housing development.

“We are aware that some concerns have been raised about the proximity of the site to the adjacent road, but all appropriate assessments regarding the suitability of the location have been considered as part of the planning process.

“The scheme includes fully-enclosed fencing and we are also planning to develop a planting scheme alongside the site.”