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On the railings outside St David’s Community Centre in Rhymney hung a simple sign: “Save Our Heritage”.
Inside the centre, around 40 people sat in chairs arranged in a semi-circle listening to Rhymney local Alison Jones, who had called the public meeting at 7pm on August 30.
Alison, 75, had already led the 700-signature petition to save the Fit4Living gym and set a better vision for Rhymney in general.
She had also attended the second public consultation on the redevelopment on July 18, where housing association Linc Cymru presented its plan to redevelop the Buchan building – which houses the gym – into ten one-bedroom affordable apartments with parking and a courtyard, along with 17 other affordable homes and a children’s home on the site.
Speaking to Caerphilly Observer at the consultation, Alison said: “The Fit4Living gym, the only successful business offering this facility in Rhymney, has the benefit [of being] in a central location within the Buchan building,” adding that this building has historical worth and industrial heritage.
Alison added that the gym is “well-used” and “has already proven its worth to the community over the last decade”.
She continued: “The Buchan building and what it represents to the residents of Rhymney should not be overlooked.”
At the same meeting, Linc Cymru project manager Chris Monk told Caerphilly Observer: “We did explore retaining the building as a commercial building…unfortunately, it needs hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on it.”
Mr Monk also said: “There represents seven to eight million pounds worth of investment into Rhymney, where a lot of the investment in the borough tends to happen down south.
“It will enhance the features of and bring back into beneficial use the Buchan building, which is being used currently but only in part and is significantly undermaintained and will meet a local housing need.”
Now, Alison reiterated some of this information and added more that she had researched – planning and policies.
“I’ve got so many sheets of papers pertaining to policies,” said Alison.
Part of this research included looking at deprivation in the area – something that suggested more facilities, not fewer, are needed.
According to the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation, Twyn Carno 1 – which is an LSOA (an area smaller than a ward used for statistics with between 1,000 and 3,000 people) has been ranked within the top eight most deprived areas in Wales since 2005.
She hoped to get as many people as possible to submit opposition before the planning hearing.
Objections with merit, she said, were key. “It is finding that very sharp needle in a haystack,” she said.
Alison was among friends – many here wanted to find a way to oppose what was planned.
One attendee felt the council was not on their side and said: “They are acting for Linc’s interest, not for ours.”
Now was the time to act, said Alison. “We’ve got to get down to it…let’s see what we can do.”
‘Concerns’
There are others who oppose the redevelopment, which has now been submitted to Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning department.
Labour councillor Carl Cuss, who represents Twyn Carno, wrote in a public post on Facebook that he had some “concerns” about the redevelopment.
Cllr Cuss wrote: “Most major housing developments in the County are mixed tenure, including one in Rhymney that was approved by the council recently for both social housing and private housing so that people can purchase property locally.
“Unfortunately, this planning application has failed to deliver on this even though it was originally discussed by the developer as a possibility. It therefore contradicts local and national planning policy that supports mixed tenure.”
Cllr Cuss cited paragraph 4.2 of Planning Policy Wales, edition 11, where it is stated: “Planning authorities must understand all aspects of the housing market in their areas, which will include the requirement, supply and delivery of housing.
“This will allow planning authorities to develop evidence-based market and affordable housing policies in their development plans and make informed development management decisions that focus on the creation and enhancement of sustainable places.
“New housing development in both urban and rural areas should incorporate a mix of market and affordable house types, tenures and sizes to cater for the range of identified housing needs and contribute to the development of sustainable and cohesive communities.”
Another issue Cllr Cuss refers to is the “economic impact” that will affect local businesses.
Cllr Cuss continued: “ Helping Hands, a local cancer charity, stores vital equipment for vulnerable residents.
“There’s a car and spray garage located there and a local gym which has received a lot of support from the local community to remain, despite every effort being made to find an alternative location, no site has been officially identified.
“It has been suggested that the gym remains in the Buchan Building along with facilities for promoting Rhymney heritage, but this isn’t reflected in the plans.
“I therefore feel Policy CW8 Protection of Community and Leisure Facilities as contained within the Adopted LDP should apply here. This policy seeks to protect leisure and community facilities that are important to the health, social, educational and cultural needs of the county borough, as well as its economic wellbeing.
“It recognises that such facilities often provide the key elements to achieving more sustainable settlements by providing facilities within easy reach of people by foot or bicycle. This policy should apply to all proposals that lead, or could lead, to the loss of a facility and therefore I feel until this is addressed, I cannot support [it].”
Cllr Cuss added that a “sensitive let policy” should be implemented to protect the communities surrounding the redevelopment area and that some residents “feel a road user safety review” should be undertaken, as large-heavy duty vehicles would need to access the area to work on it.
In conclusion, Cllr Cuss wrote: “Due to the concerns raised above that I feel haven’t been addressed, I wish to therefore oppose the development.”
This article was updated on September 20 to include additional quotes.
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