Name for new housing development an “insult”

Community councillors have criticised the name of a controversial new housing estate, branding it an “insult”.

Penyrheol, Trecenydd and Energlyn Community Council has voted to lodge an official objection to the name De Clare Gardens, a Redrow scheme in Hendredenny, Caerphilly

Councillor Lindsay Whittle, who has written to developers Redrow, said: “Gilbert De Clare built Caerphilly Castle in the 13th century. An ally of Henry III, he had the castle constructed to keep the unruly Welsh people down. He is also said to have led the massacre of the Jews at Canterbury, hardly the sort of person you should be naming a development after.

 “I’m very surprised that a house-builder with its headquarters in Wales should show such insensitivity. Didn’t someone at Redrow do some research on De Clare?

“To give this part of Hendredenny this name is also a total insult to the campaigners who fought Redrow. It gives an impression of Redrow showing contempt for local public opinion.”

Cllr Lindsay Whittle, a former leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, called on Redrow to scrap the proposed name and discuss a more suitable one with the local community which better reflected modern Wales.