Travellers told to stop digging into Welsh hillside over fears of landslip

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A traveller group has been ordered to stop eradicating tonnes of earth from a hillside within the Welsh valleys.

Blaenau Gwent Council has served a “stop notice” to the landowners, following locals elevating fears the excavation may trigger a landslip.

The earth has been faraway from a sloping discipline subsequent to Nantyglo Rugby Club in Blaenau Gwent, South Wales.

The works have been occurring for greater than every week, with residents complaining of heavy equipment since late March.

Stop notices are served by planning authorities when there are issues there was a breach of planning guidelines.

The discover might be in place for 28 days.

Speaking to the BBC, a Blaenau Gwent Council spokesperson mentioned: “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 (stop) notice requires that the activity specified is stopped with immediate effect.”

The council additionally mentioned it has commissioned impartial consultants to assess the steadiness of the land however had concluded there was no speedy danger to properties within the space.

Ahead of the stop discover being issued, some 874 folks signed a petition calling for a halt to the “unauthorised occupation” of the land.

One particular person mentioned: “Why should people ride roughshod over planning regulation?

“If and when that landslips it will be the taxpayer picking up the tab.

“The council must act now and stop these unauthorised land works.”

Another mentioned: “This is not just morally wrong but the risk of road collapse due to close excavation is massively increased.

“This is a very busy road they are digging alongside.”

The proprietor of the positioning told the BBC the land can be used for grazing horses, however didn’t deny there have been plans to flip it into a settlement sooner or later.