Conservation group’s battle for woodland

Jan 28 2008 by Peter Collins, South Wales Echo

CONSERVATIONISTS will to hold a demonstration next month in the latest stage of their battle to stop plans to build on ancient woodland.

The Woodland Trust, residents and nature enthusiasts have spent four years fighting an application by Mexican-based concrete conglomerate Cemex to build a 275- metre conveyor belt through Coed Cwm Slade, a mile to the north east of the village of Wenvoe.

Local group, Conservation Glamorgan, mounted an opposition campaign backed by the Woodland Trust. More than 800 people have written to the Vale of Glamorgan Council to object to the plan.

Cwm Slade borders Woodland Trust sites at Cwm George and Casehill Woods.

Graham Bradley, spokesman for the Woodland Trust said: “Not only would this application destroy ancient woodland, but the increased noise, dust and pollution would have a detrimental effect on surrounding woodland.

“We have already lost half the ancient woodland that existed in the Vale or Glamorgan in the 1930s.”

The Vale council’s planning committee will make a final decision on the application on February 4. Opponents will demonstrate outside the meeting in Barry.