Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
Vale of Glamorgan Council

If the development is to go ahead, the hedgerow should remain in place and the border between the new development and Georges Row should be secure, with no route through our private back lane.

This is my second response to the consultation. Since responding, I have learned that although it does not currently appear in the Deposit Plan, it is proposed that an additional active travel route be opened up in Georges Row, through the private lane between 24 and 26 Georges Row. This would be devastating for residents backing onto the new development, and especially those at 26-40 Georges Row. There is a wide, tarmacked back lane behind these houses, which leads off the private lane that is proposed as the active travel route. This is currently a quiet, private and safe area between our gardens and our garages – for example, this last weekend I was able to air the inside of my car by leaving the car window and boot lid open all day. This private, safe space will disappear with potentially hundreds of pedestrians and cyclists passing through the lane. Passers by may hang around the area or use the quiet corners beside or behind garages for discreet deals while children may be attracted to play on the hard standing. Drivers may be attracted to park on this private land or on the street in Georges Row (which already has a parking problem) to avoid driving through the estate and any queues when exiting. I am very concerned about the range of anti-social behaviour that this active travel route through our private land may cause, as on other alleys in the Vale where the council have now had to install gated access. As mentioned, the lane to the back of the houses is private, and ownership shared between residents. There is no public right of way. The stile to the fields was added as an expediency but there used to be a fence there. How is it possible for a developer or the council to just decide to use our private land for such a potentially busy cycle way? Finally it seems very unfair that this devastating proposal to add an active travel route through our land should be added after the Deposit Plan is published for consultation so that we do not have a proper opportunity to express our views before the plan is lodged with the Welsh Government.