– 7 til 9pm, Monday 9th March

- Dempseys Pub, opposite the castle

- £2 entry (to cover room hire)

Alan Gillard and Daniel Stollar from Gillard Associates, a Cardiff based firm of sustainable architects, will be presenting their ideas on community based housing and low carbon design and refurbishment.

Followed by an opportunity for questions and facilitated discussion.

The Coal Minerals Technical Advice Note (Coal TAN) gives comprehensive advice for local planning authorities and applicants. It will apply to both surface and underground coal sites.

Making the announcement, Environment, Sustainability & Housing Minister Jane Davidson said:

This new advice delivers a key One Wales commitment by the Assembly Government to introduce compulsory Health Impact Assessments for open cast coal applications, together with buffer zones which will now be set at 500 metres. It places an emphasis on planners and developers working closely with local communities.

It gives us an opportunity to make sure we strike the right balance between different interests and help ensure coal extraction is sustainable.

We have always said coal can play an important role in the supply of energy, particularly as Carbon Capture and Storage technology is developed. However, the quality of life of the people and communities closer to extraction sites must also be taken into consideration. As a government we want to ensure our policies and planning decisions maintain and improve the quality of life of local communities.

Commenting on the introduction of a 500 metre buffer zone, Ms Davidson added:

Including a 500 metre buffer zone policy is a significant step towards our common goals – planning for a coal industry that works with local communities, that respects the environment and, for the immediate future, continues to contribute to a secure, diverse and sustainable supply of energy and of coke for the iron and steel industry. We also recognise that coal working can be the best way to bring damaged land back to use, and sometimes, in exceptional circumstances, this will be closer to communities.

This means putting a high value on the well-being of the people who live and work in the Welsh coalfields, their health and every day amenity while at the same time recognising the value of our coal for energy, for steel, for employment and regeneration.

The Meeting is at 5pm on Thursday 9th October 2008 at Sobells Sports Centre, Aberdare.

At the Planning Meeting R.C.T. Councillors will be deciding on the Gloucesters/Ironworks site planning application which will have a huge effect on the village of Hirwaun.

A company called Piper Homes want to build 130 houses on the Hirwaun Gloucesters and old Ironworks site. This area is much valued and used by the community as an area for recreation and leisure and home to an abundance of wildlife and flora.

Dot Reid is retaliating against plans to bulldoze her home and 71 others in Kirkby, to make way for Everton’s new stadium and a Tesco supermarket.

The 58-year-old said Sir Terry, who lives in a mansion in Hertfordshire, deserved a taste of his own medicine.

Full story on BBC Online here

* * PUBLIC INQUIRY scheduled for 10 a.m. on TUESDAY 23rd OCTOBER at HIRWAUN COMMUNITY CENTRE * *

A planning application to build over one hundred homes on the Gloucesters site in Hirwaun was rejected by Rhondda Cynon Taff Council. The developer Piper Homes subsequently appealed against the decision. As result of this, the Welsh Assembly are holding a Public Inquiry.

According to Action for Hirwaun, “The Gloucesters site comprises an area of land in the centre of the village which is widely used by villagers for recreation walking, dog walking, horse riding, cycling etc. Perhaps most importantly, the whole area is a giant adventure playground for children. The Gloucester is also a S.I.N.C. site – a site of interest to nature conservation.
Concerned with the amount of housing development which has taken place in recent years, and with more in the pipeline, villagers decided enough was enough, signed petitions, packed out a public meeting and sent letters to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, even stood in front of bulldozers to object to any housing development on the Ironworks/Gloucesters. Villagers wished to retain the amenity for the village, after all the Gloucesters has been open access, unfenced in living memory and well used for recreation by generations of villagers.”

“Piper has appealed against this decision, they do not agree that we have traffic problems at the Post Office junction, they believe we have enough amenities in our community. The end result is that the Welsh Assembly will hear this appeal in the form of a PUBLIC INQUIRY scheduled for 10 a.m. on TUESDAY 23rd OCTOBER at HIRWAUN COMMUNITY CENTRE. The appeal may run over 2 days.”