Residents and campaigners have reacted furiously to comments by Mr Bob Dewey, of Wrexham council’s planning department, in the planning meeting to consider the National Trust’s application to build 223 houses on Erddig estate ground in Rhostyllen. Mr Dewey said that the council’s guideline that no development should adversely affect Welsh identity or language was ‘not applicable in this case because Rhostyllen doesn’t have a sense of Welsh identity’.

Spectators from Rhostyllen at the meeting let out a collective gasp of disbelief, and shouts of ‘out of order’ followed the comments. The issue of identity was not commented on further by any other member of the committee, despite Wrexham council having a clear guideline in place that states ‘no new development should have an adverse affect on Welsh identity and or language.’

Carrie Harper of Cymuned said “I am absolutely astounded by Mr Dewey’s comments. He is part of the planning committee and responsible for making decisions on behalf of the people of Wrecsam. If a ward that has over 80% of its population born in Wales has no Welsh identity, I dread to think what lies in store for the rest of Wrexham. The point we wanted to make was that the commuter development would increase Rhostyllen’s population by almost 40%, the majority of people being from outside the locality. There is no possible doubt that this will have an adverse effect on the Welsh identity and character of the area. This clearly contravenes Welsh Assembly and local council policies, yet the council seem intent on refusing to implement their own guideline.”

Tara Green of the Rhostyllen Residents Committee said “To say Rhostyllen isn’t Welsh is an absolute insult to residents, it’s unforgivable. In addition, the planning committee brushed aside the issue of local opposition despite an official referendum with results of 2:1 against. The decision has now been deferred but serious questions have to be asked about why our council is ignoring official planning guidelines. We have identified at least seven other guidelines which this proposed development breaches. I’m personally very concerned about this whole process, especially the fact that they are ignoring local opinion.”

Campaigners have called for a public statement from Wrexham council to clarify whether or not they recognise their own guideline of doing no damage to Welsh identity or language, and whether or not they consider Rhostyllen to have a Welsh identity.

Rhostyllen Residents Committee and Cymuned campaigners have started a campaign aimed at National Trust members after the National Trust refused to comment on the referendum that voted overwhelmingly against their plans to develop 223 houses in Rhostyllen. The new campaign will ask National Trust members to state support for a motion which will be placed before the National Trust’s next Annual General Meeting to put a halt to the plans and vote out board members responsible for passing them.

In the meantime, campaigners are repeating their request for the National Trust to respect the democratic views of local people by pulling out of the planning application.

Susan Griffith, chairperson of the Rhostyllen Residents Committee (RRC) said ‘The National Trust have point blank refused to issue any comment about the results of the referendum. Residents have voted against the plans but the National Trust have still not issued a statement to say they will abide by the democratic process and pull out. Letters have been sent out to them to request they scrap their plans but strangely have recieved no response. Are the National Trust intending to go against the wishes of the local community and against the democratic process?’

Residents in Esclusham also voted no confidence in Esclusham community council. Tara Green also of the RRC said ‘We have called for the community council to do the honourable thing and resign but are yet get a response. If they refuse, residents are willing to stand against them at the upcoming elections in May, it is vitally important that we have confidence and trust in those representing us.’

Members of the Trust have not been consulted about these plans and are now joining the campaign against the development. They intend to vote out those responsible at the National Trust’s Annual General Meeting later this year.

Carrie Harper of Cymuned said ‘We have spoken to hundreds of Trust members and the vast majority are against the plans. In addition to those that have already stated their support, we are now calling on all Trust members who oppose these plans to join the ‘Friends of Erddig’ campaign. They can do so by visiting www.Rhostyllen.com and supporting the call of other members to vote out those responsible at the Annual General Meeting.’

The community pressure group Cymuned has strongly condemned those responsible for sending an anonymous letter to the organisation’s Chief Executive telling him to ‘make your peace with your God while you can.’ The letter has been passed on to North Wales Police and is currently being examined by the police forensics department in Llanelwy.

‘This cowardly attack shows clearly what kind of people oppose the positive work that Cymuned is engaged in,’ said a spokesperson on behalf of Cymuned. ‘Obviously, we cannot respond directly to an anonymous letter, but we would like to ask this coward which part of Cymuned’s work he or she is attempting to undermine.’

‘Is this an attack against the lobbying work we do to call for housing for local people, and the connected work emphasising the vital importance of communities across Wales? Or is this an attack against the Pwllheli Business Network that we are developing in partnership with local businesses in Pwllheli, in order to help promote local businesses more successfully? Or is it an attack against our Chief Executive and his family for putting so much of their time and energy into the work described above?’

Cymuned will be discussing structural changes to the organisation in order to make sure that hate-driven people like this will not be able to target individual members of Cymuned in the future. However, Cymuned is also determined not to permit threats like this to interrupt the positive and important work that members of Cymuned are engaged in across Wales – as has always been true, Cymuned will not back down in the face of hatred. Cymuned will continue to promote Pwllheli.org on behalf of businesses in Pwllheli, will continue to promote Homes4Locals.com on behalf of local people who cannot afford homes, and will continue to promote Cymuned.net for people who want to make a positive difference to their own communities.

Cymuned has thanked North Wales Police for their professional and speedy response to the situation, and for the support that has been offered through the Victom Support network.

Campaigners have won a vote against National Trust plans to build 223 houses on its Erddig estate in Wrexham by 385 to 209 in a turn out of 24% - a ratio of almost 2 to 1 against. The same referendum also passed a vote of no confidence in the Rhostyllen Community Council by 307 to 221.

Election proceedings were marred when the local council used taxpayers money to send council workers to remove posters publicising the referendum, in what has been described as ‘an obscene abuse of power’. However, local campaigners are delighted with their significant victory.

Rhostyllen.com campaigner Tara Green said ‘We are extremely happy with the results of the vote. The National Trust can no longer falsely claim that the majority of local people are in favour of the development. People have finally had their say and it is a resounding NO. The vote also applied to any other development in our community that is not based on local need. Local people do not want this development, so it is time for the Trust to scrap their plans and abide by the democratic process.’

The Rhostyllen Residents Committee have challenged the community council to step down in light of the no confidence vote against them. A spokesperson said ‘A clear majority have voted no confidence in this council, and it is therefore only right that they now accept this decision and resign.’

Carrie Harper from campaign group Cymuned said ‘Local people have made it clear that they are against the National Trust’s ‘new village’ development. The planning committee should now take this into account when deciding on the planning application and refuse it. Iwan Huws, Director of Wales for the National Trust, has stated publicly that the development would be decided by the democratic process. The only acceptable option now is for them to pull out. If they do not, the campaign will continue and their own members will vote out those responsible for the decision at the Trust’s AGM later this year. Hundreds have already spoken to us and stated their willingness to do so.’

CAMPAIGNERS FURIOUS AT SYSTEMATIC REMOVAL OF ELECTION POSTERS

Campaigners in Rhostyllen have been appalled to see council vans following local residents putting up posters to publicise the referendum on the National Trust’s plans to build 223 houses in Rhostyllen. The referendum is being held from 4.00pm until 9.00pm this evening, and council workers have been removing every poster that concerned local residents have put up.

Under the 1972 Local Government Act, Wrexham council is not obliged to publicise the referendum in Rhostyllen at all, and the Act states clearly that the responsibility for drawing attention to the referendum lies with the people who requested it.

Due to complaints believed to have come from Rhostyllen councillor Mark Pritchard, currently campaigning in favour of the development despite have spoken against it regularly, council workers have been attempting to remove all posters promoting the election.

Campaigners want to know how much it is costing the tax-payers of Rhostyllen to have council workers attempting to make sure that the residents do not know about the referendum.

‘This is an obscene abuse of power,’ says Carrie Harper, local representative for the communities group Cymuned. ‘The council is spending our money to stop people in Rhostyllen from hearing that they have a chance to voice their feelings about the
proposed over-development. It is bad enough when councils drag their feet on their obligations to consult the public - but to have the council actively trying to hush up this vital example of community democracy is an appalling example of their sneering
disrespect for ordinary people.’

Residents of Rhostyllen today have the opportunity to vote against National Trust plans to build 223 houses on the Erddig estate facing Rhostyllen. Polls will be open from 4.00pm until 9.00pm in the Rhostyllen Parish Hall, after the Rhostyllen Residents Committee and campaign group Cymuned successfully won their call for a local referendum. Residents will also have the opportunity to vote on a motion of no
confidence in the Esclusham community council.

Campaigner Tara Green said “This is the democratic process, and we feel it was vital for us to express our views. We urge all residents of Esclusham to use this opportunity to have their say and to go to the Parish Hall and vote.”

Rhostyllen resident Barbara Davies also says residents are happy that they are finally able to have their say. “Although it has taken some time to organise, we are happy finally to have the chance to challenge National Trust claims that the majority of us
are in favour of this development. This is our community, it is only right that we have a say about its future.”

Carrie Harper of campaign group Cymuned said “This is all about democracy. Democracy for the people of Rhostyllen and Esclusham and also now about democracy for National Trust members. Hundreds have contacted us expressing their concerns about the National Trust’s actions here in Wrexham. Trust members will also be following the
democratic process and attending the Trust’s AGM this year to vote out those responsible for this decision. The National Trust will have to learn the hard way that they cannot ride roughshod over local communities or their own members.”

Rhostyllen.com campaigners have announced today that a referendum of the community of Esclusham will be taking place on Tuesday the 22nd January. Residents will get the chance to say whether or not they are against National Trust plans to build 223 houses opposite the village of Rhostyllen and also any other development within their community that is not based on local need.

The electoral department confirmed yesterday that the referendum will be open to all electors of the ward of Esclusham, which includes the villages of Rhostyllen, Bersham and Pentre Bychan. The vote will take place at the Parish Hall in Rhostyllen. Polling stations will be open from 4pm in the afternoon until 9.00pm in the evening.

Campaigners will now be publicising a Vote No campaign. Tara Green of the Rhostyllen Resident Committee said ‘We have fought hard to ensure the people of our community get a say about this development. This process has been made very difficult because of the behaviour of our community council; they have refused to allow public meetings and excluded us from meetings with the Trust. Because of their behaviour, residents voted in a majority to include a vote of no confidence in the council along with a vote about the Erddig development itself. The democratic process should be followed: neither the National Trust or community council can deny us our right to have our say.’

Carrie Harper, from the campaign group Cymuned, said ‘Residents have shown an amazing amount of commitment and determination to secure this referendum. We now challenge the National Trust and planning department to follow the democratic process and abide by the result of this vote.’

The communities group Cymuned has condemned Cynnal Cymru, which is financed by the Assembly Government in order to promote sustainable development in Wales, for refusing to make any comment on the unpopular proposed development by the National Trust in Rhostyllen near Wrecsam. Dr Ruth Williams is on the board of Cynnal Cymru and is also the Welsh Affairs Manager for the National Trust – and she also has refused to meet Cymuned representatives.

‘We believe that this reflects extremely poorly on Cynnal Cymru,’ says Aran Jones, Cymuned’s Chief Executive, ‘since it looks to be obvious that there is a link between board members’ employment and the issues that the organisation is willing to speak about. It’s bad enough that Dr Ruth Williams refuses to speak with Cymuned representatives, but to see Cynnal Cymru also refusing to make any comment on a proposed development which is in no way based on local need is absolutely appalling.’

Cymuned is working with the Rhostyllen Residents Committee (www.Rhostyllen.com) to promote awareness of local people’s unhappiness with the proposed development, which will involved building 223 houses which are not for local need, with a significantly lower percentage set aside for affordable housing than the Assembly is currently encouraging.

‘We’ve worked very hard to try and hold positive and sincere discussion with the National Trust, but they appear to have no concern whatsoever for the wishes of local people,’ says Carrie Harper, Cymuned’s representative in the North-East. ‘They simply want to make as much money as possible, to take advantage of the housing crisis, and the fact that their Welsh Affairs Manager won’t even speak with us tells volumes about their attitude. When the Trust has to choose between profit or local people, it chooses profit.’

Communities pressure group Cymuned has welcomed the Assembly Government’s decision to apply for powers from the UK government to suspend tenants’ “right to buy” in order to ensure that people on modest incomes can still find houses to rent in the areas where they live.

Cymuned believes that the steps the government is taking is a clear indication of the will to move forward towards effecting a significant change in the present situation, but that there is still a need to create a sustainable local housing market.

‘We support this decision by the government,’ said Aran Jones, Cymuned’s Chief Executive, ‘and we see it as indicative of the Assembly Government’s eagerness to face one of Wales’ biggest problems. But we believe there is a need to look at how to create a secondary sustainable housing market that will have a wider and more positive effect on the market as a whole.’

Cymuned believes there is an urgent need for wide-ranging discussion on the principle of establishing a local and sustainable housing market, instead of over-focusing on affordable housing in a way which shows signs of creating unnecessary complications for both buyers and sellers, and that the establishment of a sustainable local housing market would prevent the current disintegration of communities throughout Wales, as well as providing a solid basis for the vital work of strengthening local economies in order to create a better future for the entire country. The group runs the Homes4Locals.com campaign to encourage people to get involved in their own communities and make a difference at grass-roots level.

Rhostyllen residents will finally get the chance to have their say about controversial plans by the National trust to build 223 houses opposite their village. Residents have consistently been denied a public meeting about the plans, and have accused the community council in Rhostyllen of not representing their community and excluding residents from meetings with the National Trust.

In a dramatic twist, Rhostyllen.com campaigners say they have overcome the obstacles put in place by the National Trust and Esclusham community council to finally ensure that local people have their say about the future of their village.

Campaigners have been fighting for the last year to try and get a public meeting about the development. On 4 separate occasions the community council have refused the requests, blocking any sort of open discussion about the National Trust’s plans. But residents will now have a vote as to whether or not they are in favour of the ‘new village’ development; the vote will also apply to any other development within the community of Esclusham that is not based on local need. Additionally, residents have proposed a vote of no confidence in Esclusham community council.

Tara Green of the Rhostyllen Residents Committee said “It’s time to let the people decide - that is what this whole campaign has been about.”

The law allows local electors to convene their own parish meeting and to propose a referendum on an issue or issues relevant to their area. This is exactly what residents in Rhostyllen have done. They have delivered their official request to the county council, who now have between 14 to 25 days to comply under the local government act 1972, Schedule 12, Part III, Paragraph18(2).

Carrie Harper of the campaign group Cymuned said “We completely support the actions of the residents in Rhostyllen, and will help with this process in any way we can. It is only right that communities themselves decide what is right for their future instead of being dictated to by the council and developers. This will be an official vote, paid for and organised by the county council. Assembly guidelines (Planning Wales 2002) state that the planning committee should take on board the results of this vote when deciding on the application in question. Recently on the Dragon’s Eye programme, Iwan Hughes (Director of the National Trust in Wales) clearly stated that ‘This development will be decided by the democratic process’. We look forward to seeing if the National Trust will be true to their word.”

Campaigners say further details and a date for the referendum are expected soon. Due to the fact that the county council are not obliged to publicise the event, campaigners intend to inform the whole community of Esclusham as soon as a date is confirmed.