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.