‘Newport Gypsy site proposal could stop council paying off Hartridge school debt’ - claim

From the South Wales Argus

A FORMER Newport councillor says the proposed Gypsy site in Ringland could jeopardise the sale of land the council needs to recoup the £29 million cost of Llanwern High School.

David Hando, who lives near the proposed site, on Hartridge Farm Drive, said the former administration, of which he was a cabinet member, designated land including and surrounding the Road Safety Centre as an area for housing.

It planned to sell this and use the money to repay what it borrowed to replace the outdated Hartridge High School, he said.

Mr Hando believes no developer will want to build houses next to a Gypsy and Traveller site which means the council will need to find another way to pay the debt.

The former Liberal Democrat councillor for Beechwood also fears parents will not want to send their children to the new school if a site is built there as planned. He says this was one of the reasons councillors, including himself, ruled the area out of a shortlist of sites it approved for its draft Local Development Plan last year.

He said the school, pupils and teachers had undergone a transformation of attitude and appearance but its future was being put at great peril by the proposed site.

He said: “All this good work would be undermined because of people’s perception of a Traveller site on the doorstep, however unfair that perception may be.”

“Developers will be dissuaded from purchasing that land by the prospect of a Travellers’ site. The proceeds of such sales are essential to offset the money borrowed to build the school.”

Welsh Government guidelines on Gypsy and Traveller sites say they should be near local services such as schools, where possible.

The council was unable to respond to Cllr Hando’s claims as the Argus went to press.

Plans set to be put to city cabinet

PLANS for five sites will be discussed at Newport’s cabinet meeting on Monday.

As well as the Road Safety Centre, smaller residential sites could be built on the former Ringland allotments and Brickyard Lane in Allt-Yr-Yn, if a need arises in future.

Land at Celtic Way, Marshfield, was chosen as an alternative transit site if a preferred site on the A449 can not be developed.

If passed, they will go before full council which will decide whether to replace five existing sites in the plan with the newly chosen areas next year.