Site visit for disputed Fresh West land (From Western Telegraph)

Site visit for disputed Fresh West land

10:57am Tuesday 27th March 2007 in

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A Welsh Assembly appointed planning inspector is to visit the Burrows area of Freshwater East today, before the adjournment of the Burrows inquiry until April 24th.

In the latest round of their battle to register the unique Burrows area as a village green, members of Freshwater East Society and Community Association expressed concern at last week's public inquiry that the National Park Authority is opposed to the idea.

The Burrows is largely owned by the Park Authority, which in the past has supported a comprehensive development plan for the area, which the residents fear would deny them public access.

At the Inquiry at Lamphey Court Hotel last week, they had the support of the Pembrokeshire Branch of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales.

Campaign chairman Mary Sinclair said: "Local people are bitterly disappointed and frightened that the National Park Authority is opposing the designation. Comprehensive development would swamp this sandy ecosystem with hundreds of houses and turn what has been used for generations as a public open space into a private and exclusive domain."

She continued: "Even now, despite the National Park's primary aim to conserve the area, it is possible that at some point in the future, unless protected by Village Green designation, it could be required to realise its asset and sell it for development."

Describing the Burrows as "one of Pembrokeshire's gems," Mrs Sinclair said the National Park continued to give planning consent for creeping incremental development with accompanying environmental damage.

"The Pembrokeshire Branch of the CPRW is profoundly disappointed at the National Park's opposition to this initiative by the local community," she added. During the four day hearing the applicants' put their case and were cross-examined by National Park representatives.