P-04-390 – Designate Penrhos Holyhead Nature reserve (coastal park) a National reserve

 

Jenny Amelia Jones

08 November 2012

 

 

 

 

Petitions Committee,

National Assembly for Wales,

Cardiff Bay,

Cardiff.

CF99 1NA

 

Dear William Powell,

 

Evidence and request for petition to remain active: evidence from Ynys Mon Local Plan mirrors the principle of my petition- to protect by designation.

 

The Ynys Mon Local Plan is integral to the Isle of Anglesey County Council (IOACC) legitimacy: democracy and Local Government must not co-exist as separate entities,they should act as a single author of legitimacy espoused by the will and consent of the people; unlike the rest of Britain IOACC have failed to gain the consent of their constituents this year. This means the citizens of Holyhead can only have their voices heard by 21st C advocacy I.e. The Welsh Assembly Petition Committee. Public engagement  in decision making regarding large scale changes to the historical landscape of Holy Island is essential to the wellbeing of its citizens: the Welsh landscape is our natural constitution and its citizens feel that planning decisions are unsafe in the hands of their unelected councillors:

 

‘A number of allegations of corruption and impropriety, relating to issues of land and property, contracts, grants and gifts and hospitality, led to two public interest reports being issued by the District Auditor in 1998.’ (Report of the Auditor General for Wales Ref: 162A2011.The Isle of Anglesey County Council has had a long history of not being properly run. Page7)

 

The IOACC is currently under special measures and we the people have no faith in their decision making. It might be appropriate to approach the Director of communities, Gwen Carrington to comment. 

 

In respect of the letter dated 20 October 2012 by Robert Thomas Countryside Council of Wales I would like to bring your attention to:

 

 'it remains an important local wildlife and recreational asset'

 

 I would also like to bring to your attention the letter dated 26 June 2012 written by Richard Parry Jones:

 

'The development lies within the boundary of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty'

 

Penrhos Nature reserve is without question an important local and recreational asset and this is reflected in the Cynllun Lleol Ynys Mon Local Plan Volume1:’

 

‘3.19 The Council has commissioned a commercial development study of the area around Anglesey Aluminium. The study produced a number of proposals which include the development of the land proposed in this Policy and also active and passive leisure schemes. The Council wishes to see the boundary of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty affecting this site amended in order to exclude the land proposed for commercial development along with Anglesey Aluminium's existing works. The land is the only large green field site suitable for major commercial development adjacent to Holyhead, and its development will need to be considered in that context.’(Ynys Mon Local Plan chapter 3.19. Page 16+17)

 

The above makes it clear that the Ynys Mon Local Plan states that the Penrhos area should have its AONB extended in order to protect Penrhos Reserve/park please see Proposals map below- Penrhos area (diagonal red lines) policy 30

 

Landscape.

Policy 30. Within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (which includes defined Heritage Coast) shown on the Proposals Map, the Council will give priority to the protection and enhancement of the landscape when considering planning applications. (Ynys Mon Local plan. chapter4 policy 30. Page 29)

 

This map is a representation of the extension of the AONB demarcation proposed by Ynys Mon Local Plan: aerial view map from Microsoft corp. with added demarcation illustrated by Jenny Jones

 

 

Key to Local Ynys Mon Plan
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Being that planning applications are decided in line with Ynys Mon Local plan I suggest that my wish to have it designated an NNR is in principe in line with the Ynys Mon Local Plan to extend the AONB area to include Penrhos: Policy 30 clearly shows Penrhos Reserve/Park area as an AONB. I therefore request that in line with the Welsh Assembly PDF what happens next    The petition committee seek,

‘further information from the Assembly’s Research Service or Legal Service;’

and also request information on why the Council has failed to act upon Ynys Mon Local Plan-3.19 _Policy 30 and have consequently taken measures to contravene what is set out in the Ynys Mon local Plan.

 

It should be noted that my petition has also acted to reclassify the area-Penrhos hence acknowledging the principles set out in Policy 30.

 

(It must also be born in mind that Penrhos was for 3 decades known as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) by agreement between Anglesey Aluminium (AA) and Anglesey County Council.)

 

I also request that in light of the letter written by Richard Parry Jones an insistence that  Environment Health be informed and notified about the contaminated land (Cae Glas) Mr Richard Parry Jones refers to in his letter: in compliance with Policy SG1. The area was a former landfill site and would be unsuitable as a nature reserve, they must also be informed about proposed development in Penrhos and possible contaminants in Soils and conduct a collation of toxicological data and intake values for humans in both areas: at this point I would like to remind you of my original evidence (Penrhos Reserve Environmental buffer). The potential effect of the old industry AA on the Penrhos environment: toxicity of the landscape and how continued preservation of Penrhos must be maintained to prevent the destruction of a stable environment; the ecology, soil and erosion are of grave importance when you consider the biodiversity of Penrhos and its surrounding area , Beddmanarch bay; designation i.e. AONB local plan could prevent soil degradation and toxicity leeching to surrounding environment: development on this site could have disasterous consequences. Environmental health have a duty to protect public health and must be informed of a potential eradication of an environmental buffer that has provided an array of priceless benefits to the community, including community health benefits via environmental health.

 

I would also request a copy of the original document referred to in the Local plan in order to establish a statement of intent by IOACC in the Local Ynys Mon Plan to be included as evidence. (Ynys Mon Local Plan. 3.19 The Council has commissioned a commercial development study of the area around Anglesey Aluminium.page 16)

 

Community justice in anticipation of the localism bill can currently only be practiced in good faith through The Welsh Assembly Petitions Committee. I therefore respectfully request the petition remain open, given the issues raised by Mr R Parry Jones and my original petition does in principle reflect the same design and ethos to protect Penrhos as stated in the Ynys Mon Local Plan. I look forward to further correspondence.

 

Yours Sincerely,

Jenny Amelia Jones

(Petitioner)