PLANS for permanent fencing near the Taff Trail in Merthyr Tydfil have been put on hold for further discussions to take place over its height.
The council’s planning committee deferred the application which relates to an area west of Furnace Row in Troedyrhiw on the eastern side of the Taff Trail.
The plans from Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water include a 1.5m high hoop top metal fence for a length of approximately 80m along the top of a retaining wall immediately adjacent to and in line with the edge of the Taff Trail running from north to south.
There will also be bat and bird boxes installed adjacent to the site providing a net benefit for biodiversity.
But Councillor Gareth Lewis requested this application be presented to the planning committee for determination to consider the concerns raised by local residents in respect of the potential impact on the character of the neighbouring properties and surrounding area.
As a result of the first consultation 10 letters of objection were received from local residents an following the re-consultation in October 2025 a further four objections were received.
The second re-consultation in March 2026 resulted in an additional four objections being received but there was one letter supporting it also received.
Those objecting said the development would result in an impact on residential amenity creating a sense of enclosure and claimed it would be overbearing due to its height and the loss of view.
They said the existing herras fencing is an eyesore and the proposed fence is out of character with the surrounding area.
They also said the proposed fencing would result in the loss of interactions with the trail users and the fencing would create an obstruction to visibility for all users with residents having to step out into the roads and access impeded by the proposed gates.
They raised cultural and historic issues relating to the age of the properties at Furnace Row and their association with the industrial revolution and said while the proposed fence is required for health and safety reasons its design takes no account of the wellbeing of residents.
Finally they raised concerns in relation to the placement of ecological enhancement features.
However the letter in support of the application said the application should be supported as the area has been subject to accidents occurring affecting pedestrians, push bikes, and motorbikes and the fence will function as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour in the area.
Planning officers at the council have recommended it for approval saying the proposal would effectively replace the existing temporary herras fencing, which is currently required for safety purposes so the proposal is acceptable in principle.
They also said the proposed development is deemed to be appropriate to the local context in terms of its scale, height, and material finishes and would not have a detrimental impact on the character or appearance of the area.
Officers said the fencing is not deemed to give rise to an unacceptable impact on residential amenity and that there have been no concerns raised by the head of highways and engineering in respect of highway safety, any impact on visibility for pedestrians or other users of the trailm or the proposed points of access onto the trail.
They said the proposal would not have any adverse impact on the conservation of historic environment assets and the council’s ecologist has raised no issues in principle with the proposal for pole-mounted bird and bat boxes to be provided, which would help deliver net biodiversity benefits.
