On Sunday 17th November, Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust will hold its 11th A G M and Lunch at the Waterloo Hotel in Newport. As soon as you decide to come along, send in for the Menu and other details, explained on the poster.
Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Friday, 25 October 2019
Help to stop the Rot!
STOP THE ROT!
Ruperra Castle Preservation
Trust fears that Caerphilly’s forgotten Castle – at Ruperra – is at risk and
that Ruperra, an exceptional pageant castle unique in Wales and built by
Welshman Sir Thomas Morgan – ancestor of the Lords Tredegar – will remain hidden,
undervalued and ruinous.
The current owners – Mr and Mrs
Al Khafaji – have put in planning applications for the first part of a residential
development with no proposals for the Castle and no prospect of producing
enough surplus money to restore the Castle which they have left to rot. The Trust thinks these applications should be
REFUSED.
NO REPAIR OR RESTORATION WORK HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN ON THE CASTLE since
1941 apart from emergency work to demolish internal chimneys - despite Scheduled
Ancient Monument and Listed Building legislation. During this time the south-east tower has
collapsed and large cracks have appeared in its largely unsupported walls and
north-west tower.
The Ecological Impact Assessment
report shows the extent and importance of protected species on the site
including a colony of Greater Horseshoe bats.
The applications will affect the Stables, Bothy and Generator block which
houses a 204 Greater Horseshoe Bat maternity roost - one of only 5 in Wales.
The Council’s own LAND MAP and
the EU-funded Sustainable Caerphilly Landscape Master plan (developed with
external expertise and inputs from a wide range of voluntary groups, including
the Trust) shows the need for a sustainable future for this historic area.
The Trust considers that
Caerphilly Council should refuse these applications because they WILL NOT protect the Castle for local
young people as required under the Well-being of Future Generations Act (WFGA).
Pat Jones Jenkins, Secretary of
the Trust said “The Castle and its Estate
are an unique and precious part of the heritage of Wales much valued by local
people who are appalled at the level of neglect and lack of public access. Like Caerphilly Castle and Tredegar House,
Ruperra Castle and Estate is a vital link to families who made a huge impact on
the history of Wales, its industries and its people over many centuries.
The Ruperra
Castle Preservation Trust has been pivotal in recording and making available to
local communities many of its stories from the distant and more recent past. There are more which are yet to be
investigated and re-told. Allowing it to become a private gated community is
not the way forward! “
Please send your objections
by Monday 28th October to planadmin@caerphillygov.uk
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)