Meadows are under threat (From Free Press Series)

Meadows are under threat

PART of Castle Meadows in Abergavenny is in danger of being washed away by the River Usk, says a leading councillor.

Cllr Alan Breeze said if something is not done about the bank erosion in front of Abergavenny Castle, there won't be meadows there in future.

Speaking at last week's meeting of the Bryn y Cwm area meeting he said money had been wasted on schemes to halt the erosion, including the laying of trees on the river bank about five years ago, which was washed away by the first flood.

He said local anglers had warned this would happen, and they were proved correct. He added: "Why not listen to local expertise - those who love the water and work for us on the river. We need to safeguard the interests of the area and this is a lovely natural meadow and the river attracts anglers from all over the area."

He suggested a site meeting for the Bryn y Cwm area committee and local anglers and this was agreed.

Matthew Lewis, Monmouthshire County Council's countryside manager, gave a presentation to the meeting. He said the site is one of the largest recreational sites in the county, and the only remaining town river meadow in the Usk Valley.

"It is a really special place and is probably one of the few remaining meadows in the whole of Wales.

Current and future management issues include river erosion, and the proposed design study into works proposed by the Abergavenny Game Fishing Association to re-align the channel of the river."

He said they were also looking at the issue of dog fouling and considering the triangular piece of land below the castle for a pilot scheme.

Cllr Verona Nelmes said it would be a useful idea to use that piece of land, and she pointed out that motorised wheelchairs cannot negotiate the Mill Street entrance to Castle Meadows, where there are picnic tables in place, because of the raised pavement.

The chairman Cllr Chris Woodhouse said they were all dreaming the dream but nothing was happening and said he did not want the same conversation to happen next year.