AN ABERGAVENNY woman has slammed what she claims are council plans to "stick a road through" a local beauty spot, as "ghastly".

Liz Proctor lives in the town and is a regular dog walker in Castle Meadows.

"It’s a really biodiverse place and everyone enjoys walking there safely," she explained.

However, she has now raised concerns over plans from Monmouthshire County Council's active travel group to, in her words, "spend millions of pounds sticking a road through there".

The council has refuted this accusation.

Ms Proctor believes the "road" and the planned installation of cattle grids - to stop the animals grazing on the land from escaping - are the result of "someone complaining that the gate is ‘too hard to manage’".

"Dog walkers don’t go anywhere with cattle grids," she said.

"Children will fall down it.

"How a mobility scooter driver can manage their dog at the same time as going over a cattle grid, is something else."

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She claims the council had "no intention" of having a consultation with the public over the "ghastly plans".

But the county council has set up a public survey to gather views from residents on all the proposals being put forward.

Ms Proctor also believes that building a tarmac route through the park would "attract joyriders and motorcyclists".

"They’ll rip up the meadows," she said.

"People will be racing along the road.

"It’s a disaster waiting to happen."

However, the council stressed that "there are no plans for ‘sticking a road through castle meadows’".

It has stated though, that existing routes through the meadows will be 'improved', using asphalt and concrete edging.

"The purpose of active travel is to provide a network of routes, initially focusing on our seven designated localities, to provide opportunities to change shorter car journeys for more active modes of transport; such as walking, cycling and wheeling," said a council spokesperson.

"Access points to the meadow will be designed with all users in mind (following national active travel design guidance) ensuring ease of access, whether it be for active travel or leisure purposes, as well as keeping in mind key factors, such as the cattle that currently graze in the area.

"The biodiversity and ecological sensitivity of Castle Meadows is a key factor in the management of the site and will remain so.

"The active travel programme takes these matters very seriously and will be looking to add benefit to the biodiversity of the site as part of the scheme."