Plans for fence to 'protect castle from vandalism' refused by council

PLANS to put a fence around the entrance of a historic castle to protect it from vandals have been refused.

CADW applied to Carmarthenshire County Council to put a fence up around the curtilage of the lawn in front of the entrance to Laugharne Castle stating that vandals run around the castle curtain wall and are throwing loose stones into the garden at pets.

The application, which relates to the Grade I listed castle, would have seen metal railings put up to match the existing railings to castle house and castle.

The Dyfed Archaeological Trust stated that there should be an archaeological condition placed if approved to ensure that any work done – particularly with excavations for the concrete bases – is done in line with a watching brief to ensure minimal impact to buried archaeological deposits and to ensure minimal impact to the scheduled area.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s built heritage conservation officers stated that they were not aware of any contact being made with the council or reports from police in relation to the issues stated behind the reasoning for the planned fence.

Laugharne Township Community Council stated their recommendation for refusal, citing ‘very minor instances of vandalism’ with council members not aware of young people in the area, which is in public view and next to the main road. The council stated it was ‘unnecessary’ and ‘inappropriate’ for the scheduled monument and the location within the conservation area, stating ‘it does nothing to enhance the setting of the castle and in fact detracts from it.’

On January 21, Carmarthenshire County Council’s planning officers refused the application. In the response, the council stated that the application site is within the Laugharne Conservation Area and adjacent to listed buildings including the Grade I outer gatehouse to the castle, the Grade II listed boundary wall to the west of Castle House included gated entrance, and of course the castle itself.

The council stated that the proposed fence would ‘introduce an incongruous, harmful prominent structure that would fail to preserve the settings of listed buildings in this location, or the character or appearance of the conservation area.’

The council stated that the proposed development would be contrary to a number of the policies in the council’s local development plan and the statutory requirements of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.