People living in a town in the Vale of Glamorgan are upset about large portable homes that have been set up next to where they live.
The homes were put on an old school site in Llantwit Major using special rules called permitted development rights, which means they didn’t need normal planning permission, reports Wales Online.
But some locals think these units don’t follow all the rules. David Thomas, who lives nearby, said these homes are too close and too big.
Mr Thomas said: “If these aren’t overbearing, I don’t know what a definition of overbearing would be.
“We have looked at other planning applications on this estate within 50 yards of here and they refused people to have extensions because it is overbearing on their neighbours.”
He added: “From my French doors in the morning, I stand here putting the kettle on and all I can see is these massive units.”
Debating the height of the new temporary housing, one local person said: “I am looking here now… it makes absolutely no difference. It is the same height as my fence I have got already and I can still see all the windows of the base floor from top to bottom.”
Vale of Glamorgan Council confirmed that the 90 units at the housing site will be shelters for Ukrainian refugees escaping the war.
At the end of 2023, the council mentioned that they could not say how long these units would be needed. One resident, Ann Knight, expressed her disappointment saying: “It is disgusting what has been foisted on us to be honest,”.
She said: “We are fortunate, we have got quite a long garden. It is only the bottom half of our garden that is affected.
“The photos I sent … are the view from our bedroom windows but a lot of the neighbours have got them looking into their properties.”
