After caravans were positioned near to homes and a football field in Talywain, Pontypool, the council received correspondence from 70 locals angry about the issue
Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter
11:52, 24 Nov 2025Updated 11:52, 24 Nov 2025
The caravan site will be accessed from this lane, from Church Road in Talywain(Image: Google Maps)
An access row has erupted between neighbours over the positioning of caravans near to people’s homes in a Welsh town. A planning meeting among councillors for Torfaen council has heard how Tony Janes pitched the caravans near to the entrance to a football field and neighbouring properties in Talywain, Pontypool.
The caravans, which locals say block access to some bungalows and the recreation field near Church Road in the village, has caused anger in the area with 70 locals having written to the local authority in objection. But councillors have now agreed the caravans can remain there temporarily if the applicant, Mr Janes, adheres to strict rules.
When contacted Mr Janes denied he had blocked access to the garages and two bungalows, although he accepted he had blocked access to the nearby football field. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter
He argued he could do that because it was his land. He also denied talks with the council were ongoing as the planning committee had been told.
The issue has captured the attention of many locals with the council having received 70 objections to Mr Janes’ actions. At the planning meeting Justin Jones, council planning officer, told councillors: “A lot of points raised other actions taken by the applicant in terms of blocking access to the field, blocking access for the bungalows, and not acting in a neighbourly manner.
“Hopefully the applicant will reflect on that and we will seek to see if that can be resolved in a satisfactory manner. In terms of the field, as a council we are looking to resolve that independently.”
Councillors were told there had previously been up to six caravans kept on land adjacent to the Blue Boar bungalow, owned by Mr Janes, since 2023 with some on land outside of his ownership and with no planning permission in place.
A planning application for four caravans, and as many parking spaces, was then made after the council began an enforcement investigation.
Mr Jones said the application will reduce the number of caravans to two and two accompanying parking spaces, which will all be on land in Mr Janes’ ownership, with the site area reduced in size.
He stipulated that caravans will only be allowed on the site for no more than three months at a time and a management plan will require a registration log is kept and will have to be made available for inspection by the council at up to 24 hours’ notice.
Mr Jones said it was accepted there is a need for a transit site for Gypsies and Travellers, with only one other in the borough, and a condition states it can only be occupied by Gypsies and Travellers as defined under Welsh planning guidance. Earlier this year it was reported Gypsies and Travellers in Wales were being “persistently neglected”.
Councillors in Torfaen had been due to consider the application in December last year but it was withdrawn at the last minute when it was realised Mr Janes would no longer be living at Blue Boar, which remains in his ownership.
This November’s committee was told he, or a representative, will be expected to be present on site when caravans arrive at the site.
Mr Janes, who is from the travelling community, said after the meeting: “I’m pleased I can put up people who are homeless, with nowhere to stay.
“They’ve got somewhere to live for three months their caravans can pull up there for three months as there aren’t enough caravan sites around Wales for travellers and it means they don’t have to pull on the side of the road and not have any facilities to go to the toilet or for the little kids to go to school and get an education.”