**Outrage and Uncertainty Linger in Cwmparc as Mountain Access Gates Defy Council Removal Order**
Residents of Cwmparc remain frustrated and perplexed as large gates, controversially blocking a beloved mountainside route, continue to stand despite a directive from the local council demanding their removal. The situation, which has simmered since February, has escalated tensions within the community and left many feeling alienated from land they have accessed for generations.
The imposing gates appeared abruptly on Vicarage Terrace, cutting off access to a forestry area long cherished by locals for walking, cycling, and family outings. This unexpected barrier fuelled immediate backlash. Many pointed to the historical importance of the route, which has connected residents of Cwmparc and neighbouring Rhondda villages to the mountainous landscape for decades.
The installation of the gates was carried out by new homeowners, who have insisted they felt compelled to act amid claims of repeated “abuse” of the entrance. Security personnel were even seen guarding the area at one point – a move that further widened the rift between the property owners and the broader community. Despite the privatised status of the land in question, the sense of injustice has persisted among residents, who argue that the barriers are an affront to their traditional rights of way.
In April, the dispute appeared to tip in the campaigners’ favour when Rhondda Cynon Taf Council issued a legal enforcement notice to the gate’s owners. The notice, delivered in early May, gave a one-month deadline for the gates to be taken down, deeming them an unlawful obstruction to the highway. However, as the expiry date of the notice came and went, the gates stubbornly remained.
Confusion grew after a new pathway was hastily fashioned to skirt alongside the gates, ostensibly allowing access to the hills once more. While some see this as a pragmatic interim measure, others regard it as insufficient. There is now widespread uncertainty among locals over whether this so-called “temporary path” is officially sanctioned for public use, and whether it restores their rights in any meaningful sense.
Campaigners under the ‘GateGate’ banner have been vocal in their criticism of the alternative route. Richard Clarke, a prominent community leader, described the path as makeshift, with a rough gravel surface and limited space that undermines its usability — particularly for horse riders or those with mobility concerns. For many, the original tarred road provided a far superior and inclusive link to the scenic forestry above Cwmparc.
“The gates still stand as a physical and psychological barrier, a constant reminder of what this community has lost,” Clarke expressed. “We now look to the council to honour its initial enforcement decision. It’s crucial that public access is restored, not via a rushed compromise, but to the full highway rights we have always enjoyed.”
Residents argue the ongoing presence of the gates is not only a technical violation but also a deeply symbolic injury, undermining the fabric of the community and their longstanding emotional connection to the land. They warn that the ad hoc path does not represent a legitimate or lasting solution, and call for decisive council intervention.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council leader Andrew Morgan recently confirmed the council was aware that efforts had been made “to facilitate interim access”. However, he clarified that such developments had not been pre-approved, and would be scrutinised once the enforcement period ended. According to Morgan, any permanent changes must guarantee public passage on the highway, ensure safety, and comply with all planning regulations.
The council’s statement further outlined that if those stringent conditions are not satisfied and an acceptable resolution remains elusive, further enforcement action may be taken to safeguard the public’s rights.
The fate of the gates — and the future of public access to Cwmparc’s iconic mountain path — now hangs in the balance. The stand-off remains a potent symbol of the clash between private property concerns and the collective will of a local community determined to reclaim what they see as a vital part of their heritage.
As residents and campaigners continue to rally under their “No to the gates!” slogan, all eyes turn to the council for their next move, and many hope a decision, both legally sound and ethically just, will soon follow for the benefit of the whole community.