Residents in a Welsh village have successfully campaigned for the removal of a controversial £40,000 steel barrier.
The imposing 200-metre fence, mockingly christened the 'Great Wall of Clydach' by locals, sparked widespread outrage when it was erected within the Brecon Beacons National Park in April.
Monmouthshire County Council officials have succumbed to community pressure and agreed to dismantle the six-foot-high galvanised steel structure.
The council will replace it with lower stock-proof fencing designed to blend with the landscape.
Residents of Clydath successfully campaigned for the removal of the fence
Local Democracy Reporting Service
The climbdown is a costly embarrassment for the authority, which will spend an additional £20,000 on removal costs after facing fierce criticism over the lack of public consultation and the fence's visual impact on the scenic location near the Unesco World Heritage Site of Blaenavon.
The steel barrier was installed by the council for £40,000 to prevent access along Pwll Du Road, which has remained closed to traffic for five years.
Officials justified the fence's construction, citing safety concerns about potential rockfall from Gilwern Mountain that could endanger motorists and pedestrians.
The decision followed a 2023 rockfall incident that prompted a council report recommending the path be closed to both vehicles and people.
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While planning permission was not required for the installation, the national park authority was informed of the plans.
The steel structure featured sharp spikes along its top and stood over two metres in height.
Local opposition to the fence erupted immediately after its installation, with residents expressing fury over the complete absence of public consultation.
The controversy reached a crescendo when more than 120 villagers gathered at Clydach Village Hall in late April for a heated protest meeting.
Some 120 villagers gathered at Clydach Village Hall
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Clive Thomas, who was born in Clydach, told MailOnline: "We've got a lovely back garden, and it's just an eyesore. When the sun is on it and everything, it just looks out of place."
Long-term resident Simon Elliott echoed the statement, saying: "There was no consultation with anyone. The fence has been put up with no understanding at all of what the area is."
Simon Howarth, an independent county councillor, said he was pleased with the council's U-turn decision, but added that "we shouldn't have got here" and that the huge costs could have been avoided.
He added: "Overall, we are where we should have started, but around £50,000 to £70,000 worse off."
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