THE last act in the saga of one of the UK’s most polluted streets is set to begin next month when the demolition of 23 homes starts there, as part of a plan to improve air quality.
Caerphilly County Borough Council has lodged a planning application to demolish the properties along a stretch of the A472 in Hafodyrynys, where nitrogen dioxide levels have been recorded as the highest in the UK outside central London.
As part of a plan to meet air quality requirements in the quickest time possible, the council bought the houses, which are to be demolished for 50 per cent above the market rate to ensure residents did not lose out financially.
The Welsh Government, which is contributing funding towards the £6.7 million scheme, issued a direction to the council in 2019 for the homes to be knocked down “without delay”, with a deadline of December this year.
Now a planning application detailing the project says demolition work is expected to start on Tuesday May 18.
Original article by By Saul Cooke-Black at the South Wales Argus.
