Battle to save farmland earmarked for festival site

Farmers have joined with residents in the fight to save local farmland from being turned into a festival site.

The newly formed Usk Valley Community Action in the Welsh market town of Talybont-on-Usk, is calling on the Welsh Government to promise that Gilestone Farm, which it purchased using public funds for a reported 4.25m, will not be used to stage largescale events after it was leased to the company behind the Green Man Festival, which is held in nearby Crickhowell.

The group has yet to comment on the purported deal.

Speaking to Wales Farmer, action group member Peter Seaman said local people were concerned about what the farm would be used for. He said: There is a great deal that is not known, and the community needs its voice heard quickly and effectively and at a point where it may still be able to shape events rather than having to keep reacting to them.

The acquisition of the 97ha farm is the latest in a growing line of agricultural land purchases made by the Welsh Government, agencies or corporate companies to further tree-planting or carbon off-setting schemes.

The sales have been met with outrage from countryside campaigners who have raised concerns about the amount of farmland being taken out of production.

Rachel Evans, director for Countryside Alliance Wales said: "Debate here in Wales is rightly shifting towards the importance of food security and self-sufficiency and understandably people are anxious at the prospect of losing farmland which could otherwise be used to feed the nation. We are calling on Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales to stop purchasing productive farmland..."

This week, Roy Noble, one of Wales best-loved broadcasters, has added his voice to a protest led by Countryside Alliance Wales calling on the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to curb its tree planting agenda and to act to prevent outside interests and juggernaut companies from doing the same.

In a personal plea to high officialdom, Mr Noble said he had real empathy with farming families who are out-bid for land purchases by financial combines, who use it to offset their carbon emissions elsewhere. He accused them of having no empathy for, or real understanding of farming or the countryside.