Ystalyfera: Family alone on terrace as homes demolished

A family say they will not move from their home despite the properties around them being demolished.

Richard Morrison lives in the middle of the terrace of houses, near Ystalyfera, Neath Port Talbot, and said it was "not nice living in a street that's being knocked down at the same time".

The homes on Cyfyng Road are thought to be at risk after a landslip in 2017.

Demolition got under way on Monday, and Neath Port Talbot council said the work was being done for public safety.

"We are still in limbo, as we have been for the last six or seven years," said Mr Morrison, who has lived in his home for 23 years.

"The insurance company have said they won't pay out. With no offer on the table it's just impossible to move.

"The council are more powerful than me, so I just have to sit tight in limbo like we have been."

About 20 people had to leave their homes and were served with orders by the council following the landslip, banning them from living there because of an "imminent risk" to their lives.

A phased demolition programme is under way, where all the homes apart from Mr Morrison's are now empty.

He was fined £100 by Swansea magistrates in 2019 after breaching the order by returning home, insisting the assessments on his home have shown it to be safe.

"The insurance company have deemed it fine," he said.

"They said it was the grounds to the rear that's the issue, but the house is fine.

"We've had six risk assessments of the house and they've all come back clear. That's going against the one risk assessment that Neath Port Talbot did six or seven years ago."

Mr Morrison said despite the council's insistence that demolition work would continue, he and his family intended to stay put.

"With no offer on the table it's just impossible to move.

"My daughter was born here, in this house. It's her home."

Gabe Thomas, who also owns a property on Cyfyng Road, said he had been left out of pocket by the decision.

"I bought this house derelict about eight years ago and completely renovated it into a four-storey, five bedroom house," he said.

"My insurance company refused to make any payout because they couldn't see any damage to the house. The council are not offering any compensation".

Mr Thomas said that while he had lost money, his sympathies were for his tenants who were renting the property at the time.

"At the time it all happened, my tenants and the other occupiers were put in a terrible state.

"They were thrown into temporary accommodation and they didn't deserve that."

Neath Port Talbot council said: "The demolition orders in Cyfyng Road are being carried out for reasons of public safety.

"The houses concerned, built on a slope, were affected by landslides in 2017 and after the council evacuated occupiers for their own safety, the owner and occupiers of three of the properties appealed against the action to the independent Residential Property Tribunal Wales.

"The tribunal panel members rejected the appeals, ruling Neath Port Talbot council's expert evidence showed none of the appeal properties were founded on solid rock and unanimously agreed the authority had shown there was a risk to residents from landslips."

They said the council had worked with the people who had to leave to help with rehousing and insurance claims.