Portinfer residents jubilant as yard plans are rejected

Saturday 27th March 2010, 2:29PM GMT.

Pictured last year, Brian Rickard, front right, crouches alongside Deputy David De Lisle in front of other Portinfer residents who protested at plans to allow industrial use of land near their homes.

Brian Rickard, front right, crouches alongside Deputy David De Lisle in front of other Portinfer residents who protested at plans to allow industrial use of land near their homes.

RESIDENTS of Portinfer Road were celebrating yesterday after winning a two-decade fight with the Environment Department.

The department wanted to release 4.6 acres of land on five different sites for small workshops and yards. However, an independent planning inspector from the UK ruled Portinfer out as one of them.

The news comes as a relief to residents who have been campaigning against the plans for an acre-sized development for 20 years.

Brian Rickard, 59, who has lived along Portinfer Road since 1980, headed up the campaign.

‘It has been very important to us all and has been a lot of years of stress and worry,’ he said.

‘We’re over the moon with the result and I hope that this has given other parishes hope and shows just what you can do if you team up. This has been a real community effort.’