An application for a new affordable housing development in Wales ran into a roadblock when organizers attempted to limit residency to Welsh-language speakers only.
The BBC reports the application by Grŵp Cynefin to build 15 affordable homes in the seaside village of Trefor originally included a condition that only Welsh speakers could be considered as future residents.
However, the Gwynedd Council – the governing body for the county of Gwynedd, where Trefor is located – forced the project’s organizers to drop the language requirement. Planning Officer Gareth Jones noted that Welsh policy prevents discrimination based on “linguistic ability” and warned, “It would be illegal to impose such a condition from a planning point of view.”
Community councillor Jina Gwyrfai, who supported the mandate, unsuccessfully argued in favor of preserving the Welsh language.
“Even though over 70% of residents here speak Welsh we are at that critical linguistic tipping point and 15 houses using the wrong language can make a detrimental difference,” said Gwyrfai. “We know there are many policies to protect landscapes, biodiversity, building standards and bats – everything, and I welcome such policies. But our Welsh-speaking communities, which are shrinking and diminishing year on year, are just as important. Where are the policies to protect those?”
Photo: Black Creek Studios / Etsy
