Headland link: Leaders fears (From Penarth Times)

Headland link: Leaders fears

THE LEADER of the Vale of Glamorgan Council this week admitted that the Penarth Headland Link project will be left hanging in the balance unless negotiations to acquire a 300-metre strip of land needed to build to the walkway are concluded rapidly.

The Penarth Times exclusively revealed the threat to the project in the March 16 edition.

Under the conditions laid down by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG), work must start on the walkway by July 2007 or the Vale authority could face losing 7 million in funding provided.

Jeff James, leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said this week he was unsure whether an extension would be granted by the WAG if work failed to get underway by the deadline.

Cllr James said: "We are adopting a twin approach to securing the land.

"We are still negotiating with the owners but at the same time we are examining the possibility of using compulsory purchase order powers to acquire it.

"We hope we are able to conclude negotiations rapidly as this would allow us to proceed with the project as planned.

"We hope the owners of the land see the benefit of the Headland Link project to Penarth and to the Vale of Glamorgan.

"Andrew Davies, the minister for Economic Development and Transport, has been kept informed of the current situation.

"Both the Vale of Glamorgan Council and the WAG have invested a great deal in this project and we both want a successful outcome."

It is believed that the time it would take to get a Compulsory Purchase Order approved would delay the start of work beyond the July deadline.

The WAG also stipulated that the grant money must be spent by March 31, 2007 and completion achieved by March 2008.