PAGET Road residents made a passionate plea to Penarth council not to take away “the one real amenity” they had – their view of the Bristol Channel.

They were objecting to phase B of Billybanks.

They appealed to members of the housing committee to change the plans for a proposed five-storey block of flats at the Billybanks to a three-storey building so that they would still be able to see over the top from their bedroom windows.

A 30-strong deputation, representing residents from Paget Road, High Street, and Arcot Street, who were all worried about the effect on their view, crowded into the council chamber to make their protest.

Their spokesman Mr W.D. Harris, the owner-occupier of 30, Paget Road said they realised the council faced a great problem with a waiting list for housing accommodation, but the Paget Road houses had many drawbacks.

They were old and more costly to keep in adequate repair and the land at the back rose steeply almost immediately from the houses.

Their one great amenity was their outlook from the front and this would disappear if the Billybanks scheme went ahead as it stood.

He said: “We have human rights, note I say human and not legal rights, and we do not consider it justifiable to provide amenities for others to the exclusion of the only amenity we have – our outlook.”

The chairman, Cllr Mrs Kathleen Evans, said the council had been in great difficulties in building Billybanks and had been told it could not build anywhere else.

Cllr Harold Green told residents if the scheme was altered 1,400 tenants would have to pay.

The committee called for surveyor and treasurer reports on the implications of any change and told residents they a decision would be at full council.