THE popularity of a beauty spot with wild swimmers and other activities in the area has lead to concerns over an increase in littering and fly-tipping.

Keeper’s Pond, above Blaenavon, is within the UNESCO recognised World Heritage site but local councillors have raised concerns over waste and whether enough is being done to remove it.

Independent councillors Janet Jones and Nick Horler, who both represent Blaenavon, asked questions over action to address fly-tipping and litter at Torfaen Borough Council’s June 10 meeting.

Cllr Jones said the area, which was recognised by the United Nations body for its importance to the development of the industrial revolution, has seen an increase in leisure activities which she said can pose a threat to biodiversity.

She said: “We have seen an increase in the popularity of leisure activities within the World Heritage site. This has led to concerns about the preservation of biodiversity on our doorstep. In particular, the amount of off-roading along the mountainside, swimming, and general gatherings at the Keeper’s Pond.”

She asked if Torfaen council has a budget to “manage and protect” its areas recognised as being of ‘outstanding universal value”.

Her colleague, Cllr Horler, said fly tipping on private land is a “blight on our heritage landscape” and asked a budget be put in place to make it easier for officers to remove fly tipping once landowners have been given notice to do so.

He also said the council should have a process to remove waste within a set time limit and for costs to be recovered from landowners.

Council leader Anthony Hunt said he “fully appreciates the frustration” caused by fly tipping and said the council always takes action “as quickly as we can” to address it but said “we do have to take care as regards the law and what we can do within those powers.”

The Labour leader also said he’d be “happy” to involve the fire brigade in discussions around addressing fly-tipping after Cllr Horler said he was concerned it was placing an additional strain on the service.

On Keeper’s Pond Cllr Hunt said it was recognised enjoyment of the “beautiful countryside” has increased “tensions” but said the actual pond is within Monmouthshire County Council’s boundaries but he would be “happy” to raise the issue with the council.

He said Monmouthshire County Council is partner in the World Heritage site partnership and retains responsibility for its land and assets in the protected area.

The Keeper’s Pond, also known as Pen-ffordd-goch Pond or the Forge Pond, is situated near Pwll Du on the hill between Blaenavon and Abergavenny. The pond was built in the early 19th Century to provide water for Garnddyrys Forge, which started production in about 1817. The forge was dismantled during the 1860s and whilst the pond no longer fulfilled an industrial purpose, it rapidly became a local beauty spot. It allegedly acquired the name Keeper’s Pond because the gamekeeper of the grouse moors lived in a cottage nearby.