Residents have formed a community group to fight plans to use Gilestone Farm in Powys for the Green Man Festival’s expansion plans.
Stop Gilestone Farm Project says it is mounting a campaign to halt the festival’s plans to take over the farm, which was bought by the Welsh Government last year with £4.25m of public money.
The group says the proposed activities at the farm threaten an important wildlife habitat, which is home to rare species.
The group is also objecting to the congestion and pollution which will be caused by thousands of additional vehicles coming to the area if the controversial project goes ahead.
Residents say local roads will not be able to cope with the extra traffic linked to the businesses and large events the Green Man plans to run at the farm.
Group member Atty Beor-Roberts says: “The Welsh Government bought the wrong farm and did so without consulting local people. Gilestone Farm is totally unsuitable for the large scale activities which the Green Man says it wants to bring here.
“These plans are unsustainable and a serious threat to our way of life, and to protected wildlife on the farm. It is outrageous the Welsh Government has gone as far as it has with this project without properly consulting people in the area, and we are determined to take action to stop this damaging and wasteful project in its tracks.”
The companies behind the Green Man plan to set up a brewery, a bakery, a baking school and hold a series of live events each attracting up to 3,000 people at the farm.
The organisation claims this will generate £23 million for the local economy. If true, that suggests it will establish a large commercial operation which the Stop Gilestone Farm Project group says will be totally unsuitable for this small, rural location.
The group says there are no guarantees the site will not be used in future for larger events linked to the Green Man music festival.
The group is highlighting threats to biodiversity, and the history of flooding at the site which makes it an unsafe location for the kind of public events the Green Man organisation is planning.
Stop Gilestone Farm Project is holding a public meeting on Monday 14th August at Henderson Hall in Talybont on Usk, with more events to follow.
