A couple who put up imposing £10,000 electric gates to stop locals enjoying a countryside ‘paradise’ have been ordered to take them down after a long and bitter feud with walking campaigners.
For sixty years, walkers, cyclists and horse riders have used a path next to a sprawling mansion in the South Wales Valleys. Then the Drew family moved in.
Villagers were outraged when wealthy chartered accountant Adam Drew blocked the right of way by installing 8ft-high gates and two security cameras.
Locals were angered further when an official looking sign went up at the entrance saying ‘No unauthorised access’.
Mr Drew and his slimming consultant wife Laura, both 40, claimed they had been subjected to illegal parking, dangerous driving, out-of-control dogs, dog-fouling, people urinating, aggression, theft, drugs, and air rifles.
They said the last straw came when torches were shone into bedrooms where their children were sleeping.
In a statement the wealthy couple said: ‘A decision was made that we needed to put security gates at our home to keep our children safe.’
The ugly grey barrier caused fury in the quiet village of Cwmparc, near Treorchy, where locals set up a ‘No To The gate’ campaign and carried out peaceful protests.
Adam and Laura Drew purchased the 11-bedroom mansion for £500,000 and swiftly installed the gates for their ‘security’
For sixty years, walkers, cyclists and horse riders had used the path in the South Wales Valleys
The imposing metal gates must now be torn down and access restored
Four thousand people signed a petition which was handed in to Rhondda Cynon Taff Council who recognised the ‘strong community feeling’ over the gates
Four thousand people signed a petition which was handed in to Rhondda Cynon Taff Council who recognised the ‘strong community feeling’ over the gates.
The access row – christened GateGate by locals – was also taken up by Rhondda MP Chris Bryant and Senedd Member Buffy Williams.
Residents even threatened to sell up claiming they moved to the area so they could enjoy Cwmparc mountain for cycling, walking and summer picnics.
The Drews bought the property known locally as the ‘James Bond Villain House’ for £500,000 and it is without doubt the most prestigious address in the village just outside the Brecon Beacons National Park.
The well-off couple, from the nearby town of Porth, said they have ‘enjoyed settling our children into such a beautiful, welcoming community.’
But residents of nearby Vicarage Terrace say they hardly ever see the family and accuse them of not mixing with the locals.
One neighbour said: ‘You never see them, I don’t even know how they get in and out. Never mind the James Bond House, it’s more like Fort Knox.
‘The only time I’ve seen the fella is when he told me to move my recycling bags from the spot in the street where I’ve been leaving them for years.
‘They’ve made no effort to integrate, which is a shame because this is a friendly, welcoming place.’
When the gate was first installed private security was often seen protecting the perimeter
The gate blocked off crucial access to the top of the mountain for members of the public
The picturesque walking route to the forest has long been popular among the community and is the only fully accessible route, according to locals
MailOnline visited the house to get Mr and Mrs Drew’s reaction to the council order but there was no reply
Adam Drew is the Chief Finance Officer at Kyriba, an American firm advising banks and companies on financial performance.
Wife Laura is a Slimming World consultant who shed six stone herself in her late twenties. The pair were married while on holiday in Cuba in 2009 and have three children.
The couple are both listed as directors of Fortitude Accountants Wales Ltd based at their former home in Porth, Rhondda.
Locals have questioned why the family needs an 11-bedroom property which boasts four kitchens and six bathrooms.
The house came with a piece of land country lovers need to cross to reach Cwmparc Forestry, described by villagers as a ‘little piece of paradise’ in the Spring and Summer.
But following a lengthy inquiry the Drews have been ordered to remove the gates after RCT Council ruled highway rights exist because the path has been in public use for over 20 years.
Council leader Andrew Morgan OBE said: ‘Based on the legal advice I have received from Council Officers, I have today signed a Delegated Decision Order concerning the removal of the gates at the entrance to Cwmparc Forestry.
‘Following this decision, I hope that we, as a Council, can work with owner of the property where the gates are located for them to be removed without having to move to the next level of enforcement action.
‘We recognise that there is strong community feeling around this issue and now that the Council has gathered all of the legal information and taken the time to review all of the facts and evidence available, the Council believes that there are strong legal grounds to order the removal of the gates.
‘We ask that residents bear with us while the legal order is now served.’
The notice is being served under Section 143 of the Highways Act 1980 and officers are authorised to remove the obstruction and recover costs if it is not complied with.
The council pointed out that public access to the forestry has been ‘exercised freely and openly since the 1970s’.
MailOnline visited the house to get Mr and Mrs Drew’s reaction to the council order but there was no reply.
