LOCAL residents have launched a fight to try to save the historic Griffithstown railway station which is on land earmarked for a housing development.
The former railway station site on Station Road includes the goods shed that was home to Griffithstown Railway Museum before it closed in February and the station building, that was recently occupied by Ron Couch builders and was the station's former booking hall.
But in the current local development plan the council has identified the site as a "logical" one for residential development and predict the site could accommodate 27 new homes.
The LDP states "The former railway station building is to the north of the site and options for its preservation as part of a scheme should be explored."
But local history enthusiasts Mark Gauntlett from New Inn and Dr Miles Gladson from Pontypool are afraid this doesn't provide enough protection for the historic building and have applied to CADW for grade II listed building status.
Dr Gladson said: "Neither the station nor goods shed are listed, something that suprises me when you look at some of the other listed structures in Torfaen.
CADW have confirmed they are considering the application and say a decision will be made sometime after May.
The buildings were among the last erected by the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company (MRCC) in 1879 before it was absorbed into the Great Western Railway in 1880.
The Griffithstown railway station was part of the Eastern Valleys branch line, from Newport to Blaenavon, carrying passenger traffic until 1962 and goods traffic until the closure of Big Pit in 1980.
Mr Gauntlett said: "Torfaen has a fantastic railway history, yet Torfaen CBC has actively preserved none of it.
"The Griffithstown station building is the very last remaining station from the entire MRCC Eastern Valleys branch line.
"The Local Development Plan describes how, over the next 10 years, the council plan to build a staggering 7,000 new houses in Torfaen.
"Those sort of figures show that the half dozen houses that could realistically be fitted onto the plot where the station building now stands is totally insignificant and a pitiful return for the loss of, in Torfaen CBC's own words, an "historic", 130-year old building.
"The local stone-built station building and goods shed are structurally sound, beautifully constructed, characterful structures which are perfectly re-usable."
A Torfaen council spokesman said there are no specific plans in place and "All options for the future of the site are being considered."
The Torfaen Local Development Plan is currently undergoing public consultation and all comments need to be submitted in writing by 5pm on Friday, May 27.
What do you think? Write to the Editor, Free Press, Portland Buildings, Commercial Street, Pontypool, NP4 6JS or email nicole.garnon@freepressseries.co.uk
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