Welsh speakers only please! Councillors want affordable homes in new development to be only for those who can speak the language

Councillors in Wales would like a new housing development of affordable homes to be limited to Welsh speakers only.

Botwnnog Community Council in Gwynedd,north Wales,has objected to proposals for 18 'affordable' homes in the Welsh-speaking heartland on the Llŷn Peninsula. 

However,the county council has been urged to approve the plans for Botwnnog with conditions including a Welsh name for the estate and houses.

The village council insisted there was no local need for the development,consisting of homes to rent,and warned of the 'danger to the Welsh language and the fabric of the community.'

It claims the development could lead to English families moving to the area and the loss of the Welsh language.

One local said the opposition by the local council was from 'Welsh language zealots' (Pictured: overhead plans for the development)

'Is it for someone who has always lived in Llyn,or someone who has moved here two or three years ago,or even a decade or longer,but has not made an effort to learn Welsh,the language of the community?

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'It would be great if the availability of the proposed houses could be limited to Welsh speakers only,but despite that,it cannot be proven that a large number of these houses would not become non-Welsh speaking households,if not all of them.

'As we know,it only takes the presence of a few non-Welsh speaking people to turn the community's language of communication from Welsh to English. 

'The applicant acknowledges this possibility but expects the community to do the necessary integration work. The lesson from the history of many Welsh communities is that this is not likely to happen.'

During consultations for the project,one resident said there are already 'all kinds of people living here instead of locals'.

Another said: 'The council will bring in people from away with all kinds of problems'. 

And one resident claimed trying to build 18 houses on the allocated land would be 'complete insanity',while others argued that affordable houses to purchase would be a greater asset to the community. 

But a Welsh-speaking pensioner said: 'What nonsense. Would they like language tests carried out to see who qualifies?

'These are Welsh language zealots. They're doing more harm to community cohesion and the image of Wales.'

The application is due to go before the council's planning meeting on September 9. 

Botwnnog Community Council has been contacted for comment.