Newport residents concerned by waste in Shaftesbury park

The park is temporarily being used as a site for the vegetation from the canal bed to drain as there isn’t enough space by the canal, said Newport City Council. 

Layton Jones, 46, a structural engineer who lives near Shaftsbury Park said: “I was walking my dog with a group of friends one morning early last week. 

“We noticed some construction equipment down by the sewage system in the park and they appeared to be putting a fence in at the top of the embankment.  

“I was curious so I tried talking to a member of Newport City Council who was there but he didn’t tell me much.  

The dumped waste being drained in Shaftesbury Park in Newport (Image: Layton Jones)

“We managed to speak to somebody on the site – and found out it was a temporary fence. We started seeing the tractors with trailers full of waste of what has been excavated.  

“I spoke to the driver and asked him where it came from and he said, ‘it’s from the canal works up in Rogerstone.’ 

The fence being put up (Image: Layton Jones)

“I came down the following morning and the wooden fence had been removed and replaced with metal fencing.  

“We are concerned that it has divided that area of the park. It is still somewhere we go. It is where we go to socialize.” 

A spokesperson for Newport City Council said: “The council is currently working to remove vegetation and silt build up from the bed of the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal in Rogerstone.   

“As part of that work, we have been excavating the canal bed. Soil which has been removed from the canal bed as part of this excavation has been placed temporarily in a section of Shaftesbury Park.  

“This is to allow the water to drain from it, so that we can reuse it. The soil is at the top of the park, in a small section that doesn’t impact on any sport pitches. 

The dumped waste being drained in the park from further away (Image: Layton Jones)

“We are draining the soil in Shaftesbury Park as we do not have the required space to do this at the canal.

"The soil was tested for contaminants to make sure it was clean before being moved.  

“This is a standard procedure that we carry out when we drain a canal or pond bed, as it allows us to reuse soil rather than waste it."