A CAMPAIGN by local people to defend one of the Vale's largest remaining ancient woods now looks set for success.

The victory follows a decision by the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) last week to notify Pencoedtre Woods as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The decision took effect on Thursday, April 5, meaning the wood - thought to date back to 1600 AD - is likely to be safe from developers.

And that means that an application - which sought planning permission to develop ten hectares of the 18 hectare ancient woodland as housing and industrial units - looks likely to fail.

Spokesman for Coed Cadw, the Woodland Trust Wales, Rory Francis, said: "This is great news for ancient woodland and for the local environment in Barry.

"Ancient woodland, that dates back at least 400 years, is not just the UK's richest wildlife habitat, but it's irreplaceable, within human time scales at least.

"The CCW is to be congratulated on its decision to notify the site."

The development plans have met with opposition from the start.

According to Coed Cadw, such a development would mean that the remaining woodland would no longer be a complete, functioning habitat, but more a buffer zone between different areas of development, with noise, light, pollution and general intrusion.

Now the land has been notified as an SSSI, it is likely that the planning application will be refused and the wood saved.

The breakthrough in protecting the site came in 2005 when the Vale of Glamorgan Council commissioned ecological consultants to do a full survey of the site.

The wood was confirmed as ancient and of very high ecological value.

No less than 46 different plant species specifically associated with ancient woodland, including greater butterfly orchid, wood sorrel and dogs mercury, were found.

In total, 126 different species of vascular plants were found, as well as 71 different kinds of mosses and liverworts and 22 bird species.

Coed Cadw had been aware of the threat to Pencoedtre Woods for some time.

The Trust objected to the planning application to destroy part of the wood and organised a petition to the National Assembly to encourage people to object to the planning application.