MORE THAN one thousand people turned out at Tryweryn dam over the weekend to protest against the 'collapse of communities' in Wales due to the housing market.

A demonstration was held from 1pm with protestors from across North Wales and beyond forming a line along the 600-metre long dam near Bala, on the shores of the artificial lake created by drowning the village of Capel Celyn.

Those attending the rally were addressed by the founder of Llety Arall, Menna Machreth, musician Dafydd Iwan, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS and the former Labour candidate for the Dwyfor-Meirionnydd constituency, Cian Ireland.

Organisers Cymdeithas yr Iaith say the protest was set up to symbolise their commitment "to stand against the housing market forces that are undermining the Welsh language and communities across Wales".

The rally followed a Welsh Government’s announcement that it will consult and develop a pilot in order to tackle the effects of high house prices on communities and the Welsh language.

The proposals were branded by language campaigners Cymdeithas yr Iaith as “vague and uninspiring”.

The village of Capel Celyn was flooded in 1965, and Tryweryn reservoir was created, to provide water for the people of Liverpool.

Seventy people had to leave the area after 12 houses, a school, chapel, post office were submerged under the water.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith say that figures including representatives from culture, politics and business will all be signing a call on the Welsh Government to "act urgently and radically to ensure that local communities can control the housing market and the planning process in order to ensure homes for their people ".

Commenting after the rally, national chair of Cymdeithas Yr Iaith Mabli Siriol Jones tweeted: "Home after a long but inspirational day at a big rally with Cymdeithas Yr Iaith. Over a thousand people coming together to say Nid Yw Cymru Ar Werth (Wales is not for sale).

"I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the organisers, the stewards, those who spoke at the rally, the musicians and everyone who came. We will win!"

Meanwhile, Welsh Government Ministers have launched measures to deal with difficulties people have in being able to afford to buy homes in rural and coastal areas where they grew up.

It comes after they publicly acknowledged that rising house prices were having an impact on communities, with such a concentration of holiday lets and second homes in some areas that it was prompting fears over the viability of Welsh as a community language.

Measures proposed include plans to hold a public consultation on amending existing tax legislation to ensure that it’s no longer possible to avoid paying either domestic or business rates on properties used as self-catering, short-term holiday lets.