Stop Cardiff Council Lib Dems/Plaid building a a new vehicular and pedestrian bridge and road for articulated lorries into Bute Park, Cardiff listed on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales as grade I.
Thank you for your email of 02 December 2008 to the Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones, regarding your concerns with the position taken by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in relation to the proposals for the building ofa new bridge and road in ButePark, Cardiff. I have been asked to reply.
I understand that in June 2006, the HLF Trustees awarded a Stage One, development funding of £115,000 to Cardiff County Council for the restoration of ButePark. This was followed in March 2008 by a Stage Two main award of £3,123,000 to enable the Council to restore the Park through conservation and interpretation work which would include a new build educational facility and an on-site horticultural training programme.
The £3.1 million grant awarded by the HLF to Cardiff County Council to restore ButePark does not include funding for the design, planning or construction of the new access bridge and road into the Park which forms the subject of current public concern. However, HLF is conscious that the success of its grant award to the project is dependent on the successful integration of all forms of physical and intellectual access in the Park. In this respect, they have asked Cardiff County Council to provide ongoing evidence of their commitment to consult and involve the public, community and conservation groups in the project, to ensure public support for this project, and the future of the Park heritage.
HLF takes very seriously the public concerns which have arisen since the summer of 2007 and have discussed with Cardiff County Council the apparent lack of dialogue with stakeholders and park users on this issue. Direct involvement by the public in their heritage is one of HLF’s strategic priorities, so it is crucial for the proposed plans to restore the Park that there is a comprehensive programme of public consultation. As part of its monitoring of the grant to the Council, HLF continue to keep this under review.
Whilst the Welsh Assembly Government has responsibility for developing the policy framework for the HLF in Wales, it remains at arms length from the day to day regulation and operation of HLF. Should you wish to contact the HLF for further information or clarification, they can be contacted at;
comment sent to me by Les Mills In today's Guardian comments on George Monbiot's Interview with CPRE's head re wind farms and Open cast mining. Here
Fantastic interview - nail them George. It's people like that CPRE interviewee who masquerade as defenders of the English/British landscape but who are , in actual fact simply representing the views of a small elitist minority of foxhunting nimbys. What are they all going to do when the electricity runs out or when there's a nuclear accident - will they care about the landscape at the bottom of their gardens then? No they'll probably all be rushing out to buy windmills for their own gardens.
As George pointed out, these people should concentrate their energies and resources, against monstrosities like open cast coal mines and projects everywhere like the current ill conceived plans of Cardiff City Council to introduce roadways for 40 ton articulated lorries into one of Europe's finest , most tranquil and precious inner city parks in the centre of Cardiff. This wonderful green space benefits everybody not just a privileged moneyed few. Like the CPRE vis a vis open cast mining, CADW and the Heritage Lottery Fund in Wales are not opposing these plans. Keep it up George.
HLF wants the acceptance of the bridge by all users of the Park including local residents and community groupsbut this has not been achieved; indeed people thought the £1.4 million cost is quite out of order. It follows that their condition for the "success of the HLF project" is not met, so they should suspend progress on this until a solution agreed by the bulk of users of the Park is achieved.
The universal opposition to large lorries for the Nursery's plant business and to the new roadways (that turn out to be 4-metres wide on 3ft high embankments - creating new conflicts between pedestrians and lorries - an issue that the Council has never disclosed and consulted on).
Here we go again! The road WAS NOT given the go ahead by planning as it was only the bridge was covered by that. There was no discussion of the raised road and no discussion of the HLF and the conditions they put on their grant!"
Thank you for your e-mail of 12th November to the Assembly Minister for Heritage about listing the Vulcan Hotel public house on Adam Street as a building of special architectural or historic interest. I have been asked to reply.
There is a statutory duty to list buildings which meet published listing criteria but this cannot be where they are not met. These criteria state that, because of the greater number of buildings built after about 1840 which survive, selection is needed to identify the best examples of particular types. Only buildings of definite quality and character are listed. Buildings that illustrate important aspects of Wales’ social, economic, cultural or military history may also be considered for listing on grounds of historic interest and also where there is a close historical association between a building and people or events of importance to Wales.
Cadw have considered theVulcan for listing on a number of occasions - in 1996-97, when the area was surveyed for historic buildings and several times since 2003. Cadw’s Inspectors have visited more than once and carried out internal and external inspections. Although the pub has reputedly been in continuous use since 1853, it has the appearance of an early twentieth century building, seemingly remodelled around 1900. More recent internal alterations have further affected its original character. In this respect theVulcandoes not compare favourably to other historic pubs in Cardiff which have been listed such as the nearby Golden Cross. Cadw has also considered the case for listing of theVulcan based on its historical interest or association but these seem not to be significant outside the immediate area. On present evidence therefore, Cadw’s assessment is that the listing criteria are not met in the case of theVulcanbut officials would be happy review the matter in the light of any new information.
Historic buildings, listed or not, are an important part of our cultural heritage and can make a significant contribution to local regeneration. Where development affecting historic assets is proposed, developers and the local planning authority should consider retaining and incorporating these into their plans so that an area continues to reflect an element of local distinctiveness and character. We understand that work on the redevelopment of Adam Street, including the site presently occupied by theVulcan,primarily for residential apartments, is due to start late next year or early 2010. We hope that in the time that remains every opportunity is taken to consider the scope for retaining the pub as part of these development plans so that theVulcan’s long period of association with the area can continue.
With regard to the proposals for a new bridge and access road from North Road into Bute Park, Cardiff City Council put this forward in order, primarily, to improve goods vehicle access necessary for setting up public events held in the park grounds. Cadw was consulted on the planning application for these proposals as Bute Park is included, at Grade I, on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales and had serious concerns about the original proposals presented to us in 2007 which we expressed to the council. In the light of these concerns the council made significant changes to the design of the access bridge to reduce its visual impact while still providing improved access.
Philip HobsonDesignations Section/Y Gangen Ddynodiadau Welsh Assembly Government / Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru. Cadw,Plas Carew 5/7 Cefn Coed, Parc Nantgarw Cardiff CF15 7QQ Direct Line/ Llinell Uniongyrchol 01443 336017 E-mail/E-bost hobsonp@wales.gsi.gov.uk
What HLF said “Accordingly Cardiff County Council will be required to demonstrate a firm commitment to the bridge and provide a construction start date as part of its Phase 2 application to The Heritage Lottery Fund. Without this HLF will not be in a position to commit its funding to the Bute Park Restoration works”.
What HLF say now ...Thank you for your emails. I have not responded about the public debate as I was waiting on further information from Professor Kevin Mason, which he supplied yesterday. As you well know the Heritage Lottery Fund is not funding the new access bridge which is the subject of the public debate - I attach our Public Statement as a reminder. As we cannot comment on those elements funded by other parties, neither I nor Mr Dan Clayton Jones will be attending the meeting.
Thank you again for your interest in the work of the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Best Wishes Jennifer Stewart
Jennifer Stewart Pennaeth CDL, Cymru/Head of HLF, Wales Llinell uniongyrchol/direct line 029 2023 4144 www.hlf.org.uk
Date: 4th Nov 2008 Bute Park – Public Statement
A HLF spokesperson said “The £3.1 million grant awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to Cardiff County Council to restore Bute Park is not funding the design, planning or construction of the new access bridge and road into the Park, which forms the subject of current public concern.
“However HLF is conscious that the success of its grant award to the project is dependent on the successful integration of all forms of physical and intellectual access in the Park. We have asked the Council to provide ongoing evidence of their commitment to consult and involve the public, community and conservation groups in the project, to ensure public support for this project, and the future of the Park’s priceless heritage.”
-Ends-
Further information: Please contact the Heritage Lottery Fund on 029 2034 3413 or email wales@hlf.org.uk
NOTE that in June 2006 the HLF approved a Stage 1 grant of £3.1m towards the overall cost of the project which amounts to £5.6m. The Stage 1 grant specified that the Council needed to demonstrate a commitment to construct the new vehicular access into Bute Park and the offer excluded a contribution from HLF to the Bridge. Page 2 of 4 6. On the 20 August 2007 the National Heritage Lottery wrote to the Council confirming that:- “the Heritage Lottery Fund view the position of a new bridge over the docks feeder to provide access into the park from North Road as an essential element of the Bute Park Restoration Project. “Accordingly Cardiff County Council will be required to demonstrate a firm commitment to the bridge and provide a construction start date as part of its Phase 2 application to The Heritage Lottery Fund. Without this HLF will not be in a position to commit its funding to the Bute Park Restoration works”.
We sent a number of questions that remain unanswered to Pat Thompson who is the project lead for the ButePark lorry road and bridge.
Q. Removal of trees early in Spring. Apart from the diseased beech, you said another tree (or two) was taken down by the boundary fence, indicating the north end of gap. Was this from your own inspection or would you please supply a record of this tree or trees taken down by the Parks Dept?
A. Answer from PatThompsonCardiffCouncilButePark road project officer
- 2 young Beech trees were removed immediately behind the metal fence at the time the large diseased Beech was felled. We think these were part of an original mixed Laurel and Beech hedge planted at the top of the bank because the trees in question were planted close together. It's also clear that the trees had received no maintenance and had not been thinned to allow normal development and growth. As a result the two beech removed were poor specimens and the remaining beech and Laurel are included in the Parks Service future programme for woodland management which incidentally will include the removal of several large diseased Elm trees. The approved landscaping / planting plan for the new access bridge will result in extensive new planting within this area.
Q. Unmapped champion oaks
Have you checked the two major oaks to the NE of the Nursery missing from your chart? Does this not reflect on the reliability of the remaining mapping of trees
A. Answer from PatThompsonCardiffCouncilButePark road project officer
-You refer to 2 unmapped Champion Oaks situated to the North East of the Nursery. These are not "Champion Trees” although they are fine specimens and make a significant contribution to the Park landscape. All the trees affected by the proposals are detailed in the specialist Arboricultural report which formed part of the Planning application .I am satisfied that the tree survey undertaken as part of the report is accurate
Q. Covenant You promised to let us see the covenant(s) on ButePark
A. Answer from PatThompsonCardiffCouncilButePark road project officer
Please see the attached details of the Covenant. This issue was specifically raised at Planning Committee.
Note from Anne - Did he send the covenant ….there isn't a covenant in that Conveyance he sent and it's to the Council as purchaser. Is this a pre-registration deed?
Q. Memorial trees and plaques: what agreement was there by the Council and payments accepted for erecting these? And were the people involved notified by the Parks Dept. of the scheme?
A. Answer from PatThompsonCardiffCouncilButePark road project officer
Memorial trees are part of the Councils overall city wide tree sponsorship scheme for Parks and some people choose to sponsor a tree in memoriam. The conditions of the tree sponsorship scheme allow the Council to “maintain and nurture the tree over it's lifetime” This includes pruning and other related maintenance work .We also reserve the right, if necessary, to reposition the tree after consultation with the sponsor.
Q. Lorries in the Park at present. How many lorry movements through on average (50-100 per week in a press report) and how many of these are concerned with the Nursery plant business (of 700 000 plants per year)?
How many are large lorries – was the figure of 36 per year stated at Committee the number of artic lorries?
A. Answer from PatThompsonCardiffCouncilButePark road project officer
50 - 100 vehicles per week refers to the total number of vehicles accessing the park as part of the normal management and maintenance operation for the park and nursery. The majority are Council vehicles, tractors, mowers and essential staff. Access is required 7 days per week throughout the year. The figure of 36 lorries is again an average figure for large lorries delivering to the nursery .Apart from the production of seasonal bedding plants the nursery also acts as a storage area for trees. shrubs and bulbs used throughout Cardiff's parks and highways. The nursery also provides a civic floral decoration service .The nursery has a long established historic use for the above which goes back to the former Bute estate. As part of our ButePark regeneration proposals our aim is to make the public more aware of the activities that take place in the nursery and to make it a focus for horticultural training as well as a resource for those who want to learn more about the heritage of the park.
Vehicle movements throughout the park are influenced particularly by seasonal factors and the park event programme.
Q. "Ensuring that all new developments or changes in the service are properly assessed for sustainability prior to implementation."
You said the basis for the scheme is in the Park & Green Space Strategy; can you provide a document showing how the balance of positives and negatives in that Strategy were assessed?
You mention improving site use and increasing income generation, but in the Strategy there are also eg.
11) To adapt operations to reduce their impact on the environment.
12) To adopt appropriate and innovative ways of working to respond to climate change and improve environmental quality in parks and green spaces.
A. Answer from PatThompsonCardiffCouncilButePark road project officer
-The Bute Park regeneration proposals were developed involving the team who developed the Parks and Green Spaces Stategy and they embrace the principles of that strategy for example by
11 Adapt operations to reduce their impact on the environment
Where necessary special tree soilis proposed to maintain gaseous and water exchange and prevent compaction. By significantly reducing travelling distances to and from the nursery and events area the proposals will reduce carbon emissions from vehicles and reduce the use of fossil fuels
By incorporating features to enable the park to better withstand the impact that vehicles have on the park the proposals will reduce damage and the need for reinstatement (does he mean the road?)
Using smaller vehicles will increase the number of vehicles required to complete deliveries and increase the amount of double handing all of which increase the environmental impact.
12 To adopt appropriate and innovative ways of working to respond to climate change and improve environmental quality of parks and open spaces
Reducing travelling distances will improve environmental quality by reducing use of fossil fuels and emissions of greenhouse gasses
Removing vehicles from the busier sections of the park will improve the environmental quality (and safety) of these areas for all park users.
- The hugely reduced travelling distances resulting from the proposals will significantly improve safety by reducing the opportunity for pedestrian / cycle conflict with vehicles. The current 5mph speed limit within the park will apply to the new bridge and improved paths however because of the reduced lengths of travel it will be much easier to enforce .For information the proposals will result in less than 40 metres of two lane road and a further 22 metres of new single lane road which includes the bridge itself with a further 80 metres of new paths and 80 metres of realigned path. The rest of the work will be to upgrade existing paths on their current alignment .The important point here of course is the fact that pedestrians , cyclists and wheelchairs already have to interact with what is predominately uncontrolled vehicle movement within the park and by taking traffic away from the busiest sections of the park, providing proper control of all vehicles entering the park as part of the new bridge proposals and reducing travelling distances this interaction will be significantly reduced . You refer to 36 “ high raised paths and 1 in 5 slopes. If fact the 36 " you refer to is the very maximum height increase and in many cases the increase in height will not be as much. The landscape statement submitted with the Planning Application refers to the following
- Reinstatement and grading of levels within the park to minimise the visual impact of any level changes
- Either side of paths and access roadways reinforced grass margins will minimise the impact of accidental vehicle overruns by preventing rutting. The grass verges will be graded to blend into the existing park grass surfaces using
In short the proposals will significantly improve the existing situation. Event traffic will continue to be stewarded and managed as part of the event management plan and we can ensure priority is given to pedestrians and cyclists wherever possible. As part of the park regeneration proposals the existing docks feeder footpath which runs north / south in the park to the bottom of Coopers Field will be upgraded and this will make a significant difference. We cannot however completely remove the risk of conflict and as the proposals develop we will take every opportunity to reduce this risk even further.
Decision to allow the largest lorries in the Park
You accepted this is a decision for the Parks service and referred to the Park & Green Space Strategy, which requires you to maintain and improve environmental quality, and to conserve and improve local heritage assets. So doesn’t any past practice to allow occasional over 30-tonne and artic lorries need to be assessed on this Strategy?
Q. Assessment following the Aboriculture report As this shows that 43 trees will have to be lopped and raised roadways will have to be constructed, will you be reassessing the project under the Park & Green Space Strategy in the light of these significant impacts?
A. Answer from PatThompsonCardiffCouncilButePark road project officer
The impact of the trees has been considered at all times throughout the design process to minimise the impact. This has helped determine the alignment and design of the bridge and improved paths. 24 of the 43 trees referred to require crown lifting by the removal of minor pendulous branches which is consistent with work regularly undertaken as part of the ongoing maintenance operations within the park .Only 2 sponsored trees require more intervention than this . One requires crown lifting by a metre and one will be relocated .Where crown reduction is undertaken it will be carried out by competent staff to produce a balanced crown appropriate to the species. Reference has previously been made to “lollipop trees “this will certainly not be the case.
Safety of the Lorry Road design (4m wide, 36” high, grassed 1 in 5 slopes)
You accepted that lorries passing pedestrians, wheelchairs etc. on these roadways might be intimidating and problematic. How do you propose to address this problem – does it come under the Strategy’s “involve the public.. in partnership to manage parks and green spaces”?
Prof Kevin Morgan, school of City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University, believes the planned roadways would desecrate one of the city’s greatest assets, a top-grade Park. He has planned a head-to-head debate between senior City Councillors, the Heritage Lottery Fund and their critics.
Friday, December 12, 2008 Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm Location: Glamorgan Building (old County Hall), Cathays Park, Cardiff University
This is a chance for you to question and challenge the plans to build roads to suit the largest lorries and to channel traffic through the memorial woodland in Bute Park.
Berman is right about the date - Glamorgan Building (Committee Room 1) for 5pm on 12 December for the Bute Park Debate.Councillor Nigel Howells not available either but this is urgent - Lets hope we can find a senior Cardiff Council lib dem who is free! And someone from the HLF! Jennifer Stewart
Jennifer doesn't want to attend a public meeting - She says'To be honest I don't think there would be much more to add to our public statement: - as you know, we are not funding the new access bridge, we are funding the restoration of the historic park. And, as a funder, we have no role, nor locus, in the planning process. These are rather brief, boring messages for the audience! And the real debate will centre on other issues, not our funding.'
But she seems to have forgotten that she wrote to me saying HLF did tell the council that the "success of the HLF project will depend on the success of the new access bridge, and in particular the acceptance of the bridge by all users of the Park including local residents and community groups"
email from jennifer stuart to me
Dear Ms. ... Thank you for your communication of 19th October outlining your concerns about the proposed new bridge at Bute Park. Although the Heritage Lottery Fund has made a substantial award to Bute Park for the restoration of the historic park, the design, planning and construction of the new access bridge does not form part of this award. However we are conscious that the success of the HLF project will depend on the success of the new access bridge, and in particular the acceptance of the bridge by all users of the Park including local residents and community groups. For this reason we have asked the Council to demonstrate the involvement of users both in the design and long-term maintenance of the bridge. We are forwarding a copy of your email to Pat Thomson who is responsible for the project on behalf of the Council, for a more detailed response. Thank you again for your interest in the work of the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Yours Sincerely Jennifer Stewart Pennaeth CDL, Cymru/Head of HLF, Wales-----Original Message----- Llinell uniongyrchol/direct line 029 2023 4144 www.hlf.org.uk jennifers@hlf.org.uk, Email From: Berman, Rodney (Cllr) Sent: Sat, 29 Nov 2008 9:40 Subject: RE: private eye and Bute Park
I have already explained to Professor Morgan that Councillor Nigel Howells would be much better placed than me to participate in the debate on behalf of the Council as the Executive Member responsible for parks.
I have also explained that he is already committed to being out of the country on 12 December (which was the date given to me by Professor Morgan, not 10 December) and that I would also not be available on that date as I am committed to being in mid-Wales.
However, I have made it clear to Professor Morgan that Nigel Howells would be more than happy to participate in the debate if it was possible to rearrange the date and have suggested to Professor Morgan that he liases with Nigel Howells directly.
Even in these difficult times, it seems, money can still be found to spoil things unnecessarily: in this case Bute Park, a much loved oasis in the centre of Cardiff....Bute Park is listed as grade 1 by the Welsh historic building and environment agency, CADW, on the Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest . Not that such an accolade seems able to protect it. ...
I am writing in response to Kevin Morgan's outcry against the city fathers over encroachment into Bute Park. I am in total agreement with him about this and will support any fight he is willing to lead on it. In fact I don't think they are just making a mess of Bute Park. The Bay, with all its new and wonderful architecture is an absolute mess - no cohesion in the layout or design of the buildings, nor in the infrastructure around it. The station is another pig's ear, with no access for pick ups and drop offs (which I would have thought essential at a station). And the city centre is a mess too with pavements jutting out into St. Mary Street in an incoherent fashion. It's nice there for pedestrians now, but not a thought for the visual design of the street. So ... I think Bute Park is a good place to start.
Freiends of Bute park wrote to the council - 14 October 2008Dear Julian Stedman
I write to protest most vehemently at the proposal to build an access road and bridge for large lorries to enter Bute Park. This proposal will destroy and change forever a large number of mature trees and a significant proportion of a truly magnificent park.
Cardiff has one of the largest inner city urban parks in Europe - I'm absolutely outraged that yet again an elected body is proposing to eat into and defile a precious and outstandingly beautiful space for short term convenience. It appears that the council has already begun preparations to enact the proposal without, as far as I'm aware, properly publicising and consulting it's constituency. Everybody who visits Cardiff, and we work with people from all over the world, remark on how lucky and privileged we are in Cardiff to have such an incredibly wonderful and universally accessible space at the very centre of our city. It is comparable to the Wansee in Berlin the Bois de Boulogne in Paris and Central Park New York in it's beauty and usage.
At a time when we are all being told by government, environmentalists and ecologists that the threat of global warming is the main threat facing all of us, and the safeguarding of the environment is crucially important to everybody, our council seems to be intent on destroying mature trees and introducing an invasive and polluting highway to a tranquil and exquisitely delicate space. Cardiff is full of misconceived, wasteful highway "innovations" and "solutions" which appear to have been introduced by amateur and environmentally illiterate administrators. This council wastes millions each year on short term, ill conceived traffic plans which cause havoc to everybody without achieving any real solutions to the problems of traffic pollution or flow. There are no electric trams or hybrid buses anywhere, no proper provision for bicycles or really effective pedestrianisation of city centre streets. The introduction of noisy, polluting and incredibly dangerous "bendy buses" has been a disaster of epic proportions. The ButePark proposal will add to a growing list of serious environmental and highway incompetence's.
The administration should be forced to spend some public money visiting our twin city Stuttgart to see what a proper integrated transport system looks like. In comparison Cardiff is third rate and backward.
ButePark, Pontcanna Fields and the rest of the river parks are brilliant examples of utilised inner city public spaces - superbly accessible to everybody, young and old, infirm and athletic. They are precious resources to be protected and guarded by those who purport to represent us as responsible and intelligent politicians.
It will be your eternal shame if you violate the trust the people place in you go ahead with this madness. You should be setting a supreme example to us all not indulging in environmental hooliganism at such a crucially important time as this.
As a company involved in advertising and filmmaking we will do our utmost to make sure that this issue is publicised as widely as possible in an effort to stop this violation and erosion of a wonderful public resource.
Sincerely,
Les Mills
Beryl Productions International Ltd Chapter • Market Road • Canton • Cardiff • Wales • UK • CF5 1QE Studio Tel/Fax: 44 (0)29 20 226 225 • Office Tel & Fax: 44 (0) 29 20 666 418 Studio Email: studio.beryl@btconnect.com • Office Email: les.beryl@fut.net
ONE of Wales’ leading academics has passionately denounced a scheme to build a new road access for lorries into Bute Park in Cardiff.
Kevin Morgan, a professor in the school of City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University, believes the scheme amounts to a desecration of one of the city’s greatest assets.
The scheme was passed by councillors on October 15 after they were told that articulated lorries needed to deliver plants to a centre inside the park.
More than 1,000 residents objected to the scheme, which will also make it easier for big events to be staged in the park.
Bute Park was landscaped in the late 18th century by Capability Brown and had alterations in the late 19th century by the third Marquess of Bute. In 1947, the fourth Marquess of Bute presented the park to Cardiff council. It has grade one listed status.
A road bridge costing £1.4m is due to be built at the North Gate, with a new road access. One rare tree is due to be felled and the council acknowledges that a tranquil part of the park will be disturbed. But it maintains the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
A spokeswoman for Cardiff council said: “A permission for development notice in this case was issued on October 17. The only way this scheme will not proceed is if there is a judicial review on legal grounds or if the council revokes the consent, which is highly unlikely.”
What Professor Morgan says about the development:
I AM furious about this. I find it astonishing that the council, which is supposed to safeguard the interests of Cardiff, could be so arrogant and foolish as to go ahead with such a scheme.
I am trying to organise a debate here in the university about this. It’s a big issue. Cardiff likes to project itself as one of the leading cities in Britain in terms of sustainability, husbanding its resources, and caring for the well-being of its citizens. To build a road into Bute Park, Cardiff’s greatest asset, to facilitate the entry of articulated lorries is the complete antithesis of that philosophy.
Old ways of measuring cities like GDP and population size are from another century. Nowadays, people think in terms of quality of life, and having green spaces is an absolutely vital element of that. Yet there are still those in senior positions who think solely in terms of the commercial elements of a city. Not long ago a planning director came to give a talk at the university. He never once mentioned sustainability.
But in terms of making a city attractive and a desirable place to be, you can’t trump Mother Nature. All right, with urban parks like Bute Park you are talking about cultivated nature, but what we have in Cardiff is a great asset to be nurtured, not something to be jettisoned or messed with.
We get a lot of students from overseas in the department, mainly from China and India. Every year I ask them at the end of their time here what are the best and the worst things about Cardiff. Every year, they speak very positively about our urban parks, by which they mainly mean Bute Park. It’s the number one comment they make. They greatly appreciate it as a place of tranquillity, where they can get away from the busy life of the city streets.
We are told that building the road will make it easier for big events to be organised in the park. It seems the park is being seen primarily as a venue for visitor attractions. But the main point of Bute Park is its value in the lives of the people of Cardiff. If visitors appreciate it too, that’s fine, but it mustn’t become simply a tourist attraction. Every encroachment on to the park is a blow to the quality of life of the people who live here. It is astonishing that the guardians of our civic heritage could even contemplate doing what they have done.
I don’t think the councillors who decided to approve this scheme have thought the matter through properly at all. I know that planning permission has been granted, but I would like them to think again. I intend to invite the council cabinet member responsible, Nigel Howells, to take part in a public debate. So far as I’m concerned, this isn’t over yet. It won’t be over until it’s over.
Here is a copy of the letter containing a number of questions that remain unanswered that I sent to Pat Thompson who is the project lead for the Bute Park lorry road and bridge.
Dear Mr Thompson,
Thank you for meeting us last Monday.
We have obtained the Green Spaces & Parks Strategy and are giving it further consideration.
In the meantime could you supply details as discussed at our meeting:
Removal of trees early in Spring. Apart from the diseased beech, you said another tree (or two) was taken down by the boundary fence, indicating the north end of gap. Was this from your own inspection or would you please supply a record of this tree or trees taken down by the Parks Dept? Unmapped champion oaks Have you checked the two major oaks to the NE of the Nursery missing from your chart? Does this not reflect on the reliability of the remaining mapping of trees
Covenant You promised to let us see the covenant(s) on Bute Park Memorial trees and plaques: what agreement was there by the Council and payments accepted for erecting these? And were the people involved notified by the Parks Dept. of the scheme? Lorries in the Park at present. How many lorry movements through on average (50-100 per week in a press report) and how many of these are concerned with the Nursery plant business (of 700 000 plants per year)? How many are large lorries – was the figure of 36 per year stated at Committee the number of artic lorries?
"Ensuring that all new developments or changes in the service are properly assessed for sustainability prior to implementation." You said the basis for the scheme is in the Park & Green Space Strategy; can you provide a document showing how the balance of positives and negatives in that Strategy were assessed?
You mention improving site use and increasing income generation, but in the Strategy there are also eg. 11) To adapt operations to reduce their impact on the environment. 12) To adopt appropriate and innovative ways of working to respond to climate change and improve environmental quality in parks and green spaces. Decision to allow the largest lorries in the Park You accepted this is a decision for the Parks service and referred to the Park & Green Space Strategy, which requires you to maintain and improve environmental quality, and to conserve and improve local heritage assets. So doesn’t any past practice to allow occasional over 30-tonne and artic lorries need to be assessed on this Strategy?
Assessment following the Aboriculture report As this shows that 43 trees will have to be lopped and raised roadways will have to be constructed, will you be reassessing the project under the Park & Green Space Strategy in the light of these significant impacts?
Safety of the Lorry Road design (4m wide, 36” high, grassed 1 in 5 slopes) You accepted that lorries passing pedestrians, wheelchairs etc. on these roadways might be intimidating and problematic. How do you propose to address this problem – does it come under the Strategy’s “involve the public.. in partnership to manage parks and green spaces”?
Life near a city park can be as healthy as out in the country ... "Populations that are exposed to the greenest environments have the lowest levels of health inequality related to income deprivation," they said. ...environments that promote good health might be crucial in the fight to reduce health inequalities." So lets keep the articulated lorries out of our park and say no to road building in the park! Simple!
I understand that the HLF believes that the success of the project will depend on the success of the new access bridge. However I can not accept that as there is a glaring lack of environmental and sustainability concerns and a focus on improving site use and increasing income generation.
It is unlikely the bridge will be welcomed by users of the Park. Already people including Friends of the Earth, cyclists groups, living streets, the Green party, The Welsh Historic Garden Trust are horrified at the proposals.
Not only horror at the bridge but also as it leads on to raised Lorry Roadways, 8 metres wide, pretending to be Paths in our Park and very many trees will be damaged or ‘crowned’ to allow lorries to pass.
I attended a meeting along with Max Wallis on the 2nd Nov 08 with Pat Thompson and John Maidment (part of time) PatThompsonParks, Commercial Development Manager and project leader Bute Park Road or the facilitator he claims. Managed the St Davids 2 project, now in charge of the city centre/Central Square and St Mary Street project. Castle and Parks are joined together. Parks have to raise adequate investment to protect the asset (ButePark, Castle etc.)Economic stability, working on environmental project Limited resources from WAG for statutory and non statutory functions. Parks are non statutory except to provide allotment land.
Cardiff has a duty of care - self sustaining - they have 1600 hectares and 300 parks in total to manage.”
He goes on “The management position is based on the Parks and Green spaces strategy 2007” although he didn’t have a copy to hand.
Pat Thompson Parks Commercial Development Manager, focus is on improving site use and increasing income generation while ignoring the sustainability and the environmental focus of the actual policy.
The parks and green spaces strategy calls for “Ensuring that all new developments or changes in the service are properly assessed for sustainability prior to implementation.” And “ ensure that all new development in parks is designed for maximum energy efficiency and minimum resource wastage.”
Have a look at the policy below (1). Have the parks department and the project team adhered to it?
Pat Thompson Parks Commercial Development Manager tells us that money from the car park in SophiaGardens pays for grass cutting. Income comes into parks. The ethos is protection –
Pat Thompson insisted that the initial work undertaken by the council was to remove one diseased tree. He claimed the soil was banked up to provide a bed for the tree to fall on. Another tree (or two) taken down by the boundary fence (north end of gap, he indicated). Failed to answer which way it was intended to transport the trunk away (have dropped the claim that the boundary gap was to haul the trunk out).
Pat Thompson Commercial Development Manager said the drilling equipment was used for site investigation.
ButePark restoration project dates from 2002. It is not commercial as it is run by the council. Planning for nursery is independent of the planning for the bridge.
Said they had a leading expert to assess the trees and advise.
(Planning report says: “an independently commissioned arboriculture
development statement … proposes a number of recommendations regarding root protection and canopy reduction works to facilitate the development.
• 43 trees would require works to canopy/crown
• 2 trees are considered capable of relocation as part of the proposed
landscaping proposals.
In areas where the arboricultural report has indicated potential damage to tree
root structures which may be caused by the weight and wheel overrun of
heavy vehicles, the paths would be upgraded using a ‘no dig’ foundation
technique whereby the surface level of the existing paths would be re-laid and
raised by a maximum of some 350-400mm using a ‘cell webb’ construction
and would have reinforced grass buffers (cell webb and Amsterdam tree soil
with top soil and turf over) to either side, feathered down to the existing
surrounding land level.”
Unable to explain the omission of two ‘champion’ mature oak trees and others to the NE of the Nursery from the map in the publicity material – grounds for mistrust by friends of ButePark.
I hope that HLF will ask about this?
What about the people who paid for memorial trees and a plaque for loved ones in a tranquil area of the park? Have they been contacted or their views sought?
Cllr Simon Wakefield asked if there shouldn’t be a size limit on lorries going through the park and what did Pat Thompson say to that? He looked surprised and said it “the size of lorries using ButePark was never a consideration” The parks department can restrict size if they want to.Pat Thompson, commercial development manager, said this wasn’t for him to consider.
They said the remit was to plan for the largest size of lorry accessing the Nursery and for lopping to protect the trees from these lorries. They could not say how that decision was made, referred us to the Parks and green spaces strategy butI can't find any mention of expanding the Nursery operations with more/bigger lorries in that.
On the basis of the vehicles using the park the parks produced a brief. We asked to see this and a copy of the covenant. We hope they might send it to the HLF and us.
The road through the park to take articulated lorries is 40cms high, above previous path, to protect trees! This is a special system designed to protect the tree roots although this means that the articulated lorries will damage the trees so they are to be ‘crowned’ their lower branches taken off as if they where in city street not a park.
The raised road has a slope at each side of 1 in 5. We are concerned about the safety of wheelchairs and pushchairs getting out of the way for articulated lorries.
Pat Thompson, commercial development manager, said that another path along feeder was being considered to make pedestrians safer. The new road being potentially dangerous!
He didn't deny the number of 50 - 100 vehicles per week average. The number of vehicles will increase with the new education centre and events.
Covenant – said the Covenant applied south of the line of Corbett Rd and agreed to let us have a copy. Didn’t know whether it prevented commercial trading (ice cream) for which the Council charges.
The heritage lottery fund is funding this so called 'restoration' of Bute Park! £3,123,000
On the 20 August 2007 the National Heritage Lottery wrote to the Council confirming that:- “the Heritage Lottery Fund view the position of a new bridge over the docks feeder to provide access into the park from North Road as an essential element of the Bute Park Restoration Project. HLF & cardiff Council Execut_E_07_09_11_A_rep_R-2.pdf
Cllr Howells Dirty tricks
The last 70 years have seen massive incremental damage to Bute Parks. You can download here the leaflet showing the degree destruction and privatisation that has been allowed in that time and which has escalated over the last few years.
Cllr Howells on the new road or as he calls it 'path' widening and lorry turning circle "full design has yet to be 'WORKED UP'!"
The MAP published alongside Coun Nigel Howells’ piece in the Capital Times had been DOCTORED to show the council’s proposed developments in a more favourable light.
Council officer admited that the artists image was “ephemeral”, and that in reality the bridge would be larger, higher and more visible.
Must read
ECONOMY & CULTURE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: 18 JUNE 2009 nScrutiny report‘The Economic Role of Parks’
Cardiff Council incurred expenditure of £11,356,089 in respect of vehicle operating costs. more here
Prof Kevin Morgan, school of City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University, believes the planned roadways would desecrate one of the city’s greatest assets, a top-grade Park. Cllr N Howells rubbished criticisms of plans for Victorian parklands 10 Jan 2009
Gateshead Council introducing electric vehicles in council parks here a series of measures which cut Fuel bills cut by £100,000 a year Professor Chris Baines HLF This paper is very much about trees in towns as opposed to those in the countryside. It emphasises the multifunctional environmental
Have your say to Cardiff council
Nov 27,Paul Adams, Come on Cadw, why have you withdrawn your opposition to this scheme to allow articualated lorries to plough through a Grade ! historic park?! Nov 27,Richard James, Driving a road through a Grade I Historic Park? I would expect this from a feckless Council, but shame on CADW - grow a backbone!
Nov 25,Sabrina Cleevely, I strongly object to the building of this bridge. Bute park belongs to the people of Cardiff. This is not restoration but destruction of a very beautiful and peaceful part of the city. Denise Cooper, 'This would be a travisty if this went ahead, the park was given to the people of Cardiff for their enjoyment and not as a thoroughfare.'
Nov 23,Richard Darley, This development has no public support and that Heritage Lottery funding should be encouraging this destruction is outrageous.
Nov 19,Ute Meister, After every big event the grass is churned up and the whole place looks ugly for ages. Once the access road is built, the park will be used even more often for big events and nothing will be able to recover anymore.
Hannah Bevan-Mohaffel, 'This park is listed with CADW on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales and given a Grade 1 listing. Inclusion on this register means that CADW promise 'not to let insensitive development harm the historic and visual character of historic parks and gardens'. Does the council or CADW or the Heritage Lottery Fund think Capability Brown and later Andrew Pettigrew (the original park designers) would ever have dreamt that their design would be destroyed by large roads, built to accommodate huge articulated lorries, polluting the atmosphere and taking away the peace and serenity the park was intended to provide for busy city dwellers??'
Andrew Moon, '1900 signitures for against the road in the park and 2 for it and it still goes through. Please do not sacrifice our quality of life, for money that will not improve the quality of life for the people of Cardiff as much as having an unspoilt park in the first place.'
Gafyn Jones, 'I cycle across Bute Park each morning and it's beautiful as it is. Hands off! '
Edward Gomez, 'I find it unbelievable that Cardiff Council have the new roads as such key part of their plans. What does that have to do with restoring Bute Park'
Margaret Pugh, 'IF THIS ROAD IS ALLOWED TO DEVELOP YOU WILL DESTROY THE VERY THING THAT MAKES CARDIFF UNIQUE AS A CITY. NEW YORK HAS CENTRAL PARK , CARDIFF HAS BUTE PARK. Do you think New York would allow lorries into Central Park?WE NEED TO PRESERVE OUR WONDERFUL HERITAGE.
J E Talbot-Jones, 'We should be looking to reduce the impact and scale of events held within Bute Park, not encouraging and accommodating them. Why must everything revolve around the needs of the internal combustion engine, which appears to have a limited future, rather than concentrating on the flora and fauna, and everyday low key/impact recreational aspects of the Park?
Michael Davies, 'Bute Park is a legacy to the people of Cardiff. Our elected representatives should be the guardians of this very special city centre park. It is a disgrace that both the Heritage Lottery Fund and Cardiff City Council are even contemplating this totally unnecessary development. Such a road can only lead to the fragmentation of the park and consequently increase the likelihood of further erosion by developers.'
Robert Gatheridge, 'Many trees have already been lost in anticipation of the planning applications approval. Sophia Gargens had a pavilion where events were held but now it's a car park. I would rather the council get rid of the car park and replace it with a space for events rather than build a road into Bute Park'
sarah fotheringham Cardiff, 'I don't believe it! We are crying out to keep our green spaces Green! Breathing spaces, garden projects, community open spaces, planting trees in streets that have non, and yet we are also ploughing up our green spaces...I don't believe it!! well not in my back yard'
J C Williams, 'These parks are unique to this city and were donated to the people of Cardiff - not just the council -and essential as big spaces for everyone to enjoy safely - with sport, walking, relaxing, and play space for children - the council should appreciate this and leave them as they are. There is no need for lorry access. The council trucks already drive around quite adequately on existing paths.'
'These parks were left for the recreational enjoyment of the citizens of Cardiff not for hosting large scale events which many of those citizens can't afford to attend. This is an area of outstanding beauty and should be preserved intact for future generations.'
Richard Staniforth Cardiff, 'We have fought to retain the Park Lands at the heart of Cardiff for the last twenty years with their gradual erosion starting with the development of the old HTV studio site to housing. The new stadium was only allowed on the basis that it would not have an expanded impact on the Park and surrounding areas. The state of the fields post Eisteddfod is a disgrace - an area that has been used for community football and cricket has been devastated by the hard core laid down in the still fenced off area. Is this sleight of hand to be the new car park for the Stadium to accomodate vehicles for the 2009 test match? The whole area - the lungs of the city and a recreational area for the people of Cardiff is being taken over by commercial interests. I strongly object to this development.'
Richard Jackson Dinas Powys, 'I strongly feel that the Council MUST NOT these plans their permission to go ahead. The alternatives that will cause far less negative impact on the park MUST be investigated and preferably implemented.'
Peter Adamson Abertyleri, 'Stop the commercial development of Bute Park. It should remain a peaceful haven.'
Susan Smith Cardiff, 'Building a road through Bute park would be appalling, it would destroy the quiet, peacefulness and beauty of one of the lovliest city centre parks in Europe'
Mark Suret Cardiff, 'I'm writing to ask you (or whoever is in charge of the project) to think again about plunging a major new vehicle access into Cardiff's green and pleasant parklands i.e. the bridge and roadway entering Bute Park off North Road at the end of Corbett Road and new carriageway and substantial road improvement within the Park. A number of mature trees and a large area of vegetation have already been cleared, even though the application has not yet been agreed by Planning Committee. It is justified as allowing articulated lorries easy access to areas of the park for commercial events and to permit large articulated lorries to deliver plants from Holland (and presumably equipment for Sky TV for use in broadcasts from the SWALEC stadium). Please understand how deep and wide the opposition to this commercialisation of precious parklands goes. Not only do these moves threaten the award winning arboretum and its champion trees, about which the council makes supportive statements from time to time. But people from across Cardiff and beyond love this space of relatively free land with its beautiful scope, and its trees. Its extent, and its relative safety from traffic, for children, the disabled, and all those wanting to walk, play, relax and cycle within it, are part of its enormous value. In terms of joined up politics it also makes a key contribution to the health and well-being of Cardiff people, as well as of those visiting Cardiff partly in order to enjoy unspoiled and extensive parks. All parties on Council pay lip service to green issues and conservation. Let's have an inspiring example of opposition to this environmentally destructive move.'
Sarah Hayton Cardiff, 'As a resident of Cardiff a user of Bute park and a cyclist I and very concerned about the new proposed plans. The reasons for such a vast change to the park and inevitable destruction to some areas, do not seem justified. Ease of access to council vehicles does not seem a good enough reason to risk the safety of cyclists and to so drastically effect the experience of an area of Cardiff which should be teasured not spoilt. I find it depressing that Cardiff Council should again be so glib as to make this proposal when they should instead be preserving a park which many other cities would be proud to have and to celebrate. I suspect that the road is planned primarily to facilitate the summer concerts and weekend events held in the summer months. These must bring in a lot of revenue to the council it seems that the council values the park as a money making venue rather than a space that has an intrinsic value of it's own that should be respected.'
Paul Charles Cardiff, 'As a regular user of the park, running & cycling I think it is disgraceful that could even think of this destruction!!!!'
Patricia McKenna Cardiff, 'The flora and fauna of the Park is threatened by these inroads. We should not be destroying parts of the park in order to welcome articulated lorries delivering Dutch (?) flowers for the nursery. The park is not a cultivated manicured theme park but a tranquil oasis with natural habitats that we should protect.'
Natalia Lawrence Cardiff, 'Please do not ruin the jewel in Cardiff's crown - keep Bute park cyclist-friendly, peaceful and green. Surely in this era of eco-awareness our local government should be doing everything possible to protect and retain green spaces and promote cycling? Building lorry access into the park that cuts across a cycle lane is most definitely not helping with this!'
Nigel Watt Cardiff, 'The design needs to be changed, so that lorries waiting to turn into North Road will not impede cyclists using the cycle path which runs alongside North Road's western boundary.'
Ceri-Anne Davies Cardiff, 'I am appalled that the council could even consider doing anything to such a beautiful park,not only do myself and my children do races (running )in the park but i have taken my children there often for picnics,its such a tranquil place to spend time in and forget all the stresses of life'
Tamsyn Mackay Penarth, 'Keep the green spaces in Cardiff!'
C.J. Morris Roath, Cardiff, 'The memorial park should be just that - a place of peace, memories and quiet reflection, not a throughfare for lorries or any vehicle other than bicycles'
Steve Owen cardiff, 'Once again Cardiff council has a hidden agenda,it's our jewel in the crown not their pot of gold'
Julia Charles Cardiff, 'Hand off OUR park'
Richard Self Cardiff, 'The park is a unique part of our childrens heritage. There can be no creep of tarmac over this green space.'
Anne Bate Cardiff, 'It is disgusting that the council is trying to get this proposal in via the back door! The public should have been informed. How can they justify felling our heritage for convenience and it must be said, monetary gain!!!'
Rachel Matthews Caerphilly, 'It is disgusting that the council are proposing to build a road through Bute Park. I believe that something is going seriously wrong with our priorities in this world and these proposals are yet another example of this. Yet again it seems that short-sightedness, monetary gain and downright lazy expediency is taking precedence over anything that is of long-term, intrinsic value in life. It is truly wrong and unnecessary to build a road through what is currently a place of outstanding beauty, peacefulness, clean air and an essential escape for relaxation in a busy, already over-polluted environment. To be able to escape from the city into such a peaceful place is essential for us all physically and mentally - what would happen if we let all our green spaces get eaten up over time and never halted the process - how could we explain to our children what they have lost due to such laziness, short-term greed and quick-fixes? Please THINK AGAIN and DONT build any roads in Bute Park.'
Pat Gregory Cardiff, 'The site of the proposed entrance and bridge for lorries to transport goods into the park is currently one of the most beautiful and tranquil areas of the park, with mature trees, a canal walk and grassland with decorative trees, and daffodils in the spring. At that point the park is effectively at its narrowest, due to the walled nursery area. If this road access goes ahead it will effectively cut the park in two, as on the other side of the nursery there are only a few metres between the nursery and the river.'
Joek Roex Cardiff, 'There are other ways in which Bute Park can stay animal, plant, and human friendly than through continuing commercial development. Cardiff should be proud of a park like Bute Park with its innumerable and invaluable champion trees. The extensive use by pedestrians and cyclists show that a continued conservation effort would pay off in keeping the park accessible and safe.
Mark Palser CARDIFF, 'Save our parks - Bute Park is an oasis of calm - I am fully against these proposals!!'
Hilary Hillhouse Kingston, 'It would be a tragedy to put a road through Bute Park.'
David McDonald Cardiff, 'They only withdrew the plans becuase of the election. Leave our parks alone.'
Peter Regan Cardiff, 'I object to any building or upgrading in Bute Park.'
Planning Policy Wales
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION FOR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION FOR
Woodwatch Welsh Planning System Planning Policy Wales (PPW) - guidance on the preparation and content of development plans and advice on development control decisions and appeals - provides overarching principles of planning in the country. The policies provided in the guidance should be reflected in local development plans.
It also states: 'local planning authorities should seek to protect trees, groups of trees and areas of woodland where they have natural heritage value or contribute to the character or amenity of a particular locality.' (PPW para. 5.2.8).
In addition to Planning Policy Wales, there is a Technical Guidance Note, TAN 5, which gives local authorities further guidance on Nature Conservation and Planning and is available from the Welsh Assembly.
‘Too many events which cause too much litter and noise. Too many fast food outlets when events are on.’
An assessment of the use of Cooper’s Fields....This has a detrimental effect upon the park in the long term, because the wear and tear on the infrastructure caused by frequent heavy use from events has to be met from within existing resources, even if reinstatement costs are provided....
Full Documents for Parks and Green Spaces Strategy
Please find below the full documents for the Parks and Green Spaces Strategy:
On the 20 August 2007 the National Heritage Lottery wrote to the Council confirming that:-“the Heritage Lottery Fund view the position of a new bridge over the docks feeder to provide access into the park from North Road as an essential element of the Bute Park Restoration Project.. 2008. The new bridge, if built if completed this financial year, would greatly support future major events in the Park, the first of these being the RHS Show 2008 and the National Eisteddfod RECOMMENDATIONS The Executive is requested to recommend to Council that the provision of a new vehicular and pedestrian access bridge off North Road at a cost of £1.40 million be included in the revised 2007/08 capital programme of the Council.
Making a complaint Heritage Lottery Fund All Lottery Distributors follow the same procedure for the handling of complaints. This new process is explained in our ‘Making a Complaint' leaflet. To download the leaflet click on the following links: English 95 KB | Welsh 100 KB email enquire@hlf.org.uk
The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama has been granted planning permission for its £22.5 million development to build a new concert hall, theatre, drama rehearsal spaces and exhibition gallery to complement and enhance its existing high-quality performance facilities.
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