Cardiff Council Cllrs allow Park Destruction

Thank you all for your support and the valiant effort to save the park..Planning Cttee passed it today 7 to 2 against, under heavy pressure from the officials.
ONLY 2 councillors opposed the road into Bute Park
1. A Robson (Independant) 2. Cllr Foley (Tory)
The rest voted for the road for artic lorries!

We brought the petition with nearly 2,000 signatures and they had 1,000 emails first time around and this time more than a 100 and they admitted to getting a 100 emails this morning alone! Max spoke to the committee - they gave us three minutes. Then Cllr Howell chair of the parks committee got 3 minutes to argue the case for.

This was about 5.20 and then the officers spoke in favour for at least an hour plus on to about 7 pm with few comments from members telling the benefits of the scheme. New narrower rustic bridge design! Complete with traffic lights!! Totally missing the point..that we should be not allowing articulated lorries in to the park ever!!!

Nigel Howells jumped in to speak as ward member, saying if Jane Cowen could get in so could he.
But Jane had been challenged and said she was speaking for constituents, the weak chair saying it was agreed in her case. But no such claim of agreement about Howells.

Is this okay under procedure - shocked at this misuse by Exec Member to promote the scheme (extensively, at length), not once mentioning constituents' views? This was on top of Rosie James/Parks having 3 minutes to promote it for the "applicants".


At least Cllr Foley said that it was a shocking thing to do to the park.,..so city can get more events and make more money. He said the nursery shouldn't be there .."should be moved elsewhere. If artic lorries, vehicles are to travel on it then it is a road."
The officers claimed this was for the use of 36 artic lorries a year - Cllr Foley said this was a disgracefully waste of tax payers money. The park, he said was owned by the people of Cardiff not the Council do do as they please with it. As for events - larger events could be held else where.

I was shocked that the tree person said there was only one holly tree to be replaced and 10 trees of a inferior category plus 2 groups of inferior trees + 2 small trees to be replanted. 43 TREES are to be pruned to make way for the passing articulated lorries - so 43 lollypop trees! But the tree people say that 'pruning will have a minimal impact - don't consider this detrimental to the amenity of the park. 2 Beech trees have been removed and will be replaced and in 30 years time will have significant impact'. !!! so that's ok then!

3 champion trees will require CROWN management
No memorial trees will be felled
However 6 memorial trees will require CROWN management!
This tree has been planted in memory of a loved one so it is chopped back to let articulated lorries past in what was a tranquil part of the park designated for memorial trees!!!
43 trees in all to be pruned ....43 lollipop trees!!!

One significant factor was that CADW supported this application. Contact them ..
Tel: 01443 33 6000 Fax: 01443 33 6001 E-mail: Cadw@Wales.gsi.gov.uk

Cadw is a Welsh word which means 'to keep'. Cadw is the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment division. CADW boasts ...'We aim to

• protect and sustain
• encourage community engagement in
• improve access to

the historic environment of Wales. This includes historic buildings, ancient monuments, historic parks, gardens and landscapes, and underwater archaeology.'

No officer gave the opposing view or really there was no council officer speaking in support of preserving the park as it is. No one mentioned the enormous damage the council had done to the park before they got planning permission.

The car park is defined as "highway" said Paul Carter. They want to chop it up and reassign the carpark as "detailed design"

What can we do now?

The whole thing is funded in large part by the heritage lottery fund so I think we should petition them and ask why they are supporting and funding a project which is destroying a beautiful listed park.


I did an interview with the BBC in the park where the destruction has already been started by Cardiff Council.

In the chair was BURFOOT. Patricia I think.

I believe these where the dinosaur councillors who voted for a road into a listed park for articulated lorries!! Apologies for any inaccuracies or if I missed someone!! There should be seven..please let me know who is missing!

Publish Post

Plaid Cymru ISLAM. Mohammed-Sarul,
Lib HYDE. Keith
Lib JERRETT. Richard
Lib PEARCY. Cathy
New Lab PARRY. Jacqueline





The planning committee ..see them all here