HUNDREDS OPPOSE PUB SITE PLAN
HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition objecting to plans to build retail units at the site of a former Cardiff pub.
Cardiff council’s planning committee will meet tomorrow to discuss plans to demolish the former Caerau pub and build a single-storey building of three retail units.
But about 700 people have signed a petition objecting to the proposals for reasons including concerns there will be a return of anti-social behaviour in the area “that led to the closure of the pub”.
The proposal states the former pub on the junction of Heol Ebwy and Bishopston Road has been empty for about five years and is in a poor state of repair.
If approved, the new retail space would join an existing row of commercial premises including a barber shop, a betting office, a supermarket, a newsagent and a fish and chip shop.
The petition also states there is a risk that the existing businesses, which employ a significant number of local people, will suffer.
Petitioners say the community would support the demolition of the pub and its replacement with affordable housing.
Councillors for the Caerau ward, Peter Bradbury and Elaine Simmons have also made written objections to the application. They say: “We are very unhappy that this application is talking about three retail units, which is in direct opposition to the council’s own retail units in Bishopston Road.
“Indeed, we were assured that the Caerau public house was being bought for much-needed housing units, which is something we would support.”
They added: “We would also be worried about the potential for antisocial behaviour, given a further retail unit would no doubt be looking to serve alcohol and would cause some worry for the local police given the reasons the Caerau public house closed and the historic problems in that area.”
Also being discussed tomorrow is a proposal to turn the former Canadian Hotel in Adamsdown into 12 one-bedroom flats with bicycle storage facilities and parking for four vehicles.
Built in 1890, the Canadian Hotel on Pearl Street closed in 2015. More recently, it enjoyed a brief period as the first home of Hangfire Smokehouse, which started out as pop-up there.
The proposal is for the building to be repurposed to accommodate the flats, incorporating a new façade finished with a coloured render, and a two-and-a-half storey extension to the side.
Some residents of Pearl Street, Bradley Street and Arthur Street have raised objections to the proposals.
They say the plans include insufficient off-street parking, the design is out of keeping with the area and say it will result in a loss of privacy to some properties.
Planning permission for both proposals is recommended to be granted subject to conditions.
The planning committee meeting will be held tomorrow at 2.30pm at County Hall.