March against site of cancer centre planned

CAMPAIGNERS will march through Whitchurch in Cardiff this weekend protesting the location of the new Velindre Cancer Centre.

The Save the Northern Meadows campaign group has organised a march for Saturday to protest plans to build the new Velindre Cancer Centre on the greenfield site.

Demonstrators will march through Whitchurch to the site known locally as the Northern Meadows, passing by the former Whitchurch Hospital – a site the campaign group argues is better suited for the new cancer hospital.

The group will confirm a meeting point in the coming days and share the details on its Facebook page.

Once campaigners have arrived at the meadows, hundreds more are expected to gather to fly kites.

More than 11,000 people have signed a petition calling on Velindre NHS Trust to build the £180m hospital on a different site.

Those behind the plans – which were approved by Cardiff Council in 2018 – say the existing hospital needs to be replaced to accommodate the growing number of cancer patients in Wales.

The new facility would be twice as big with a capacity for 8,500 new patients and 160,000 patient appointments a year.

But while residents support the need for a new hospital in Cardiff, many are against its location.

The Save the Northern Meadows campaign group says the plans as they stand would damage wildlife, cause traffic problems and lead to a loss of green space.

In response to the group’s concerns, a spokesman for Velindre NHS Trust said: “We want the building to sit comfortably in this landscape and to be of the highest possible environmental and design quality.

“We have outline planning permission to build on 40% of the site, including roads and car parks and are committed to ensuring that the facilities and grounds are seen as a public amenity for use by everyone. To do this, we will make sure there are footpaths and cycle routes which are fully accessible to the public wherever possible across the site.

“Facilities at the new cancer centre - including a community café and a collaborative learning and innovation centre - will also be open to all, benefitting a wide range of people and partners across South East Wales.”