Council to restart work on pitch at local park
CARDIFF council has announced it will re-commence work to build a fenced-in football pitch on part of Sanatorium Park in Canton, Cardiff, on Tuesday.
The council started developing on the open green space, which backs onto the Lovell development at the old Ely Paper Mill site, in June but halted work and agreed to consult with residents after protesters forced workers to turn around twice.
However, it has said it is “satisfied it is able to proceed with the works as planned” and a letter sent to residents said work will resume on July 28. The football pitch is considered a permitted development and does not require planning permission.
The Sanatorium Park Supports campaign group is urging Cardiff residents to contact their local councillors to express their opposition. It is also planning to lodge a judicial review, if it can secure funding.
Robin Ritter-Jones, who lives at The Mill with his wife, said: “The area is a beautiful wild wetlands and it’s full of wild flowers, rabbits, warrens and there’s bats nesting.
“When they first proposed moving the pitch, my initial thought was there should be some compromise and it should be built as far away from both estates as possible.
“But as time as gone on, most people have come to the view that there is no suitable location in the park. Any location is going to eat up so much of the park and it’s a wonderful asset for the whole of Cardiff.”
The campaigners are asking residents across the city to contact local politicians and MPs in the hope the issue will be raised at a council meeting on July 23.
Robin said: “We’re trying to push for more consultation and the more pressure we put on the council the better.”
Robin said the group also plans to lodge a judicial review to challenge the decision. He said organisers have an “oven ready” legal case prepared, but are currently unable to fund the legal fees. The group is now exploring other options, including applying for legal aid.
A spokeswoman for Cardiff council said: “The council had agreed to temporarily suspend commencement of works to give further consideration to the residents’ views.
“Having done that, the council remains satisfied that it is able to proceed with the works as planned later this month.”