High note for music lovers as flats plan withdrawn
CAMPAIGNERS have had a victory in their bid to protect Cardiff’s best-known live music street.
Yesterday afternoon developers withdrew controversial plans to build flats in the city’s Womanby Street. The flats would have been built next door to Clwb Ifor Bach.
Music fans, venue owners and politicians had joined together to oppose plans for the flats and a separate application for a hotel to be built above Wetherspoon.
They feared the future of the street as the home to a number of live music venues was at risk if planners allowed dwellings.
The concern was that if flats were built, residents would be affected by loud music and complain, which could result in licences being revoked if any complaints were upheld – despite the venues being long established. Campaigners called on the council and Welsh Government to offer protection to music venues.
The application, by Afzal Khan and agent DLP Architecture, was for an existing commercial unit at 9 Womanby Street to be knocked down and flats to be built in its place. The currently four-storey building is mainly built of brick but its roof is missing. The developer said it would improve the appearance of the street by introducing a new building.
No reason was given in the letter for the withdrawal.
Wetherspoon’s hotel application was submitted first, followed by the plans for flats. Objections were received from politicians including Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens, and a number of petitions were signed by thousands.
Clwb Ifor Bach chief executive Guto Brychan said it was “great news”.
He said the objection on behalf of the club was because it felt there was insufficient detail about plans to soundproof the new building which would have shared a wall with his venue. But he said the response to the campaign has been “heart-warming”.
A huge march took place with supporters heading to City Hall to call for support from the council.
Afterwards, the Welsh Government said it planned to revise its planning policy.
Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, said she wanted an explicit reference to the ‘Agent of Change’ principle to be included in Wales’ national planning policy. Under the principle, if new developments or uses are to be introduced near a pre-existing business, such as a live music venue, it is the developer’s responsibility to ensure solutions to mitigate the noise are put forward.