Woman stops council diggers from working on city parkland
ONE woman stopped diggers rolling on to a popular Cardiff park to start work on a controversial football pitch.
Jade Rayment, a self-professed “wildlife enthusiast”, used just her bike and some handmade cardboard signs to turn council diggers away after they arrived at Sanatorium Park on Wednesday afternoon.
The mum of two said it was a small victory for residents at the Ely Mill development in Canton, who are objecting to Cardiff Council’s plans to build a football pitch on part of the park.
Residents vowed to protest against the works every day this week, after they were given just 48 hours’ notice of the council plans.
A staff member of First Minister Mark Drakeford – who is also the MS for Cardiff West – wrote to protesters on Thursday: “I understand the construction of the pitch has been halted so that the council can assess the concerns raised by residents.
“We will be keeping a close eye on the situation to see how the council responds and whether Mr Drakeford can do anything to help.”
The pitch was originally planned for another part of the park but following objections by residents at Landsdowne Gardens, it was moved to the site near Ysgol Treganna. However, work had already begun at the original site, which remains fenced off to residents.
Ms Rayment, 40, said she was just about to leave the park after protesting on Wednesday, when she noticed tractors arriving with some fencing.
She said: “They were going to put temporary fencing up ahead of construction. When we consider the first field isn’t due to be righted for eight weeks, because they have to make right the land they have already dug up, and that fencing is due to remain up for another eight weeks, I just felt that the worst possible outcome would be that the residents of the area would have both fields fenced off.
“Especially at a time when we all need more space as we exit lockdown, I could just see it unfolding and felt like I had to do something about it. I charged off and felt like I just had to do it. I took my bike and my banners and stood in the narrowest bit of the path that I could find to try and stop the tractors. They asked me if I was going to move and I just politely said no.”
After the council pulled their diggers off the site, Conservative MS for
South Wales Central, Andrew RT Davies, said: “I’m pleased Cardiff Council have temporarily paused works to fence off the open green space at Sanatorium Park. It is unacceptable there was no consultation, and residents were only told of the works days before they were due to start.”
He added:
“The community should not be prevented from enjoying these spaces and there must be full engagement with them moving forward.”
The council is already controversially ripping up other green open space in the area next to the Gol facility for the development of the new Fitzalan, as well as stripping Pwll Coch school of its mature green “Cae” field.
Mrs Rayment, whose children go to Pwll Coch School, said: “They took away the green space for the school. The area is dominated by football and what about the rest of us that don’t play football? We need this green space.”
The area being turned into a pitch is popular with dog-walkers and residents at the Mill development.
The council previously said it did not need to apply for planning permission or notify residents as the pitch is classified as permitted development. But there has been a growing backlash, with over 1,300 signatures on a petition set up by resident Jack Tugwell.
Protesters hope the temporary pause means the council is reconsidering its plans. Meanwhile, Catrin Kean, who has lived in Riverside for 35 years, wrote an impassioned letter to Mr Drakeford saying: “The residents have been treated very shabbily, with hand-delivered letters giving 48 hours’ notice of this...
“Cardiff is not short of football and rugby pitches – almost every green space now has a pitch on it. If you are young, male and enjoy competitive sport, Cardiff is the city for you. However it is starting to feel as though it is not the city for me or people like me.”
Cardiff council has been contacted for comment.