Cardiff council granted permission for the demolition of the Roath Park pub. Picture credit: Dom Atreides Cardiff council have claimed that there is nothing they could have done to prevent the demolition of the Roath Park pub, instead choosing to blame Cadw and the Welsh Government. In fact Cardiff council could have locally listed The … Continue reading Are Cardiff council to blame for demolition of the Roath Park pub?
Author: Cardiff Civic Society
Cardiff Civic Society is a membership organisation and charity that aims to conserve, sustain and develop the natural and built environment of the city for the benefit of current and future generations.
It is a charity whose objects are improving the built and natural environment of the city. Its role is to provide information and support, research and debate and, where necessary, to lobby local authorities, government and private interests to ensure the achievement of its aims. It runs conferences, workshops, education events and acts as a catalyst for other organisations with similar objectives to exchange ideas and develop skills.
It also runs a programme of informal and social events for its members in buildings and places that demonstrate concern for the built environment.
What is happening with Brains?
Your questions answered Brains is selling a package of its pubs for £87.3m. Picture credit: Rene Passet Pubs have been closing across Britain for many years. Around 10,000 disappeared in the decade before the pandemic. Cultural change and supermarket competition have cut the number of pub goers, but the closure of a pub often means … Continue reading What is happening with Brains?
A Tale of Two Arenas
The Bristol Arena declares sustainability will be at its heart, but the Cardiff Arena has little interest in this. Bristol: home to a proposed arena which will run without fossil fuels. Picture credit: Ali Mannan By Lyn Eynon, planning lead, Cardiff Civic Society Recently, Cardiff Cabinet adopted its One Planet Vision for a Carbon Neutral … Continue reading A Tale of Two Arenas
Grave concerns at plans for Roath park dam
Questions to answer for @natreswales @cardiffcouncil and @dwrcymru Roath Mill Gardens Conservation Society responds to plans Roath park lake. Picture credit: Richard Szwejkowski Roath Mill Gardens Conservation Society have written to the authorities about their plans for works on Roath park dam. Their concerns relate to: The way in which the Council is consulting on … Continue reading Grave concerns at plans for Roath park dam
One Planet Cardiff – will this deliver for the city?
Whilst there is much to be welcomed in this document, it is deeply flawed and lacks ambition. Pic credit: Franzisko Hauser ONE PLANET CARDIFF (OPC) – Will this deliver for the city? Whilst there is much to be welcomed in this document, it is deeply flawed and lacks ambition. OPC says (p.20) that the Council … Continue reading One Planet Cardiff – will this deliver for the city?
Why does Cardiff Council not trust its own citizens? Cardiff City Hall - home of the secretive Cardiff Council. Picture credit: Elliott Brown Cardiff Council will soon adopt its One Planet strategy to deliver a carbon neutral Council and City by 2030. As the capital of Wales – and the UK city must vulnerable to rising sea … Continue reading
Cladding and fuel poverty – a lethal combination
Fuel prices are rising fast, the energy price cap has been increased again, yet Cardiff Council is not able to prioritise replacement cladding for Council tenants. A cold winter ahead for Cardiff council's tower block residents, and their pets. Picture credit: Dave Shea Most people will have heard, one way or another, about the Grenfell … Continue reading Cladding and fuel poverty – a lethal combination
Concerns at flawed arena plan
Cardiff Civic Society has responded to the pre-application consultation on the proposed new indoor arena Saddledome arena, Calgary, capacity: 19,000. Pic: Bernard Spragg Cardiff Civic Society has voiced its concerns about plans for an expensive indoor arena in Butetown. In a response to the pre-application consultation (attached below) prepared by Lyn Eynon, they state: We … Continue reading Concerns at flawed arena plan
City plan is criticised over racial inequality and children’s needs
CARDIFF council has come under criticism from a leading heritage group for failing to address racial inequality or the needs of children in a strategic document setting out the city’s future planning needs. Image: Income inequality word cloud by https://www.epictop10.com This article originally appeared in the South Wales Echo on 20 Sep 2021 and is … Continue reading City plan is criticised over racial inequality and children’s needs
A new arena for Cardiff:
Is there a good business case for an arena? Cardiff Council wants to invest £200m on a new indoor arena. Pictured is an existing indoor arena in Birmingham (Pic: Air Babble) If you use social media, you may well have seen this twitter thread from Cardiff Council issued on 16th September extolling the virtues of … Continue reading A new arena for Cardiff:
A Fairer City?
By Tamsin Stirling Outside looking in: Cardiff's ten year plan makes no mention of children or tackling racial inequality. Image: 'Summer Night' by Tatiana El-Bakri Inequality and Covid We’ve seen how inequality has increased during Covid. Just take income – an estimated £190billion (yes billion) has been saved by some households across the UK while … Continue reading A Fairer City?
To grow or not to grow? Growth for a purpose
The growth that Cardiff Council are seeking to pursue should not be an end in and of itself, writes Tamsin Stirling In its recent consultation on the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP), Cardiff Council make clear that growth of the city is a key driver in shaping the overall approach. What is interesting in this … Continue reading To grow or not to grow? Growth for a purpose
Future for Our City?
A true modern city, fit for today’s challenges, must embody different values. An "oasis for humanity and nature": the Green Citadel, Magdeburg is one vision of the future city. Pic: Pablo Clavo Lyn Eynon, on behalf of Cardiff Civic Society responds to Cardiff's Council's replacement local development plan's draft 'Vision, Issues and Objectives' document. Cardiff’s civic leadership … Continue reading Future for Our City?
Climate Change – The defining challenge for #Cardiff’s Replacement LDP
Climate change has been described as ‘probably the greatest long-term challenge facing the human race’. Image by Quote Catalog In March 2019, Cardiff Council declared a climate emergency, and council leader, Huw Thomas, asserts that “the Council has recognised that Climate Change remains the defining global challenge of our generation” However, fine words are not … Continue reading Climate Change – The defining challenge for #Cardiff’s Replacement LDP
Unless proper attempts to engage with people are made now, Cardiff’s population will sleep walk into a future that is not of their choosing.
Plea to Cllr Caro Wild to include public in the debate on the future of the city Coventry council's Democracy Challenge is an example of the kind of engagement Cardiff should do on its ten year plan for the ciy. Pic: Coventry council Cardiff Civic Society have written the following open letter to Cllr Caro … Continue reading Unless proper attempts to engage with people are made now, Cardiff’s population will sleep walk into a future that is not of their choosing.
The ten-year plan for Cardiff – NOW is the time to act!
Cardiff Council’s ten-year plan for the city – the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP) - will shape the city we love irrevocably. We are also at the tipping point for issues such as the Climate Emergency and the Biodiversity Crisis. Cardiff Civic Society says that NOW is the time to act if we, the citizens, are to … Continue reading The ten-year plan for Cardiff – NOW is the time to act!
“Please complete this survey…”
Cardiff council's increasing use of surveys exacerbates the imbalance of power between citizens and decision-makers, with citizens’ views reduced to x% agreed and y% disagreed. "I love people power" image courtesy of the Sustainable Economies Law Centre By Tamsin Stirling How many times have you started a survey only to be confronted with questions that … Continue reading “Please complete this survey…”
Cardiff’s unsung public places
Rhymney Estuary. Pic: T. Stirling By Tamsin Stirling When Cardiff Civic Society asked on Twitter ‘what is your favourite unsung public space in Cardiff?’, the replies served as a reminder of the diversity of public spaces, that are loved and used by citizens across the city and which are a vital part of our quality … Continue reading Cardiff’s unsung public places
Why no face-to-face consultation on the ‘LDP’ (the ten year plan) for Cardiff?
Cardiff Council is reluctant to organise face to face sessions to listen to residents views on the next ten year plan. Graphic: Ron Mader Cardiff Council’s current consultation on their next 10 year plan (the Local Development Plan) is relying on online mechanisms which will exclude many citizens. There is appetite in a number of … Continue reading Why no face-to-face consultation on the ‘LDP’ (the ten year plan) for Cardiff?
Cardiff’s ten year plan
What it is - Why it matters - How to respond cardiffs-ldp-infographic-draft-3Download
Questions raised over city venues – Echo
St David's Hall. Pic: Walt Jabsco Martin Shipton, South Wales Echo, 15 June, 2021 This article was originally published in the South Wales Echo. Please support strong local journalism and buy a copy of your Echo regularly! A GROUP dedicated to preserving Cardiff’s heritage says it is worried that the city council held a top-level … Continue reading Questions raised over city venues – Echo
Everything you wanted to know about Cardiff’s replacement Local Development Plan
How to make your voice heard on the ten year plan for our city's future Blackweir bridge, Bute Park, Cardiff, pic: Jeremy Segrott Lyn Eynon from Cardiff Civic Society spoke to a packed public meeting on 8 June 2021 about the replacement local development plan (LDP). He said: We should all participate in the LDP … Continue reading Everything you wanted to know about Cardiff’s replacement Local Development Plan
Uncovered: Cardiff Council pledges NEVER to build on parks
Commitment from the ruling group would save Britannia Park children's playground from unwanted military museum "Please don't park your tanks on our children's playground!" Pic: Travis Despite it's bizarre plans to build a military museum on a children's playground and park in the deprived area of Butetown, Cardiff Civic Society can reveal that the council's … Continue reading Uncovered: Cardiff Council pledges NEVER to build on parks
“Let’s have our cake and eat it” – Cardiff Council on its planning committee
Altolusso, Cardiff with its controversial facade - courtesy of Cardiff's planning committee. Pic: Nick Cardiff Civic Society respond to Cardiff Council's misleading post on planning On 27 May, Cardiff Council posted a long Twitter post in defence of the Planning Committee. It is good to see Council engaging with citizens on planning. Some may even … Continue reading “Let’s have our cake and eat it” – Cardiff Council on its planning committee
Risk of confusion as council due to launch TWO huge consultations of the future of the city
'Greener, Fairer, Stronger' launch set to clash with the all important ten year local development plan (LDP) Cardiff Bay, Richard Szwejkowski Cardiff Civic Society has written an open letter to the leader and deputy leader of Cardiff Council. Dear Cllrs Thomas and MerryRE: CABINET MEETING PAPERS - 20th May 2021Cardiff Civic Society has noted the … Continue reading Risk of confusion as council due to launch TWO huge consultations of the future of the city
Good, but self-contradictory – our view on Cardiff’s recovery plan
Now is the time to make our voices heard to make our city one that is fit for current and future generations. We need action not vague promises. The Scott Monument, Roath Park, Cardiff. Pic: Richard Williams On 14 May, Cardiff Council released a report on creating a ‘Greener, Fairer and Stronger Cardiff’, which will … Continue reading Good, but self-contradictory – our view on Cardiff’s recovery plan
Concern at chair of planning’s potential conflict of interest
Chair of planning spoke for the cabinet in full council in favour policies on enforcing planning conditions and city development. County Hall, Cardiff pic: Geraint Rowland Nerys Lloyd Pierce, the chair of Cardiff Civic Society has written the following letter to Cllr Keith Jones, the chair of Cardiff's planning committee. Dear Cllr Jones, I am concerned … Continue reading Concern at chair of planning’s potential conflict of interest
Cardiff Civic Society calls for a free vote for powerful chair of planning
Letter to Cardiff's political leaders asks them to hold a free democratic vote for a post which is key to quality of life in the city Pic: OSCE Dear Councillor,I am writing to you as the leader of your political group or as an independent representative on Cardiff Council in order to ask you to … Continue reading Cardiff Civic Society calls for a free vote for powerful chair of planning
Cardiff Civic Society response to LDP Draft Delivery Agreement
1 INTRODUCTION Replacement Review We welcome Council’s recognition that a full Replacement Review is needed, given the extensive contextual changes since the adoption of the current LDP in January 2016. We want this to take a comprehensive view that will put the needs of the city’s residents and the welfare of future generations ahead of the demands … Continue reading Cardiff Civic Society response to LDP Draft Delivery Agreement
Decision could see more blocks of flats for city
None of the 432 apartments will be classed as “affordable” housing. This article first appeared in the South Wales Echo on April 16, 2016 ALEX SEABROOK South Wales Echo Local Democracy Reporter alex.seabrook@reachplc.com · Apr 16, 2021 TWO huge apartment blocks could be built in the heart of Cardiff – depending on a decision next week. Developers … Continue reading Decision could see more blocks of flats for city
Cardiff Civic Society 