Revised plans to build 45 dwellings, all catering for social housing, on land accessed from De Braose Close have now been published, and can be viewed and downloaded here. Whilst it is proposed to keep a small part of the woods, the plans still involve traffic from 182 residents through the length of De Braose Close with the access road cutting through the wood. If you wish to oppose this proposal, please send a simple objection to the planning consultant, pip [at] pipcole [dot] co [dot] uk, with a copy to info [at] taffhousing [dot] co [dot] uk. We suggest you only give a brief explanation of your objection, as there will be further opportunity to make representations directly to Cardiff Council once a planning application has been submitted.
Revised plans on the way
We understand from Cllr. Philippa John-Hill that the developers have been working with council officers on a set of revised plans. Philippa has been invited to review the proposals and as soon as we have more details we will share them on this site.
If any plans to develop houses on the land, which is designated in the Local Development Plan as protected River Corridor, are formally submitted, we will provide guidance on how to voice your opposition, including signing a petition and submitted individual objections.
Watch this space!
Still no news!
This update is something of a non-update. The developers have still not followed up their pre-application ‘consultation’ with a formal planning application. Cllr Philippa Hill-John has confirmed that no planning application relating to the land at De Braose Close will be considered before 2019. We await events next year, and in the meantime would like to thank all those who have supported the effort to ‘save our woods’ in 2018, and wish you a merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful 2019!
Leaflet helpers wanted – Wednesday 29th August, 6.30pm
Cllr. Philippa Hill-John has printed a further leaflet for distribution across Danescourt. We have 1500 leaflets that we want to deliver on Wednesday evening. If you can spare some time, please come to St. John’s Church Hall in Danescourt (Rachel Close) at 6.30pm on Wednesday, 29th August where we will divide into teams to split the work between us.
Thank you.
Cardiff’s Rights of Way Improvement Plan
Cardiff Council is conducting a survey regarding a new Rights of Way Improvement Plan, and is inviting comments via a survey. Anyone who uses local footpaths and rights of way is invited to participate, so we would welcome a good representation of local users of the land that is under threat. Whilst your comments do not relate directly to any planning application, it is an opportunity for us to let the council know that we cherish our open spaces in this neighbourhood, and our rights to enjoy woodlands and open countryside near our homes.
You can access the survey here, and there is an opportunity to leave comments, which you might use to reinforce our desire that the council sticks to its commitment of keeping the river corridors free of development, and open for the enjoyment of all. The survey is open until 31st August.
Can you help us?
Do you know about this site? Perhaps you have lived here a long time, and can remember, for example, the commitments that were made to preserve open spaces at the time the Danescourt houses were constructed. Or do you have some insights into past uses of this land?
Or can you help with some expertise? The site is filled with bats, feeding or on their way to their favourite feeding grounds. Do you have expert knowledge of bats, or know someone who does? Or do you have expert knowledge of trees? The development will destroy many mature trees.
If you can contribute some expertise, or know someone who can, please do contact us.
The land under threat
The proposed development will occupy a stretch of land that has been designated for protection by the Cardiff Local Development Plan as part of the River Taff Corridor. It runs from De Braose Close to Radyr Court Road, and would destroy the woodland that neighbours the protected ancient woodland of Radyr Woods between Danescourt and the railway, and the two fields where horses used to graze (before the present owners removed the tenants and allowed the land to become overgrown). It is marked out in red in this extract from the developer’s own landscape visual assessment document:
In the news
The following article about the proposed development has been published in WalesOnline:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/campaigners-object-40-homes-being-14920734
Have you seen this flower?
This is Hieracium radyrense, or Rady Hawkweed. I am indebted to Nigel Keene for pointing out that this very rare plant is only known to exist in and around the location of the old Radyr Quarry. This plant is quite likely to still be in flower this month, so if you have seen one in or around the site in question (the woods or the fields), please do take a photograph and make a note of exactly where it is (and let us know!).
The plant has been seen in the past about 20 metres from the site, mainly on the other side of the railway line. If you want to read more, you can find an interesting article here.
Print your own window poster
Here’s an A4 document you can download, print and put up in your window to show your support for the campaign to Save Our Woods.