Tag Archives: Llanrumney

Campaigners are “bitterly disappointed” at the rejection of their application to prevent development on Rumney Recreation Ground, and are considering appealing the decision.

Independent inspector Leslie Blohm QC who directed a public inquiry into the matter in September, announced that the site should not qualify for village green status on Monday.

His recommendation will allow Cardiff Council to proceed with their plan to build a new High School on the green, should they be granted planning permission.

Don Taylor, head of Save Rumney Recreation Ground and Eastern Leisure Action Group (RREEL), who has campaigned against the development for more than three years, said:

“We feel bitterly disappointed that Mr Blohm has come down in favour of the council, and that our argument did not satisfy his opinion.

“But this is not the end. We have not fought for three years to be defeated by one decision – It is not over until they dig up the first sod of soil.

“We need to stop and assess the situation, inform our members and then plan what to do next.

“We may be taking a legal challenge on the village green decision.”

The Council are seeking to build a £22m Eastern Cardiff High School on the site which will merge the existing Llanrumney High School and Rumney High School.

The two schools, which cover the wards of Llanrumney, Rumney, Trowbridge and St Mellons in their catchment areas, currently have around 1400 surplus places between them.

Leader of Cardiff Council Rodney Berman said:

“I very much appreciate that this news will disappoint a lot of local residents and will not be what they wanted to hear, but we have analysed the situation very carefully and still believe this is the best option educationally for the children of the area.

“This outcome should now allow us to move forward with the establishment of a brand new, 21st Century secondary school.

“The creation of the new school will remove a large number of surplus places which are currently a significant drain on the funding the Council provides to Cardiff’s schools.”

Public Inquiry

A public inquiry into the village green application made by local residents with support from Cardiff South and Penarth MP Alun Michael was held in September over three days.

Mr Blohm, of St John’s Chambers, Bristol, heard evidence from the council and 145 witness statements by local residents to decide if the site should qualify for the status under the 2006 Commons Act.

To do so, the applicants had to prove the land had been used for sports and pastimes for 20 years ‘as of right’ rather than with permission from the council as landowners.

Mr Blohm ruled there was not enough evidence for this, and stated in his report:“the user was not sufficiently demonstrably ‘as of right’.”

RREEL Chairman Ron Taylor explains the history of the group and the next steps for the campaign


Audio file

Consultation

Although campaigners accept the legality of the development proposal under Mr Blohm’s recommendation, it is still felt that the site is the wrong location for the school.

A sore point among residents is the feeling that the council has ignored a petition with more than 3,000 signatures, more than 2,000 letters of objection in response to a public consultation in November and December, 2007, and a 93.6% “No” vote to the proposal in a community poll in February, 2009.

John Ireland, Conservative councillor for Rumney, said:

“It is absolutely appalling the present council committee ignored the referendum. Without a doubt, people in the area are against the school being built on the recreation ground.

“This administration do not listen to the people of Cardiff. I am really disappointed.”

In a written response to the RREEL’s claims that the community poll was a “dictation rather than consultation exercise”, Chris Jones, chief council officer for Schools and Lifelong Learning, said:

“The Council has not ignored the views of residents.

“The Council took the decision that the poll did not detract from the analysis that the Council’s proposal offers the best educational solution, or that other options for the siting of the school are not necessarily affordable within the funding available.”

Map showing area and locations affected by new High School project

Plaid Cymru support

The issue has divided members of Plaid Cymru who have traditionally had a strong following in the area, consistently coming second to Labour in Council elections.

Residents have expressed resentment toward Neil McEvoy, deputy leader of Cardiff Council and leader of the Plaid group, who they claim supported the campaign until Plaid formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

While the Plaid leadership in the council have pledged to support the school proposals, other members of the party remain firmly against it.

Liz Musa, Plaid candidate for the Cardiff South and Penarth seat in the National Assembly elections next year, said:

“The proposals for the new school certainly haven’t done Plaid any good in the area, though I must point out that Plaid branch in Rumney and Llanrumney have always been unanimously against the proposal.

“Yes, Plaid Cymru are in the coalition with the Lib Dems. That doesn’t mean I have to like everything Lib Dems put forward.”

Colin Lewis, who has run as a Plaid candidate in the last three council elections for Llanrumney, said:

“I am devastated, and think the council are making a big mistake.

“As a branch we see things differently from the council leadership. We listen to the people in the area, and think they should get what they want.

“At the next election we will know what the impact has been on support for Plaid.”

Mr McEvoy was contacted but declined to comment.

Keith Phillip Jones has covered the campaign extensively on the Cardiff East blog, as well as on Guardian Cardiff with Hannah Waldram.
Ed Walker has also written about it on YourCardiff.