The old Michaelston college site in Ely is set to be developed into a housing village, despite residents’ anger over traffic concerns
The Michaelston College site has sat empty for seven years, becoming an eyesore for residents in the area. Seven years later, the site is set to become a housing estate, creating more issues for residents, as confusion rises on what the future of the development will be.
Residents can expect a wellbeing village, the first in Cardiff, as it has been given the go ahead in Michaelston-super-Ely, a village based to the west of Cardiff.
The development plans to boast the promotion of a healthy lifestyle and social interaction. A press release by Cardiff Council, dated 8 November, said that high-quality outdoor spaces will feature throughout, with green infrastructure and sustainable urban drainage forming an integral part of the scheme’s design.
Current forecasts anticipate the construction of the village to begin during the autumn of 2025. With a focus on creating new homes for older people, built within a mixed-age community, with a range of homes for outright sale and for rent from the council. The proposed development will create around 235 homes on the site, and was approved on 7 November 2024 by the Cardiff planning committee.
The old college which closed in 2017, sits on a 9.1-hectare site (approximately 22 acres). The scheme is a partnership between the local authority and developer Wates.
Despite the press report showing a positive reasoning for the new wellbeing village, the people of Ely are voicing their concerns with the plans. A Facebook page named “Michaelston College Development Voice” has over 700 members including issues and opinions on the project. The Facebook page was created in January 2022 and features varying content and information concerning how the development will directly impact the local people.
It’s terrible how the people of Ely are treated
Traffic trouble
Despite the project being approved, traffic in the local area have not been resolved. Russell Goodway, 68, a councillor for Ely, said: “It is incumbent upon all those elected to represent the area to work together to put solutions in place.”
Lynda Sullivan, 60, a member of the Michaelston College Development Voice Facebook page spoke on the traffic issues present at the site, saying: “It’s horrendous up there now with the traffic, certain times you go up that way and it’s gridlocked.
“There’s going to be hundreds of cars… It’s probably going to be quite unlivable traffic.”
An anonymous comment on the Cardiff Council planning application, dated 4 October 2024, says: “I wish to object these plans as we already have a major problem with traffic. Over 100 units being built will increase the amount of vehicles accessing the site by a vast amount.”
Goodway said he argued robustly for the issues of traffic to be addressed and resolved. He added: “Not all of the solutions are in the gift of the local council, the Welsh Government has an important role to play.”
Housing hell?
The councillor said the wellbeing village will create much-needed family homes for rent or purchase, and will help people who have been captured by the “bedroom tax”. The bedroom tax refers to a cut in housing benefits if you rent your home from a community landlord and are classed as having a spare bedroom.
A Cardiff Council planning proposal, 7 November 2024, concluded: “It is clear that the development proposed will make an important contribution to the overall housing supply within the Ely area.”
Sullivan responded to these claims on house demands and the need for more housing saying: “We went around, people in our community, and had a look at all the empty houses. There’s plenty, they just don’t seem to want to do anything about it.”
David, 32, a resident near the development, who didn’t want to be identified, said: “I don’t know what will come from this, there’s already empty houses so adding more won’t make it better.”
What facilities are being planned for the site?
- A gateway Plaza into the development – A vibrant public space at the heart of this new scheme. People can sit, meet friends and have enjoy refreshments and socialise at the café.
- The Green – A green space at the centre of the scheme protecting the existing mature trees, enhancing the external landscaping, and promoting informal play.
- Wild Wood – A large, wooded area that will be accessible and designed to promote nature walks
- Community Garden – A community growing space.
- Hillside Walk – A route between the St Fagans CW Primary School and the new square, where children can safely walk to school and play on the hillside.
Wellbeing wishes
Saskia Holman, 25, a mobile yoga teacher around the UK and wellbeing enthusiast from Torbay, commented on the development plans, saying: “In every single housing estate, there are those things, if you’ve not got the people and resources to make those into an active wellbeing space, it’s going to be the same as every estate.”
Wellbeing is defined as: “The state of feeling healthy and happy”. Holman added to this definition, saying: “Wellbeing is someone that looks after themselves, that is not only taking care of their body but the environment that they’re in.”
Holman said to create a positive wellbeing village, a central hub where people can come together and feel part of a community is important. She described what a wellbeing village looks like to her, saying: “I imagine a space where people feel closer together, sitting down, voicing their issues within the estate and what they think they can improve on.”
Construction on the site is set to begin during late 2025, nearly eight years after the college was initially closed. Residents of Ely are now left angered by the approved development, with Lynda Sullivan saying: “It’s houses, houses, houses, houses all the time, it’s terrible how the people of Ely are treated.”
For a summary of this issue, and why the people of Ely are upset, click below: