Residents worry it will ‘change the nature of the park’
PLANS for a sewage pumping station in Hailey Park were unveiled this weekend, leaving residents worried about how it will affect the park and local area.
The 550 square metre development will be in the park off Ty-Mawr Road. Features will include a 4m tall ventilation stack, 2.4m high barbed-wire fencing, a 2m high generator, and 1.5m high water kiosk.
Danielle Thomas, community engagement officer for Welsh Water’s South East division, said: “Even though it’s a permanent feature, it is quite small for a pumping station, and we’re working really closely with Cardiff Council to look at how to minimise the visual impact of it as well.”
Welsh Water needs to build the plant because to accommodate the additional sewage flows generated by the Plasdwr housing development in Radyr, and to reduce “operational incidents”.
It decided that the best solution was to connect the sewer pipe from Danescourt to the other side of the River Taff within Llandaff North, and the most suitable location was Hailey Park.
Ms Thomas said: “One option was to run a sewage pipe through the residential streets of Llandaff North, but through planning and design, we have been able to reach a solution which means we can connect the sewage pipe into a pumping station that will pump that waste into the waste water sites in Cardiff.
“‘The reason we need to cross through Hailey Park is because we have a designated pumping connection point, which is through the streets of Llandaff North, so to run through that point, we need to connect through Hailey Park.”
The development also includes a controls kiosk in the eastern section of De Braose Close in Danescourt, measuring 1.2m wide.
Councillors, and Friends of Hailey Park were informed of the plans last month, but did not learn about the details until the planning application was published on November 5. Residents were informed about a week later.
Penny Bowers, chair of Friends of Hailey Park, is concerned how the works will affect the park during the 18-month construction period as well as long-term.
She said: “They’ve been doing so much work in the park anyway. The disruption to the park already has been quite considerable. They actually cleaned out the sewers; a lot of people have been asking if it was in preparation for this, and it wasn’t.”
“These things are just going to change the whole face of the park,” said Ms Bowers.
During consultations, Ms Bowers asked why these matters were not dealt with during the planning stages of the Plasdwr development, which began in 2016. Welsh Water refused to comment.
Chair of the Llandaff North Residents’ Association, Steph Wilkins, is frustrated that residents are only now being informed of these plans.
Ms Wilkins said: “It’s so disappointing the way they’re going about this, and the fact that we’ve only just been communicated with.
“The park was left for the benefit of Llandaff North residents. It’s our park, and the council has agreed for this to go on it without a consultation as a community group who use it.
“It’s going to change the nature of the park.”
Over the weekend, Friends of Hailey Park and local councillors informed residents of two consultation sessions being held by Welsh Water.
Its community van will next be in Hailey Park near the Ty-Mawr car park on Monday, November 22, from 1pm to 3pm. Welsh Water is considering additional sessions outside normal working hours.
Ms Bowers described the on-site visits as “information sessions” rather than consultations, believing that residents will only be able to consult on issues such as landscaping afterwards.
“The feeling is it’s a done deal,” said Ms Bowers.
She continued: “When the project does start, we will make sure it’s going to plan, with safety, cutting down the right things, and not damaging things that they said they wouldn’t. We generally keep an eye on projects going on in the park because a lot of us are out and about every day anyways.
“It’s just quite sad it’s going to be on the park, but I don’t feel there’s anything we can do about it.”
Ms Thomas said Welsh Water would continue its community engagement, specifically in Llandaff North, so it can support the park.
“In September, a team of ours, including contractors that will be working on the project, teamed up with the Friends of Hailey Park and Cardiff Council to do some volunteering and clean up the meadow,” she said.
“Volunteering is something we’re keen to do throughout the project as well, just to make sure we’ve giving back and we’re helping the park in any way we can.”
However, Ms Wilkins is ready to fight the proposals if residents are unhappy. Issues can be brought to the Residents’ Association committee, where action will be considered.
“We’re no pushovers in Llandaff North,” she said.
