Campaigning groups come together at Northern Meadows as work begins on Velindre Cancer Centre
CAMPAIGNERS set up a Nature Emergency Community Camp yesterday to protest against the removal of 350 trees as part of the development of the new Velindre Cancer Centre.
About 50 protesters from Save the Northern Meadows and Extinction Rebellion blocked workers’ lorries from entering the site and chanted “we will fight for our children”.
Police officers dragged protesters off the road in an attempt to break up the blockade.
A plan to redevelop the land into the new Velindre Cancer Centre was approved by Cardiff council in 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2025 but campaigners are worried about the effects of the development on the environment.
Protesters say the destruction of the meadow would mean the loss of wildlife including bats, hedgehogs, and endangered birds, and one of Cardiff’s largest remaining green spaces.
A spokesperson for Velindre Cancer Centre said: Velindre University NHS Trust absolutely respects everyone’s right to peaceful protest and will continue to work with everyone on site to ensure public and staff safety which is our number one priority.
“Our commitments include supporting the ecological diversity and natural environment of the site, while implementing sustainable transport and a Green Travel Plan.”
When questioned on how many trees will be cleared on social media, Velindre responded: “We also want the building to be green, which means making it carbon neutral, using renewable energy and natural resources, protecting and conserving water – and minimising light pollution, noise impact and the production of waste materials.For every tree cleared as part of the development of the new Velindre Cancer Centre, we will plant two trees.”
The current clearance work taking place as part of the development of the new Velindre Cancer Centre will see us remove approximately 150 trees on Cardiff Council land and the new cancer centre site. The trees due to be cleared have been classed as per the British Standard BS55837 and include category B trees (of moderate quality and value) and C trees (of low quality) alongside deceased trees.”
A Cardiff council spokesperson said: “The application was approved after the planning committee had visited the site and considered all material planning factors, including the information submitted within the Environmental Statement, along with the concerns raised by residents and the responses from technical consultees, none of the whom objected to the proposal.”
A member of the Save the Northern Meadows group, Tanya-Marie Gillet, 24, of Roath, said: “Building on the Meadows is going to destroy a lot of the nature there and could cause a lot of problems for people who live near it, as the pollution will end up being really high from the new access road they plan on building.”
Another member, Cat Lewis of Hollybush, Coryton said: “I’m not sure how I’ll cope, hearing and seeing the devastation constantly from my balcony. It’s where I exercise, contemplate, work, relax.”
A member of Cardiff Extinction Rebellion, Sophie Anderson, 22, of Cathays said: “The Northern Meadows is simply not the place for a new development. It makes no sense to develop on natural land when this space is so integral to the local community and environment.”
Vice chair of Cardiff Civic Society, Julia Barrell, said: “In the light of both Welsh Government and Cardiff Council declaring climate and nature emergencies, the destruction of these trees is unacceptable.“
