Increased traffic and pollution, and pressure on surgeries and schools are among concerns in Lisvane
RESIDENTS are worried that the infrastructure of Lisvane won’t be able to cope if Redrow builds 205 more houses in the village.
The developer is applying for permission to build the homes at Church Farm. If the plan is approved they could be ready in 2026.
One objector says residents are already struggling to book doctor’s appointments and get their children into local schools. Another says that money promised by Redrow to increase buses in the area would not reduce the amount of cars driving through the area.
The funding for an extra five buses per hour is part of Redrow’s 73-page travel plan.
Church Farm is a 14-hectare green space north of Lisvane, just off Rudry Road. It’s the equivalent of 20 football pitches. The plans show a children’s playground next to main road.
Conservative councilor for Lisvane and Thornhill, John Lancaster, welcomes the development, but has reservations.
“Some of the houses back onto the M4 and I don’t think double glazing will be enough, we’d like to see more installation,” he said.
“The park is also next to a main road and overlooked by houses which seems odd.
“A lot of the houses are going to be built with solar panels, however, which is good news.”
Currently, there is only one bus an hour to and from the city centre. Redrow wants to fund five more buses an hour, to get people to swap their cars for public transport.
But resident Pete Southern told The Cardiffian that Cardiff City Council is “naive” to think people would ditch their cars and rely on buses.
“The council think we’ll all of a sudden start using buses and bikes, if you believe that you’ll believe anything. We don’t have the infrastructure for either,”
As it stands, only 2% of residents in Lisvane commute to work via bus, according to Redrow’s own poll, however it claims this could increase to as much as 7% within the first five-years of the build.
On the extra buses, Cllr Lancaster said: “It’s good news. We struggle here with only one bus an hour and no possibility of more train tracks.
“This will hopefully reduce the amount of cars on the road but we won’t know until we try.”
Another resident, John Wainwright, also told The Cardiffian how Lisvane was “already struggling to cope with additional people moving to the area”.
“Surgeries and schools are a must in the area, he added.
To compensate, Redrow has agreed as part of the plan to invest around £4 million into the area. This would include new roads, cycle paths, and a primary school.
One stumbling block might be the pollution created by cars on the road. An ecology report concluded that the situation would need to be assessed at a later date, but it expressed concern over the nearby protected Cardiff Beech Woods.
Redrow and the council claim the development would bring jobs to the area and boost the local economy.
- To comment on the pre-application process before a full application is submitted, residents can comment until January 30 via the link here or email info@churchfarmlisvane-pac.co.uk.
