The planning application to build 346 houses and flats on the site of Llanishen reservoir, which was submitted by Western Power Distribution in December 2002, hasn’t made much progress. RAG submitted a major document objecting to WPD’s planning application as did many other organisations. The Sports Council for Wales objected to the dramatic reduction (80%) in water area for sailing, which would effectively close down the renowned Llanishen Sailing School. The Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) also objected to the plans because of the potential disturbance to birds using the adjoining SSSI protected Lisvane reservoir and because of the diversity of rare waxcap fungi found on the embankments of Llanishen reservoir. (CCW are even considering designating the Llanishen embankments as an SSSI protected site for these fungi). Hundreds of local residents have written to their councillors, A.M.s, M.P.s and directly to the Council Planning Office to object to the proposals. As a result of all this opposition, Western Power have been driven back to the drawing board and are making a radical re-appraisal of their scheme. We understand that they are desperately trying to alter their plans to retain some of the embankments for fungi as well as trying to increase the water area that would be retained for sailing. It seems likely that a significantly amended planning application will be submitted sometime over the summer. We have been told by the Planning Department that when this happens the planning consultation process will begin all over again. WPD will not go away and we all face a long hard battle to defeat their ill-conceived and greedy development scheme from destroying a much-loved beauty spot in North Cardiff. RAG will continue to fight, but our strength depends on your support.
We have the South Wales Echo to thank for this magnificent pun. The Echo carried an article in May which reported that the Environment Agency has found signs of otters using the Nant Fawr stream which runs through the reservoir site. Otter numbers crashed during the 1950’s and 60’s mainly due to the use of toxic organo-chlorine pesticides which built up in the food chain and poisoned them. Their range became restricted to fairly remote rural areas. However, since these chemicals were banned, otter numbers have begun to recover. The first signs of otters returning to the North Cardiff area came in January this year when two otters were killed crossing the M4 close to Lisvane. Then in March 2003, ecologists from the Environment Agency found lots of otter spraint (or droppings) on the Nant Fawr stream close to the reservoirs. They believe that it is likely that the reservoirs are being used by the otters for feeding (they eat eels, fish and amphibians) and the nearby damp woods and thickets may be used for lying up and resting. Otters are rarely seen as they are mainly nocturnal, but at 06.00 am on 11th June an otter was seen running along the embankment at the SW corner of Llanishen reservoir. Fortunately, otters are protected well by various wildlife laws, and it is an offence to disturb them. This should provide another significant headache for the developers.
RAG is continuing to campaign for the reservoirs and surrounding area to be developed into a country park for North East Cardiff. This would run from Llandennis oval in the south to the countryside north of the M4 by Lisvane. Such a public amenity is important in relation to the proposal to build on Llanishen reservoir, but also in the context of the Council’s plans to build a further 4000 homes between Lisvane and Pontprennau. A leaflet describing the country park proposal was distributed to many households in North Cardiff in late April, details are also available on our website at (http://www.llanishenrag.com/countrypark.htm). Although our leaflet asked people to write to Councillor Lynda Thorne who, until recently, was the cabinet member responsible for planning, there has been a County Council Cabinet re-shuffle. The new Cabinet Member to whom letters should now be directed is: Councillor Phil Robinson, County Hall, Cardiff, CF10 4UW.