‘A pleasant open space’

Feb 27 2008 by Ben Glaze, South Wales Echo

AN official helping to block attempts to preserve a beauty spot used to take his children for walks there.

Cardiff council land strategy manager Rob Green, whose house is less than half a mile from the city’s Llanishen Reservoir, described surrounding fields and woods as “very pleasant”. But he was speaking at an inquiry for the side trying to THWART a resident’s application to give the land protected status.

Designating fields behind Blackoak Road and Rhydypenau Road “a village green” would make it even more difficult to build more than 300 homes.

The other two access points – off Lisvane Road, Lisvane, and Ewenny Road, Llanishen – are unsuitable, making the fields and meadows the only realistic option.

A public inquiry into the application by Andrew Hill resumed yesterday at Cyncoed Methodist Church after a seven-month adjournment.

Forty members of the public heard objections from Cardiff council, which claims it owns the land, and Western Power Distribution (WPD), which wants to buy the land and lay an access route.

WPD’s plans to build houses are already in jeopardy after they were thrown out by an Assembly planning inspector and the area was given special scientific interest status after the discovery of a rare mushroom.

Mr Green, who has worked in local government for 36 years, told yesterday’s inquiry he has lived on nearby Gwern Rhuddi Road, Cyncoed, since 1977, and walked around the Nant Fawr corridor woods and fields about once a month. He also went there with his two children, now aged 24 and 27.

Mr Green told inquiry chairman Vivian Chapman: “It was just a very pleasant, open space close to where I live and so I used it. I have ever since and it hasn’t changed as such.”

Several of his neighbours display Save Our Reservoirs signs in their front gardens near his semi-detached house. The council claims documents show it owns the disputed land and has allowed the public to use it for decades. Mr Hill believes it is owned by the people by convention and should be designated a village green.

The hearing was set to continue today.

ben.glaze@mediawales.co.uk