Email these Members of the Senedd Cabinet:

Julie James – Julie.James@gov.wales
Ken Skates – Ken.Skates@gov.wales
Leslie Griffiths – Lesley.Griffiths@gov.wales

** THIS WEEK WE NEED YOU TO ASK THE SENEDD TO ’CALL – IN’ THE APPLICATION **

ASK them to CALL IN THE APPLICATION. Use our bulleted points below as inspiration, ideally telling them why this is important to you. For example, were you consulted about 20/00357/MJR? Are you worried about air pollution and the impact a housing estate on Whitchurch Hospital will have on you and your children’s health?

We know that the Senedd are already considering calling it in. Let’s do an extra push this week and get them to commit to reviewing these old, ill-conceived applications that will change Whitchurch forever.

  • 1. I request that you urgently ‘call in’ the application 20/00357/MJR and the further named applications relating to the development of Whitchurch Hospital and surrounding area. This call in must account for all 28 planning applications relating to the site.
  • 2. My objection relates to planning application 20/00357/MJR – extension of variation of conditions IC and 1D of 16/01530/MJR. Both applications are based upon 95/01195/N, first submitted in 1995. 95/01195/N also enables permission for 17/01735/MJR – development of the meadow via destruction of some of the nature reserve. We are asking that you consider these applications in total, therefore you must also consider 20/01108/MJR and 20/01110/MJR.
  • 3. The application 20/00357/MJR and subsequent development of this site is not included in the adopted Cardiff Local Development Plan (a requirement of successive Planning Policy Wales versions)
  • 4. 20/00357/MJR does not meet the requirements of current policy and legislation. References to amenity (5.2), conservation merit (5.28) and nature compensation (5.29) have a very different meaning today than in 1995, reflected by the numerous progression of articles such as the Wellbeing and Future Generations Act (2015), Planning Policy Wales 10, Environment Act (2016) and not least the climate emergency declared by both Senedd and Cardiff Council.
  • 5. Planning Policy Wales has set out a more progressive, sustainable and environmentally aware framework for assessing applications than was applied at the time of the appeal in 1999 of this particular case.
  • 6. The Wales Environment Act 2016 Act 3.0-3.3 specifically sets out how planning decisions must positively impact on biodiversity, halting loss and enhancing green spaces. The Chief Planner’s letter to Heads of Planning of 23 October 2019 reiterates the duty to secure biodiversity enhancements through development.
  • 7. Despite the above positive steps taken by your administration, the Northern Meadow at the Whitchurch hospital site remains under immediate threat of development. Home to hundreds of trees, abundant wildlife and the largest heronry in Cardiff, this site is used and enjoyed by hundreds of people every day, particularly now in COVID-19 times.
  • 8. There is no new Environmental Statement for application 20/00357/MJR to extend the permission, despite significant changes in legislation and increased understanding of the importance of this site for biodiversity and for people.
  • 9. There has been no Environmental Impact Assessment that considers the whole site of application 95/01195/N. EIA on portions of the site as in 20/00357/MJR and 17/01735/MJR do not give a picture of the true impact development will have on the whole site.
  • 10. Establishing road access to the site will cost £27 million pounds, surely an excessive expense that is better spent on state of the art patient care. This could be avoided by incorporating the new Cancer Centre into the Heath Hospital Development, or pursuing the Centre on the Whitchurch hospital site or alongside existing health provision.