Harm/Size/ of BUTE PARK Bridge and Road

The request was refused by Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments.

Dear Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments,

Re Building a bridge and road into BUTE PARK
(APPLICATION No. 07/02649/C APPLICATION DATE: 12/11/2007
LOCATION: Land west of, North Road, Bute Park, Cathays, Cardiff
PROPOSAL: NEW ACCESS, BRIDGE EMBANKMENTS, UPGRADED ACCESS ROUTES AND LANDSCAPING INTO AND WITHIN BUTE PARK)

1. Will CADW review its view of this bridge into BUTE PARK?
2. Will CADW admit it was misled and that this bridge is actually a huge industrial-type, motorway- style bridge?
3. Has CADW any update and or information relating to the status of the extremely rare tree ‘Wilson’s holly’ (Ilex altaclarensis ‘Wilsonii’)
4. What are the dimensions and plans for the 'path' for artic lorries?
5. Which trees in listed Bute Park will be 'topped' or pruned back or lopped in any way along the route of the 'path' to make space/way for articulated lorries?

1. CADW In respect of the proposal as originally submitted, and in respect of all amendments other than this latest amendment submitted in August 2008 considered that the development would cause significant harm to the historic and visual character of the park.

As CADW said “The proposed development lies within Bute Park, which is included as Grade I on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales. The park (Cardiff Castle and Bute Park) is of outstanding national and international significance and historic importance. Planning Policy Wales (2002) states that ‘Local Planning Authorities should protect parks and gardens and their settings on the first part of the ‘Register of Landscapes, Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales’.”

However CADW changed its mind! The new bridge and road for articulated lorries that you considered NOT a development that would cause significant harm to the historic and visual character of the park is now built.

It is a huge industrial-type, motorway- style bridge. It towers over the existing footpath and is totally out of character with the park as will the massive 'paths' and articulated lorry turning circle.

Has CADW had a look at this bridge and in terms of scale, explain how this bridge is sympathetic to the character of the park and how it has less of a harmful visual impact than previous proposed designs. You said that This could be “achieved by a reduction in the scale of the road and the bridge”?

“The design of the bridge and raised carriageway using a parapet of timber posts and top rail, together with high tension steel cables is sympathetic, in Cadw’s view, to the woodland setting and should help to reduce their visual impact.” There is no sign of the timber. There is no way this is sympathetic to Woodland setting and the visual impact is horrendous.

3. Has CADW looked at/viewed the new bridge? Will CADW now review its support of the ‘road’ to be built through the park and turning circle? Will CADW admit it was misled and that the bridge is actually a huge industrial-type, motorway- style bridge that has no place in a listed park.

3. As CADW pointed out “The second aspect of the proposals that would affect the value and character of the park is their impact on the planting of the area.

This is the extremely rare Wilson’s holly (Ilex altaclarensis ‘Wilsonii’).

A considerable number of the trees lie adjacent to the paths that would be affected by the scheme and one lies in the line of the realigned path at the east end of the bridge. This is the extremely rare Wilson’s holly (Ilex altaclarensis ‘Wilsonii’). It would be removed and relocated. As there is no guarantee of success for this operation, it is proposed to propagate cuttings from it prior to removal. Whilst this is unfortunate, it is hoped that the tree can be saved. Its exact position within the arboretum is not critical and it is proposed to relocate it nearby”

Has CADW any information relating to the extremely rare Wilson’s holly (Ilex altaclarensis ‘Wilsonii’) and how the plans will affect it? Will this tree be saved? Has it been removed? Have efforts been made to propagate cuttings?

4. Please can you provide the dimensions and plans for the 'path' for artic lorries? Have you got this information?

5. Which trees in listed Bute Park will be 'topped' or pruned back or lopped in any way along the route of the 'path' to make space/way for articulated lorries?

Does Cadw still consider that the proposals, in their present form, seek to minimise any damage to the park?

What benefits are presented by this scheme that outweigh the harm?

Why should articulated lorries be allowed in listed Bute Park?

Yours faithfully,

Anne Greagsby

Roberts-Clarke, Lisa (DH - CADW),

1 Attachment

<<3911 Bute Park Dec 2009.doc>>
Dear Ms Greagsby
Thank you for your e-mail to the Cadw mailbox. Please see attached letter
about your request for information.

Mrs Lisa Roberts-Clarke
Rheolwr Henebyn / Monuments Manager (South and West
Wales)
Gweinyddu Henebion / Ancient Monuments Administration
Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru/ Welsh Assembly Government
Cadw Plas Carew, Uned 5-7 Cefn Coed, Parc Nantgarw, Caerdydd, CF15 7QQ

Unit 5 -7 Cefn Coed, Plas Carew, Parc Nantgarw, Cardiff, CF15
7QQ

Ffôn/ Tel: 01443 336006 Ffacs/ Fax: 01443
336001

E-bost/ E-mail: [email address]
[email address]
P Helpwch yr amgylchedd - peidiwch ag argraffu hon os nad oes gwir
raid.

Help our environment - only print this if really necessary.

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Cafodd fersiwn gwreiddiol y neges e-bost hon ei sganio gan wasanaeth
gwrthfeirysau Mewnrwyd Ddiogel y Llywodraeth (GSI) a ddarparwyd gan
Cable&Wireless mewn partneriaeth a MessageLabs. (Rhif Tystysgrif CCTM
2006/04/0007). Wrth adael y GSI nid oedd unrhyw feirws yn gysylltiedig a'r
neges hon.
Mae'n ddigon posibl y bydd unrhyw ohebiaeth drwy'r GSI yn cael ei logio,
ei monitro a/neu ei chofnodi yn awtomatig am resymau cyfreithiol.

Dear Roberts-Clarke, Lisa (DH - CADW),

You have omitted these very important questions.
Has CADW looked at/viewed the new bridge now it has been built?

Will CADW admit it was misled and that the bridge is
actually a huge industrial-type, motorway- style bridge that has no place in a listed park.

Will CADW now review its support of the ‘road’ to be built through the park and turning circle?

I look forward to your answers

Yours sincerely,

Anne Greagsby

Roberts-Clarke, Lisa \(DH - CADW\),

Diolch am eich neges. Ni fyddaf yn y swyddfa tan 05/01/2010. Os oes brys,
cysylltwch Richard Kevern ar 01443 336098

Thank you for your message. I will be away from the office until
05/01/2010.
If urgent, please contact Richard Kevern on 01443 336098.

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Cafodd fersiwn gwreiddiol y neges e-bost hon ei sganio gan wasanaeth
gwrthfeirysau Mewnrwyd Ddiogel y Llywodraeth (GSI) a ddarparwyd gan
Cable&Wireless mewn partneriaeth a MessageLabs. (Rhif Tystysgrif CCTM
2006/04/0007). Wrth adael y GSI nid oedd unrhyw feirws yn gysylltiedig a'r
neges hon.
Mae'n ddigon posibl y bydd unrhyw ohebiaeth drwy'r GSI yn cael ei logio,
ei monitro a/neu ei chofnodi yn awtomatig am resymau cyfreithiol.

Francis Irving left an annotation ()

Blog post by the requester: http://no2lorriesinbutepark.blogspot.com...

Roberts-Clarke, Lisa (DH - CADW),

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Greagsby
Further to our letter of 31 December, please see attached reply about your request for information.

Mrs Lisa Roberts-Clarke
Rheolwr Henebyn / Monuments Manager (South and West Wales) Gweinyddu Henebion / Ancient Monuments Administration
Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru/ Welsh Assembly Government
Cadw Plas Carew, Uned 5-7 Cefn Coed, Parc Nantgarw, Caerdydd, CF15 7QQ
Unit 5 -7 Cefn Coed, Plas Carew, Parc Nantgarw, Cardiff, CF15 7QQ
Ffôn/ Tel: 01443 336006 Ffacs/ Fax: 01443 336001
E-bost/ E-mail: [email address] [email address]
P Helpwch yr amgylchedd - peidiwch ag argraffu hon os nad oes gwir raid.

Help our environment - only print this if really necessary.

show quoted sections

Dear Roberts-Clarke, Lisa (DH - CADW),

I'm afraid this reply just shows how we cannot trust even CADW to protect a grade 1 listed park from development for a road for articulated lorries, this is a monument to CADWs failure and stupidity. My face book group of 1,641 people have no faith in CADW. Our view is that CADW is a toothless watchdog in politicians pockets. What do you say to that?

I would like to share part of an an email I sent to
To Jane Davidson

I am writing on behalf of 1,641 people in my facebook page 'Act Now to Save Bute Park' and on behalf of the Green Party of Wales who all want you to stop the destruction of the park
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10....

Will you respond immediatly to the The Request to you, the Minister under Article 4 of the GPDO is
to issue an Order withdrawing permitted development rights for developments including upgraded paths and/or roadways in Bute Park, Cardiff

A letter, was delivered to your office, together with the e-files of enclosures for it. Kindly confirm that you will consider this request with urgency, in view of the fact that damaging developments are already underway.

The size of the park and its variety of habitats make Bute Park a haven for wildlife until the diggers and articulated lorries moved in..building a road for articulated lorries into a listed park is madness.

http://no2lorriesinbutepark.blogspot.com....

pictures of the destruction here
http://no2lorriesinbutepark.blogspot.com/

Yours sincerely,

Anne Greagsby

Roberts-Clarke, Lisa \(DH - CADW\),

Diolch am eich neges. Ni fyddaf yn y swyddfa tan 22/02/2010. Os oes brys,
cysylltwch Richard Kevern ar 01443 336098

Thank you for your message. I will be away from the office until
22/02/2010.
If urgent, please contact Richard Kevern on 01443 336098.

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Cafodd fersiwn gwreiddiol y neges e-bost hon ei sganio gan wasanaeth
gwrthfeirysau Mewnrwyd Ddiogel y Llywodraeth (GSI) a ddarparwyd gan
Cable&Wireless mewn partneriaeth a MessageLabs. (Rhif Tystysgrif CCTM
2006/04/0007). Wrth adael y GSI nid oedd unrhyw feirws yn gysylltiedig a'r
neges hon.
Mae'n ddigon posibl y bydd unrhyw ohebiaeth drwy'r GSI yn cael ei logio,
ei monitro a/neu ei chofnodi yn awtomatig am resymau cyfreithiol.

Anne Greagsby left an annotation ()

1,641 people in my facebook page 'Act Now
to Save Bute Park'
all want to stop the destruction of the park
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10....

The size of the park and its variety of habitats make Bute Park a haven for wildlife until the diggers and articulated lorries moved in..building a road for articulated lorries into a listed park is
madness.

http://no2lorriesinbutepark.blogspot.com....

pictures of the destruction here
http://no2lorriesinbutepark.blogspot.com/

Dear Roberts-Clarke, Lisa (DH - CADW),

I am still waiting for a reply to my FOI request. By law you should have replied to me by 22 March 2010. When can I expect a reply and an explanation for the delay?

Yours sincerely,

Anne Greagsby

Roberts-Clarke, Lisa \(DH - CADW\),

Diolch am eich neges. Ni fyddaf yn y swyddfa tan 29/03/2010. Os oes brys,
cysylltwch Richard Kevern ar 01443 336098

Thank you for your message. I will be away from the office until
29/03/2010.
If urgent, please contact Richard Kevern on 01443 336098.

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

Cafodd fersiwn gwreiddiol y neges e-bost hon ei sganio gan wasanaeth
gwrthfeirysau Mewnrwyd Ddiogel y Llywodraeth (GSI) a ddarparwyd gan
Cable&Wireless mewn partneriaeth a MessageLabs. (Rhif Tystysgrif CCTM
2006/04/0007). Wrth adael y GSI nid oedd unrhyw feirws yn gysylltiedig a'r
neges hon.
Mae'n ddigon posibl y bydd unrhyw ohebiaeth drwy'r GSI yn cael ei logio,
ei monitro a/neu ei chofnodi yn awtomatig am resymau cyfreithiol.

Roberts-Clarke, Lisa \(DH - CADW\),

To: Anne Greagsby

I refer to your e-mail of 25 March about the FOI request you made about Bute Park.

Cadw replied to your FOI request on 27 January 2010, which was in response to your e-mails of 29th and 31 December 2009.

Your further correspondence to Cadw in your e-mail of 23 February was replied to in our e-mail dated 11 March 2010.

I trust this explains our handling of the correspondence you sent to Cadw and that there is no reply outstanding.

Mrs Lisa Roberts-Clarke
Rheolwr Henebyn (De a Gorllewin Cymru)
Monuments Manager (South and West Wales) Gweinyddu Henebion
Ancient Monuments Administration
Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru / Welsh Assembly Government

Cadw, Plas Carew, Uned 5-7 Cefn Coed, Parc Nantgarw, Caerdydd, CF15 7QQ
Cadw, Plas Carew, Unit 5 -7 Cefn Coed, Parc Nantgarw, Cardiff, CF15 7QQ
Ffôn / Tel: 01443 336006 Ffacs/ Fax: 01443 336001
E-bost: [email address]
E-mail: [email address]

P Helpwch yr amgylchedd - peidiwch ag argraffu hon os nad oes gwir raid
Help our environment - only print this if really necessary.

show quoted sections