8.5.24

Eleven parks and green spaces in Cardiff could be permanently protected from future development if Cardiff Council plans get the go ahead.

Subject to the results of a six-week public consultation,the Council is proposing to enter into a legal agreement known as ‘deed of dedication' with Fields In Trust - an independent UK-wide charity dedicated to the protection of parks and green spaces.

Fields in Trust legally  protect individual parks from development  and ensure they remain publicly accessible green spaces.Ten council-owned sites are already permanently protected under these arrangements.

Grange Gardens - one of the parks in Cardiff already protected by Fields In Trust.

Council Leader, Cllr Huw Thomas, said: "Cardiff wouldn't be Cardiff without its parks and green spaces - they're vital places for play and social wellbeing, they connect us with the nature on our doorsteps, support biodiversity, improve the quality of the air we all breathe and can help mitigate some of the worst effects of climate change.

"Entering into this agreement with Fields In Trust will more than double the number of Cardiff's parks which are permanently and legally protected from development, ensuring they will continue to benefit generations to come and mean that 254,000 residents - 69% of the population - live within a 10 minute walk of a protected green space."

If agreed by Cabinet, a consultation will be launched in June on the protection of: 

Cemetery Park - Adamsdown

Craiglee Drive - Butetown

Trelai Park - Caerau

Sanatorium Park - Canton

Rhydypenau Park - Cyncoed

Fairwater Park - Fairwater

Hailey Park - Llandaff North

Parc Waun Fach - Pentwyn

Westfield Park - Pentyrch & St Fagans

Heol Llanishen Fach - Rhiwbina

Caerleon Park - Trowbridge

The selected parks are focussed in areas of the city where either the amount of green space is limited, where there are higher levels of poverty, or where there are no Council-owned sites already protected by Fields In Trust.

The ten council-owned green spaces already protected from development in perpetuity by Fields In Trust are: Alexandra Gardens, Grange Gardens, Heath Park, Hywel Dda Open Space, Llanishen Park, Moorland Park, Pontcanna Fields, Pontprennau Fields, Roath Recreation Ground and Rumney Recreation Ground.

Two other green spaces in Cardiff, managed by local Community Councils are also protected by Fields in Trust. They are Creigau Recreation Ground and Old St Mellons Playing Field.

Ahead of the Cabinet meeting, the proposals will be scrutinised by the Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee at their public meeting at 4.30pm on Tuesday 14^thMay. Papers related to the meeting are available here: https://cardiff.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=142&MId=8189&LLL=0 where a live webcast of the meeting will also be available on the day.

The Cabinet meeting is currently due to take place at 2pm on Thursday 16^thMay (subject to change). All papers for the meeting will be available ahead of the meeting, along with a live webcast on the day, here: https://cardiff.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=151&MId=8216&LLL=0

An FAQ document relating to these proposals is available here: https://www.cardiffnewsroom.co.uk/releases/c25/33494.html