Plans for 53 homes near a Cardiff school move forward despite local worries about community facilities and safety issues
Cardiff: So, there’s some big news about new homes going up next to a school in Cardiff. The council just gave the green light for 53 new houses and nine supported living apartments right next to St Teilo’s Church in Wales High School. This decision came through at a meeting on December 12.
These homes are being labeled as affordable, which is great since Cardiff really needs more housing options. Some locals and a councillor are on board with the idea, but they’re also hoping for a community center to be part of the plan.
Interestingly, a petition against the current plans got 109 signatures. Zahed Khan, who represents the Llanedeyrn Community Action Group, raised some serious concerns. He mentioned issues like drug use, safety for minority groups, and a lack of community spirit. He really thinks a community and welfare center is a must for Llanedeyrn.
Cllr Joe Carter, who represents the area, agreed. He said while the new homes are needed, it’s a bit of a challenge to keep building without the necessary community support around it.
During the meeting, some councillors pointed out that they can’t just change the plans on the fly. They can only decide based on what’s presented to them. The planning report did mention that the developers will need to contribute financially to improve community facilities.
Simon Gilbert, the head of planning, noted that sometimes they can ask developers to make changes, but in this case, the relevant services were satisfied with the current plans. The report also mentioned a small kickabout area will be included, but it’s not very big. Plus, they’ll keep a multi-use games area, although they’ll lose an artificial pitch. There’s talk of a new 3G pitch being proposed for the school’s playing fields in 2025.