Sophie takes campaign to protect City's heritage to the Council Chamber

In a recent meeting of the County Council, Labour Councillor for Whitchurch and Tongwynlais and Assembly Candidate for Cardiff North, Sophie Howe, forced the Council to take action to protect Cardiff's heritage.

Along with local residents, Sophie recently fought a controversial planning application in Church Road, Whitchurch which would have resulted in the demolition of three Edwardian houses and the construction of 61 retirement apartments. Although the Planning Committee refused the application, the developers, Pegasus, have now appealed to the Planning Inspectorate. Councillors and local residents intend to fight on and will be continuing their campaign to save Church Road.

Sophie has said that she is incensed by these attempts to erase the character of Whitchurch and said: "Enough is enough." She proposed a notice of motion which called for Church Road to be given conservation status immediately, and for conservation appraisals across the city to be completed within two years.

Sophie's notice of motion was successful and so the Council is now committed to undertaking conservation appraisals where requests have been made.

Sophie said: "People are fed up with losing fine buildings of character, to find them replaced with ugly monstrosities which often do not fit in with the surrounding areas. Conservation appraisals are taking too long to complete, due to an inadequate number of officers undertaking the work. In the meantime, many parts of our City which are worth protecting are vulnerable.

"The only way of protecting the heritage of many areas is for the Council to pull its finger out and complete conservation appraisals on those areas which have historical or conservation interest as quickly as possible."

Comments

[Richard Jones]

I am interested in the Whitchurch Heritage action and would appreciate any information.
I live in St Nicholas and am fighting three planning applications in my area:
1. New Crematorium on A48 from Culverhouse Cross
2. Extension of Tesco at Culverhouse Cross to Tesco Extra with 38% increase in traffic and pollution
3. Propsed trunking of A48 as airport road throuigh Culverhouse Cross which connects airpoirt to Cardiff not rest of Wales

Also potential for HTV land to be developed as retail park.
Thanks for any signposting or information on how we could adopt some of your actions.
Diolch yn fawr,
Richard.

Richard Jones
07970 836 208