Blackweir Live - our open letter to Huw Thomas
Cardiff Civic Society and the Friends of Bute Park are concerned about plans for a series of concerts in Blackweir Fields this summer. Dozens of residents, including members of community groups have signed our open letter to the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Parks.
Dear Cllrs Huw Thomas and Jen Burke
We the undersigned on behalf of our communities are writing this open letter to express our concerns about the adverse effects the corporate events you are planning for Blackweir Fields will have on local residents, the loss of access for the general public to Blackweir Fields for weeks at a time this summer, the cricket clubs who use pitches there and for whom it is their “home” ground, and the felling of trees in Bute Park for access to these events. We are especially concerned given the loss of green space across Cardiff and the warnings about the deteriorating state of nature in Wales.
Blackweir Fields are part of Bute Park, a Grade 1 listed park which is enjoyed by thousands of people every year. In essence the Council holds them in trust for all sections of the community to enjoy, not for the exclusive and restricted use of a small minority for several weeks of the year. For Cardiff Council to give over the use of Blackweir Fields to corporate events for weeks at a time during summer months for years to come lacks consideration of Cardiff residents. Tickets were sold for these events and trees cut down before local residents were even able to make their representations at the Cardiff Council Licensing Committee.
It is also of concern that Cardiff Council undertook no engagement with the myriad of users and visitors to the park, and only undertook the bare minimum legal requirement in respect of its Licensing application. Bute Park is an important part of the life of Cardiff, and as such it surely warranted better communication from the Council than just a Licensing advert in a local newspaper and some notices on posts?
You will be aware of how important nature is to the people of Cardiff, from the many recent campaigns by local residents to try and save green spaces and mature trees in Cardiff. More than 30 such campaigns have been set up https://nation.cymru/news/is-cardiff-council-living-up-to-its-promise-to-protect-nature/
A recent survey showed how much the Welsh public supports urgent action for nature, with 77% of people wanting to see more nature thriving in their local green spaces and 80% saying time spent in nature is important to their health and well-being https://nation.cymru/news/welsh-public-supports-urgent-action-for-nature-new-poll/
It is of concern to us all that Wales is ranked 224 out of 240 countries on the Natural History Museum’s Biodiversity Index https://research.senedd.wales/research-articles/the-nature-emergency-halting-biodiversity-loss-by-2030-will-be-an-extraordinary-challenge/
The Senedd Environment Committee has recently raised its serious concerns about the state of nature in Wales saying ‘Wales’ nature is disappearing at an alarming rate’ https://senedd.wales/media/ts0f1ekc/cr-ld16916-e.pdf
In addition, Audit Wales has recently highlighted the importance of public authorities taking decisive action on biodiversity decline https://www.audit.wales/sites/default/files/publications/Biodiversity%20-%20English.pdf
For all of the above reasons we are asking that you move the events planned for Blackweir – we note that Coopers Field has now become available and presents ample space for this year’s events. We encourage you to do this as a mark of your commitment to protect our precious Cardiff green spaces.
We welcome artists such as Stevie Wonder playing in Cardiff, but in the future commercial events should be held in commercial venues.
Kind regards
Ed Bridges, AdBlock Cardiff
Caroline Richards, Bute Park Community Orchard
Madeleine McGivern, Bute Park Community Orchard
C. O'Cailleagh-Wheeler, Bute Park Community Orchard (Design Lead) & Friends of Bute Park (Ecology Lead)
Nerys Lloyd-Pierce, Cardiff Civic Society
Sophie Bolton, Riverside Community Garden
Catherine Little, Cardiff Storytelling Circle
Louise Kane, Cathays Wild Gardeners
Jasper Ryall, Cathays Wild Gardeners
Angela Weeks, Community Garden at Gabalfa & Llandaff North Hyb
Jane Davies, Friends of Bute Park
Paul Barrett, Friends of Bute Park
Ashley Martin, Friends of Bute Park
James Bischoff, Friends of Bute Park
Catherine Lewis, Making n Mending Club, Global Gardens
Dean Proctor, Park View residents
John Isaacson, Rhiwbina Eco Team
Geraint Denison-Kurg, Roath Mill Gardens Conservation Society
Christine Hawkins, Sanatorium Park Supporters
H. Stewart, Save Our Woods (Danescourt)
Lucy Griffiths, Save Roath Rec / Achub Rec y Rhath
Ian Vincent, Save the Northern Meadows
Terry Howe, Cardiff Friends of the Earth
Alvin Jones, Andree Griffiths, Angela Dimond, Ann Battson, Caragh Coote, Cath Cole, Chris Sheard, Dan O'Sullivan, David Bevan, David Lermon, Del Elliott, Elen Bowen, Elisabeth Edwards, Ella McKenzie, Emma Lawton, Erin Harper, Fiona Peel, Frances Sloan, George Auchterlonie, Gerry Lyons, Ginny Brink, Glenys Stevens, Graeme Garrard, Helen Kingdon, Hermione Campbell, Huw Hughes, Ian Douglas, Jan Hughes, Jane Eirug, Janice Fordredident, Jayne Pucknell, Jean Miller, Jeffrey Faris, Jennifer Hall, Jo Gaitt, Jon Osborne, Jordan Playfair, Kay Jenkins, Keira Evans, Lee Fry, Lyn Eynon, Maria Morancho, Meral Bozat, Michelle Gough, Morgan Nicholls, Naomi Munro, Nell Peel, Nicola Allen, Panos Paris, Pat McKenna, Philip Hawkins, Philip Watkins, Richard Knowles, Richard Sugg, Rob McAteer, Ruth Adams, Ruth Chamberlain, Sally Young, Sara Jones, Sarah Bischoff, Sian Best, Sofia Lazaridi, Sophie Bayley, Stanley Soffa, Steffan Webb, Stephen Parry-Jones, Steven Andrews, Tamsin Graves, Tracey James and Zoe Templeman-Young.
