Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 68

Plans to reduce flooding of
Whitchurch Brook announced
School plan
consultation
outcome
published
news
Cardiff Council is researching ways
to reduce flood risk from Whitchurch
Brook.
The Greener Whitchurch project
will explore a range of solutions
including green infrastructure, a
network of multi-functional green
spaces, to reduce surface water
run-off and manage local drainage
network capacity issues, while
enhancing parts of Whitchurch’s
public space. The project is part
of Cardiff Council’s overarching
strategy to ensure the city is
‘stronger, fairer and greener’.
The study area includes the part of
Whitchurch Brook that flows from
Caedelyn Park in Rhiwbina through
Whitchurch to its outfall at the
River Taff at Lydstep Park, Gabalfa.
Flooding has affected residents and
businesses in this area, with more
than ten flood events recorded
since 1990. With funding secured
from Welsh Government, Cardiff
Council has appointed Arup, a
leading sustainable development
consultancy, to finalise the options,
develop the detailed design and
secure planning permission.
Councillor Caro Wild, Cabinet
Member for Climate Change said:
“Residents in Whitchurch have
been affected by flooding and
it is likely to get worse as a
result of climate change. We
need well-designed sustainable
urban drainage to improve this
community’s resilience to these
extreme weather events.
“Building on the success of Greener
Grangetown, Greener Whitchurch
aims to deliver a range of water
sensitive urban design solutions to
reduce surface water run-off and
manage the amount of water in the
local drainage network.
“We are also exploring wider
community benefits including
sustainable transport, public realm
improvements and biodiversity
enhancements.
“We are keen to collaborate with
key stakeholders and the local
community to help shape the
detailed design.”
New school opens in Plasdŵr
One of Cardiff's newest primary
schools opened its doors for the
very first time in September, as
staff and pupils arrived for the start
of term at the brand-new Ysgol
Gynradd Groes-wen Primary School
at Plasdŵr.
The £9 million primary school is
the first of its kind for Cardiff and for
Wales, providing a dual language
stream and a Welsh-medium
stream. The dual language stream
Photo: John Lord
will consist of 50% Welsh and 50%
English, known as a 50/50 split.
Plasdŵr is the new development
of up to 7,000 homes that will be
built at the site bordering Radyr,
Fairwater, Pentrebane and St Fagans
along with shops, cafés, restaurants
and offices.
Plasdŵr will see the opening of a
further three new primary schools
and one secondary school as the
development takes shape.
The outcome of a public
consultation on plans to
reorganise primary school
provision to serve parts of
Gabalfa, Heath, Llandaff North,
and Plasnewydd has been
published.
Cardiff Council's Cabinet will
now be informed of the 213
responses received on new
proposals which aim to achieve
the correct balance of English
and Welsh medium primary
provision so that current and
future demand in the area can
be met.
The consultation with schools,
governors, parents and children
concluded in June with three
potential options included in
the plans. Each proposal was
designed to improve learning
opportunities and to provide
support with financial pressures
currently being experienced by
schools in the area.
The Cabinet are recommended
to publish proposals to proceed
with the most favourable of the
three proposals.
St David's Hall
closure extended
to New Year
Cardiff Council has decided to
extend the temporary closure
of St David's Hall into the New
Year, following the discovery of
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated
Concrete (RAAC) panels in the
building.
The panels have been called
into question following safety
concerns about the panels in
other buildings across the UK.
RAAC is a lightweight form of
concrete used in roof, floor,
cladding and wall construction in
the UK from the mid-1950s to the
mid-1980s.
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