Plans have been approved for enabling works for Cardiff’s new Velindre cancer centre in Whitchurch, including roads and bridges to the site.
While the hospital was given planning permission in 2017, Cardiff council’s planning committee has now given approval for the work to access the hospital.
The committee met on Wednesday, December 16, to consider the plans and hear from people objecting to the works.
But concerns were raised about the impact on ecology and the local environment.
Anna McMorrin, MP for Cardiff North, told the committee that her constituents were concerned about the loss of trees and biodiversity.
She said: “Many constituents are understandably very concerned about the loss of trees, biodiversity and the detrimental impact the development will have on wildlife and habitats.
“Inevitably, many constituents remain concerned that irrespective of how many mitigation plans are in place or how robust they may be in saving or enhancing biodiversity, the development will dramatically alter the area upon which wildlife depend.”
Tessa Marshall, of Save the Northern Meadows campaign, said: “Granting this condition shall remove this community’s last open space.”
She also highlighted concerns about water discharge from the site, saying: “It’s unclear where the water will go or its impacts on flooding, and the silt measures proposed are unrealistic within a nature reserve.
“There’s no plan showing the protection of ecological zones within the railway cutting, and there’s no estimation or identification of the number of trees to be felled or their location.
“Without even an estimation of tree numbers at present, unacceptable harm will occur to a wildlife corridor and urban forest.
“The centre is estimated to be useful for just 15 years — not long enough for the site to return to its biodiverse state. You will be granting permission on a road to nowhere, resulting in significant unacceptable destruction.”
Mark Farrar, planning agent representing Velindre, explained a lot of mitigation measures would be in place to protect the local environment, and stringent rules had to be followed.
