Reservoir protest plan thrashed out

Residents in Llanishen want to keep their reservoir

More than 600 people protesting against multimillion plans to fill in a north Cardiff reservoir to develop 340 luxury homes met to organise their campaign on Tuesday.

Proposals for the Llanishen scheme, which could build houses worth up to £1m, have been submitted to Cardiff council by a subsidiary of utility company Western Power.

Geraint Evans is a keen sailor

The project would see the 60-acre reservoir cut to 10 to 11 acres, and the smaller Lisvane reservoir set up as a wetland habitat and run by a wildlife trust.

But hundreds of local residents, opposed to the plans, have formed a Reservoir Action Group (Rag) and have said the site should be developed as a country park.

The meeting on Tuesday night, where speakers opposing the scheme included local AMs Jenny Randerson and Sue Essex, lasted for around two hours.

Rag chairman Ted Thurgood said local residents had heard a lot of arguments, including environmental concerns, against the housing plans.

"People went away a lot more than they did before - it was a very effective briefing," he said.

He added that it was also a very successful event for Rag's campaign.

"The vision of Rag is to set up a north Cardiff country park - something that can be handed down to future generations," he said.

Wetland habitat

Martin Russell, project manager for the development company Llanishen Water, said Llanishen reservoir would be cut to a sixth of its current size.

"It's looking to reduce the size down to 10 to11 acres to provide sailing facilities," he said.

A plan of the proposals has been submitted

"There is about 12 acres of a wetland habitat to be created here as a sustainable habitat for birdlife and wildlife," he added.

Mr Russell said the houses and apartments on the site would be sought-after properties.

"I think they would be ranging from perhaps a quarter of a million upwards, and perhaps some of the big houses may even be over a £1m," he added.

Regular users of the reservoir are concerned about the impact of the project.

Geraint Evans, who has taken up a course at the sailing club, said the reservoir was perfect because it had 58 acres of clean, clear water.

"The facilities here are brilliant - many of the courses here require clean water as you have to get in the water," he said.

RAG is opposed to the development

"Without that, the courses couldn't function," he added.

Adrian Connor, from the local fly fishing club, said his group - the only one of its kind in Cardiff - could die.

"There are coarse fishing clubs, but that is separate from game fishing which has always gone on here," he said.

"Our concern is it isn't going to happen any more," he added.