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You can find it here. What new money? Caro Wild, Cardiff Council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for strategic planning and transport has written to every community council in Cardiff, seeking ideas for a new initiative, to be called the Local Infrastructure Idea Lists. Specifically, he has asked for ideas in relation to public open spaces, community facilities and local highway improvements. Whilst looking primarily at ideas that may be funded through Section 106 developer contributions, the lists will also help to inform other work that is undertaken by Cardiff Council’s service areas, using the Council's normal funding channels. What will this mean for us? This is an opportunity for people across Radyr and Morganstown to submit their ideas. What would you like to see developed in your area? Would you like to see any improvements to our public spaces Better, or more, playgrounds? An outdoor gym? Improved landscaping? More places to sit and enjoy being outdoors? Somewhere for our young people to meet up? Do you want to see any improvements to Station Road? How about community facilities? Improvements to our halls? How about a new community hall on the Mound Field, with facilities for Radyr Rangers? Better sports facilities? A MUGA*? Or how about road safety and ease of movement across our community? Safer cycling? More zebra crossings? The invitation is there, from Caro Wild - so we would like to respond with a set of ideas that could really make a difference to our community. What can I do? You can send us your ideas by completing our survey, here. What will happen next? We need to send our ideas to Cardiff Council as soon as we can, in September. After that time, we can still send more ideas, but it's important for us to get our ideas onto Cardiff's initial list. An Important caveat: It's important to understand, however, that there is no guaranteed pot of money to fund everything or anything. But if we don't present our ideas, we won't be able to complain if other areas see their projects developed. So, Cardiff will assess all of the ideas it receives and prepare the Local Infrastructure Idea Lists. They will use this to help priorities how Section 106 money should be used (as well as helping to priorities the work they fund themselves). What is Section 106 money? New developments can have an impact on the local community. For example, growth in population arising from a new residential development might lead to greater pressure on local schools, community facilities, open spaces, highways or transportation. Planning obligations, known as Section 106 Contributions, can be used to require developers to provide new facilities, or contribute financially towards developments that help to mitigate the impact of their development. To help guide the S106 process, the Local Infrastructure Idea Lists is a new scheme which will be developed to provide Cardiff Council with a way to identify local infrastructure ideas for different wards, which can be taken into consideration when S106 contributions are being sought. Section 106 contributions can be sought for a range of infrastructure developments, such as affordable housing, transport, highway works, schools, open spaces, community facilities, public realm improvements, waste management facilities and flood risk management. However, as mentioned above, Caro Wild has asked us for ideas linked to public open spaces, community facilities and local highway improvements only (but we are checking why he has limited his request to those areas). The boring bit There are three legal tests governing the use of Section 106. It can constitute a reason for granting planning permission for the development only if the obligation is:
Think big! But don't these legal tests put you off! Send us your ideas. However wild! However ambitious! However big! However small! We want to know what you would like to have! Complete the survey and let us know what you'd like to see. * A Multi Use Games Arena as described here.
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Following the commitment shown locally to help fund the new playground at Clos Parc Radur (including money from the community council, from local residents and a crowd-funding campaign), the Chair of the community council has written to the Chair of Cardiff Council asking that he helps ensure that money is found to pay for the essential drainage works required before any new equipment an be installed.
You can read the letter in Welsh, here. And in English, here. We will let you know when we hear back from Huw Thomas. Frequent users of the Drovers' Way playground will see that the facility is now locked - with the sign shown above making it clear that the playground is closed for maintenance.
What we know at present is that:
In the meantime, local resident Jamie Grundy has launched a crowdfunding campaign to 'fill the final quarter' of the circle. You can read about his campaign here. Over £600 has been raised already - a great example of positive community action. We will update you after the 12 June meeting. Local resident Jamie Grundy has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help refurbish the Drovers' Way playground in Clos Parc Radur. Below, he talks about the value of this important site - and his aim to help fill it with new equipment: "There are many residents of Clos Parc Radyr and further afield who have used the popular children’s playground at Drovers Way. You can find me there most days with my daughter and my dog, trying to tire them out! Having witnessed the playground's slow and sad decline over the years I’m doing something about it. I’ve set up a crowd-funding campaign to raise some money to help regenerate it. The playground has been half-empty of equipment for years - and I want to get it filled with new and exciting equipment. We also need to stop mud and water flooding onto the site. Radyr & Morganstown Community Council and Radyr Park Management Committee have both pledged £5,000 towards the project - with the remaining costs being met by Cardiff Council and the Welsh Government. Redrow Homes are leading on the investigation of the flooding and have promised to fix this problem. So my crowd-funding campaign is to cover part of the cost only. I’m trying to raise £2500 to buy equipment to 'fill the final quarter' of the playground. To find out more, or to donate - please go to any of the following websites: Please pledge what you can, even if it’s only a couple of pounds, because every donation will help a new generation of Radyr children to play in a fun and safe environment for years to come. The campaign will be running until Sunday 14 July." We think Jamie's crowdfunding campaign is an excellent idea - so please get behind him and donate whatever you can, to help restore this valuable playground. The children's climbing frame was removed from the Drovers' Way playground today, following an assessment by Cardiff Council that it was no longer safe to use. The frame's footings had rusted away, due to constant flooding of the play area.
Radyr and Morganstown Community council has been working hard with Cardiff Council, the Parc Radyr Management Committee and Redrow Homes to prepare for the installation of new equipment. Funding is in place to fill around three-quarters of the play area - with further funds to be sought to fill the remaining area. (Full story here). However, before any new equipment is installed, work will need to be done to prevent mud and water flooding onto the site (and ruining the new equipment). Redrow Homes are working closely with Cardiff Council to agree on the necessary works. We will continue to press them to do this as quickly as possible, so that this important play area is once again a great place for young children to play and learn. Radyr and Morganstown Community Council has been working hard to deliver improvements to the children’s playground at Drovers Way. A partnership has been established, between the Community Council, Cardiff Council, the Clos Parc Radur Management Committee and Redrow Homes. To date, one swing has been replaced – and over £25k earmarked for further improvements. In addition, Jamie Grundy, a local resident, is developing a crowdfunding campaign to fund the one or two, remaining, unfunded items of equipment. He has already established a twitter feed in relation to the crowd funding. You can follow this at: www.twitter.com/ParkRadyr . All of this will ensure that, for the first time, the playground circle will be full of equipment, rather than half empty. Redrow Homes is also considering what work needs to be done to prevent mud and water flowing onto the site – as happens now. Local residents will have an opportunity to view Cardiff Council’s plans for the playground, as part of Redrow’s Plasdwr drop-in session on Thursday, 7 February at the New Church Rooms (between 4pm and 7pm). Comments and suggestions will be welcomed. Councillor Huw Onllwyn Jones said ‘We are delighted with progress to date – and hope that plenty of parents and children come to the drop in event on 7 February to give us their views on the proposed new park”. 29 January 2019 Here are Cardiff Council's draft plans for the playground.
Let us know, here, if you have any comments or suggestions to offer. |
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