Save the Northern Meadows

29/08/2026

"Frustrated residents have collected more than 200 signatures for a petition protesting against what it describes as “unacceptable, dangerous and inconsiderate parking” by contract workers constructing a controversial new cancer centre in Cardiff."

Martin Shipton Frustrated residents have collected more than 200 signatures for a petition protesting against what it describes as “unacceptable, dangerous and inconsiderate parking” by contract workers constructing a controversial new cancer centre in Cardiff. The near-£1bn new Velindre cancer...

12/08/2026

***Further, worse vandalism after Velindre closed the Whitchurch Hospital footpath***

There has been further, worse vandalism after Velindre closed the footpath in Whitchurch Hospital grounds.

This is unsurprising as local residents walking in the hospital grounds, particular dog walkers later in the day, are an important deterrent to vandalism whether it’s damage to the cricket ground or offensive graffiti. As one local resident wrote about before Velindre closed the footpath ‘I’m forever picking up rubbish from the cricket pitch and even stopped some youths vandalising their machinery.’

In a recent statement, Velindre Trust accepted that serious incidents of vandalism, including racist and offensive graffiti, came ‘after the Trust recently installed fencing on our land’.

Please write to your MSs (in your own words) about how the further, worse vandalism after the footpath was closed is another reason why Velindre should reopen the footpath. Local residents walking in Whitchurch Hospital grounds are an important deterrent to vandalism.

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

12/07/2026

Please help us get these two footpath entrances to Whitchurch Hospital grounds opened up again!

After all the green spaces that Velindre has already take away from us or altered beyond recognition (e.g. the Northern Meadows themselves, Lady Cory Field, Forest Farm Nature Reserve top meadow, the Bowl, the Grange etc) we are very upset that Velindre has now closed off two footpath entrances to Whitchurch Hospital grounds.

These are the entrances to a lovely footpath going from Clos Coed Hir through the Hospital grounds to the Northern Meadows. People have been walking this footpath for over 30 years.

Please write to one of our MSs (in your own words) and ask for their help to get these footpath entrances opened up

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Velindre gave no notice and no reason why these entrances were suddenly blocked up. The two entrances and the footpath are all on land which Velindre isn’t selling, and the dormouse compensation areas in the Hospital grounds remain open to the public.

Velindre has only just finished its Community Consultation on the future of Whitchurch Hospital and the grounds. One of the main things local people said was how much they valued being able to walk through the Hospital grounds. So why is Velindre closing off the entrances to one of these footpaths? This gives the impression the Consultation was just a tick-box exercise for Velindre, and it has no genuine interest in the views of local people. Instead of these closures Velindre should be applying to have the footpaths across the Hospital grounds registered as Public Rights of Way.

17/06/2026

*** PLEASE HELP, QUICK EMAIL JOB***

OBJECT TO CHANGES IN PLANNING APPLICATION BY 26TH JUNE!!!

Well who would have guessed it - but Velindre wants to break its promises on how it replants the Northern Meadows and Forest Farm Nature Reserve.

It’s applied to reduce the number of mature trees it plants by over a half - from 791 trees down to 360 trees. And despite oak trees being such an important part of the Meadows, Velindre wants to not plant any of the 36 large oak trees it promised.

And who’s ever heard of a playground without any play equipment? Well - Velindre wants to remove the provision of play equipment for the new playground in this planning application.

If you think Velindre should keep to its commitments, then please email a couple of sentences in your own words to [email protected] objecting to Planning Application 26/00972/NMA.

You could also ask one of our new MSs to object eg [email protected] or [email protected]

27/05/2026

"The Welsh Conservatives have written to Cabinet Secretary for Health Mabon ap Gwynfor calling for further scrutiny of a decision to award a near-£1bn construction contract to a consortium that includes two firms convicted of bid-rigging offences."

Martin Shipton The Welsh Conservatives have written to Cabinet Secretary for Health Mabon ap Gwynfor calling for further scrutiny of a decision to award a near-£1bn construction contract to a consortium that includes two firms convicted of bid-rigging offences. Earlier this week Nation.Cymru report...

26/05/2026

"A Welsh NHS trust has refused to publish legal advice it says gave it the go-ahead to award a major construction contract to a consortium that included two firms with criminal convictions for corruption."

https://nation.cymru/news/nhs-trust-refuses-to-publish-advice-on-1bn-contract-involving-firms-guilty-of-corruption/?fbclid=IwZnRzaASCLOpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEebrhdZi64_cGt8UmubUUlaNGUc8MUpplviDgrKxj2OL07DPwvxN0MaKjlDTU_aem_zNEFqZkmp8BuD02FjPG3nQ

Martin Shipton A Welsh NHS trust has refused to publish legal advice it says gave it the go-ahead to award a major construction contract to a consortium that included two firms with criminal convictions for corruption. The near £1bn contract to build and maintain the new Velindre Cancer Centre in C...

15/05/2026

"serious problems have already been identified in the quality of concrete used in the construction of new Velindre"

Martin Shipton A construction manager with 40 years experience has blamed the chosen funding model for quality concerns and increasing costs in the building of a new cancer centre in Cardiff. Ian Vincent says the decision to use a variation on PFI – the largely discredited Private Finance Initiati...

01/05/2026

"Serious concerns have been raised about the Welsh Government’s means of funding the near-£1bn new Velindre cancer centre currently under construction in Cardiff."

What do you know about MIM? Learn more here...

Martin Shipton Serious concerns have been raised about the Welsh Government’s means of funding the near-£1bn new Velindre cancer centre currently under construction in Cardiff. The siting of the new centre, which will serve patients in south east Wales, has been hugely controversial on environmen...

14/04/2026

***Have your say on the future of Whitchurch Hospital and Gardens***

In March we posted that Velindre had agreed to our suggestion of a workshop to enable local residents’ full range of suggestions to be heard and documented.

Its taken longer to materialise than first hoped and there has been little warning. The workshops are happening this Friday and Saturday, 17th and 18th April.

There is limited space and it's fully booked. Sorry to those who are just hearing about it. However, there is a wait list so if you would have liked to attend then please sign up so Velindre can see the demand. Also, let's us know in the comments here, and share your ideas so we can make them heard for you!

Two workshops to bring the community together to generate ideas and discussions on the future of the Whitchurch Hospital site.

10/04/2026