Residents up in arms over village green bollards

Kieran Molloy, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents in a leafy Cardiff suburb said bollards set up by the council are ruining their community green.

The bollards have been installed by Cardiff Council at Y Groes at Rhiwbina Garden Village.

A change.org petition has been set up to ask the council to reconsider the bollards at the green space, which the petition says is “already altering the character of Rhiwbina Garden Village”.

The petition reads: “Rhiwbina Garden Village has long been recognised as one of the best places to live in Wales. Its open greens, simple design and uncluttered spaces are what make it special – even forming the backdrop to a Christmas scene in Doctor Who.

“The recent installation of a dense, continuous line of bollards has fundamentally changed the feel of this space. What was once open and informal now feels enclosed, controlled and visually dominated.”

A local resident, Natalie Drury-Styles, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “This isn’t about protecting the green – that’s something everyone supports. It’s about doing it in a way that respects the original vision of the Garden Village.

“Rhiwbina was designed with openness, simplicity and shared green space at its heart. That sense of space and lack of visual clutter is not accidental – it’s fundamental to the character of the area and why it’s protected as a conservation area.”

She continued: “Residents are expected to uphold those principles in their own homes, often at significant cost and constraint, so it’s difficult to understand why an intervention of this scale and visual impact would be considered appropriate in that context.

“The original discussions around bollards were focused on the pedestrianised village centre, not on enclosing residential greens like Y Groes – the two are very different environments.

“What’s been installed feels out of keeping with that character, and many residents were never given a meaningful opportunity to understand or comment on the scale and visual impact of what was ultimately delivered.”

Dr Who

According to the petition, Y Groes is “part of the fabric of village life” and hosts elements of the Rhiwbina Festival and, at the end of the year, features a Christmas Tree and carol singing.

Scenes from the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas special were also filmed on the green.

A spokesperson from Cardiff Council said: “The installation of bollards at Y Groes forms part of the wider regeneration scheme around the Rhiwbina shops.

“Bollards were already in place around over half of the green space. Additional bollards, along with the replacement and upgrading of existing ones, have now been installed to prevent vehicles driving on and damaging the grassed area.”

They continued: “The bollards have been spaced at 1.5 metres, rather than 1.2 metres, to reduce their visual impact as much as possible. One remaining bollard will be installed as a hinged bollard to allow ongoing maintenance access.

“Consultation on the wider regeneration scheme took place in September 2025. Properties on roads surrounding Rhiwbina high street, including Y Groes, received leaflets outlining the proposed plans and inviting residents to comment.

“This provided the community with the opportunity to give feedback on the scheme, including the proposed installation of the bollards.”

At time of writing, the petition has 213 signatures.