Welsh Government pushed for decision on new train station and business park

Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter

The Welsh Government has been urged to make a decision on plans for a new train station and business park in Cardiff by the beginning of next year.

Plans for the Cardiff Parkway development, proposed for land south of St Mellons Business Park, were approved by Cardiff Council in April 2022.

However the scheme was later called in by the Welsh Government for them to have the final say on whether or not it should go ahead.

This usually happens if it is considered a development of national significance.

Unanimous

Labour and Conservative councillors at Cardiff Council were unanimous in their calls for the Welsh Government to speed up its decision making on Cardiff Parkway and give its verdict before the next full council meting on Thursday, January 25, 2025.

Speaking at a full council meeting on Thursday, November 28, Labour councillor for Trowbridge, Cllr Bernie Bowen-Thomson said the Cardiff Parkway development has the potential to create thousands of jobs in east Cardiff.

She said: “Cardiff Parkway needs to happen and it needs to happen soon.”

Considered fully

A Welsh Government spokesman said the Cardiff Parkway plans need to be considered fully using the latest evidence and information.

The spokesman added that the Welsh Government has been proactive in accelerating a number of infrastructure planing decisions and that a decision on Cardiff Parkway can be expected at the “earliest opportunity”.

The Cardiff Parkway plans have been scrutinised by Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) at two hearings – one in July 2023 and one in January 2024.

There are major concerns from some campaigners about the impact developing on the land south of St Mellons Business Park, which includes the Rumney and Peterstone site of special scientific interest (SSSI), could have on biodiversity.

Office space

Speaking at the second planning hearing co-chair of Friends of the Gwent Levels Dr Diana Callaghan questioned the need for office space in the proposed location for Cardiff Parkway.

A member of Cardiff Civic Society who was present at the same meeting, Julia Barrell, welcomed the idea of having a railway station in east Cardiff but added: “I think it would be very hard to argue that the business park is wholly exceptional… it definitely doesn’t need to be built on a SSSI.”

Cardiff Parkway Developments Ltd has proposed compensation land in a bid to offset the loss of habitats on site if their proposed scheme goes ahead.

The Welsh Government previously said its target date for a decision on Cardiff Parkway was April 26, 2024.

Since that date there has been a general election and the appointment of a new First Minister.

Eluned Morgan confirmed at First Minister’s Questions in October that she would be making the final decision on the project.

At the last Cardiff Council full council meeting of the year former leader of the Conservatives group at the local authority, Cllr Adrian Robson, accused the Welsh Government of procrastinating.

He said: “The First Minister confirmed that she is making the decision. This failure to allow Parkway to progress is now on her.”

Labour ward councillor for Trowbridge, Cllr Chris Lay, called it a disgrace that the station has not been developed yet.

He said: “I don’t know why but we are being let down by Welsh Government at the moment… it is not right and it is not fair.

“We deserve to have that network of the railway. We also deserve to have the businesses in our ward.”

Rolls-Royce is one of the businesses that has so far shown an interest in the site as a potential location for one of its hubs.

Another ward member for Trowbridge, Cllr Michael Michael, called the case for Cardiff Parkway “overwhelming”.

He added: “It should have been done 20 years ago.

“I welcome the First Minister’s decision that she is going to take the decision. I hope it is the right decision.

“I welcome the fact she now wants to look at streamlining planning though I am not sure it is the planning process that wants streamlining.

“I would suggest the call-in process is what needs streamlining.”

Bus transport

Liberal Democrat councillors welcomed Labour’s original motion calling on the Welsh Government to make a decision on Cardiff Parkway but they proposed an amendment which called for bus transport in the city to be improved before a new station is brought forward. The group’s motion failed.

However, the Conservatives group’s amendment, which proposed calling on the Welsh Government to make a decision on Cardiff Parkway by January 2025, was carried.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “This is a decision which will be taken by the First Minister.

“As with all planning decisions they need to be considered fully using the very latest evidence and information and so providing timeframes is unwise.”

The spokesman went on to add that “as the economy, energy and planning cabinet secretary has demonstrated this Welsh Government has been proactive in accelerating the decision-making process… and so you can expect a decision to be made at the earliest opportunity”.