Welsh Government won’t intervene to stop Blackweir Live concerts

Martin Shipton

The Welsh Government has decided not to “call in” a planning application covering a series of “Blackweir Live” concerts in Cardiff this summer, clearing the way for them to go ahead.

Opponents of the concerts say they will spoil the tranquillity of Bute Park in the heart of the nation’s capital. They also argue that it is wrong for Cardiff council to be making a decision on the planning application, as the local authority owns the land where the concerts will be held and will profit from them.

Under the planning system, the Welsh Government has the power in certain circumstances to intervene and make a decision on planning applications itself – a process known as “calling in”. On this occasion, however, it has decided not to do so.

A decision issued by a senior official in the Welsh Government’s planning directorate stated: “The Welsh Ministers have been asked to call in the above application for their own determination. I am authorised by the Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning [Sian Gwenllian] , to consider whether the application should be called in for determination by the Welsh Ministers.

“The Welsh Government’s policy on calling in planning applications is set out in Planning Policy Wales (PPW), Edition 12, February 2024. The Welsh Government considers planning authorities, as elected bodies, should be left to make decisions about development proposals wherever possible. The Welsh Ministers do not, in practice, call in many planning applications and will only do so where the proposal raises issues of more than local importance.

“The decision on whether to call in an application is not about the acceptability of the development and whether planning permission should be granted; it is concerned with who should make the decision.

“The application seeks full planning permission for temporary use of part of Blackweir Fields, Cardiff, for live events involving the installation of temporary infrastructure comprising perimeter fencing, stages, lighting, public address (PA) systems, access and other temporary structures and ancillary works, up until 31 August 2031 inclusive.

“The main reasons given for the call-in request can be summarised as follows:

* Bute Park being a Grade I listed site of international, national and regional significance;

* The adverse impact on a rare fungi the Hygrocybe spadicea, on champion trees in Bute Park and on the Bute Park Arboretum;

* The planning authority having a financial conflict of interest;

* The impact and disruption of events extending beyond the locality; and

* Potential shortcomings in the local development plan (LDP) and the proposed replacement LDP in respect of the natural environment and biodiversity.

“I have given consideration to the issues raised in the call-in request, the application documents, and all other relevant information.

“The concerns raised are not considered to be in conflict with national policy or raise any significant unmitigated effects on protected species or the historic environment.

“In view of this, I consider the application should not be called in for determination by the Welsh Ministers.

“In reaching this conclusion the planning merits of the application were not taken into account and the decision not to call in the application should not in any way be taken as a reflection of the planning merits of the development.”

The decision was signed under the authority of Adam Price, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning.

Leveraged

Jeremy Sparkes, one of the most prominent community campaigners against the concerts, said: “This decision highlights the problem with current planning provisions: namely, heritage assets of hugely national importance which are to be leveraged as part of a ‘major development’ do not automatically merit any level of assessment that is wholly and transparently separate from the local planning authority where a Grade-1 Listed Park happens to be located.”

Cardiff council’s planning committee is due to consider the application on Thursday June 4. It’s recommended for approval subject to a number of conditions, including that the concerts must be completed by August 31, that the permission covers a consecutive 42-day period, that the concerts finish by 10.30pm and that there is noise monitoring.