Thousands oppose new Velindre cancer hospital site

There are concerns about the loss of green space at Northern Meadows in Whitchurch

More than 7,500 people have signed a petition opposing the site of a new cancer hospital.

The new £180m facility is set to be built on fields known as the Northern Meadows in Whitchurch, Cardiff.

But there are concerns about the loss of green space and the impact the development will have on the environment.

Velindre University NHS Trust said the fields are the only suitable location.

Petition organiser Tessa Marshall argued there is no need to build a hospital on the fields.

'Wellbeing of future generations'

"We don't need to choose between a hospital or a green space, we can have a hospital and green space if they build on the old Whitchurch hospital site," she said.

"If you get a housing development on the site of the old Whitchurch hospital and also a new hospital here, the whole area will change.

"Local people will lose access to green spaces in the middle of a pandemic where people are supposed to exercise locally. They aren't thinking about the wellbeing of future generations."

Outline planning permission was granted for the hospital two years ago but problems in arranging site access have caused delays.

Two new planning applications are hoped to resolve the issue.

Local campaigner Steffan Webb says costs have risen because of the problems accessing the site.

"The Welsh Government is going to spend £30m to put bridges in place just to develop this site," he said.

"If they had chosen a sensible site, they would have an additional £30m to spend on the hospital. The hospital would probably already be open."

Velindre University NHS Trust says money will be saved by developing land owned by the local health board and that "60% of the land will continue to be available to the local community".

"We are committed to securing a future for the fields as a community asset," said a trust spokesman.

He added: "Other sites across south east Wales were considered, but were ruled out for different reasons.

"For example, the Whitchurch hospital site and a site adjacent to the Heath hospital were deemed too small."