Velindre Cancer Centre: Two women arrested after protest

Contractors had arrived to carry out clearance work at the site

Two women have been arrested after a protest to protect a Cardiff meadow from development.

The new Velindre Hospital has planning consent to build a cancer centre on the Northern Meadows in Whitchurch.

About 20 protesters gathered at the site, along with some 16 police officers, as well as contractors.

South Wales Police said the protest was in the main peaceful, and those involved eventually dispersed.

The women arrested were aged 36 from the St Mellons area of the city and another, aged 69, from Heath, on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

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Velindre officials said contractors had arrived at the site to clear vegetation and wind-fallen trees ahead of ground survey works.

However, one protester chained herself to a gate in a stand-off with police.

The woman, who had a bike lock around her neck, told BBC Wales she had been locked to the gate since early morning.

The protesters have begun occupying the city meadow with one woman chaining herself to a gate

Another woman said: "I am protesting because we are in the middle of a climate crisis and I'm fed up of politicians making lots of promises, promises to take action and completely failing to take action.

"Today we are resisting for as long as possible."

Some protesters have also set up camp near to another entrance to the fields.

Lionel Jacobson, a retired GP from the Ely area of the city, added: "It's a hidden gem here - I knew nothing about it.

"It's the wrong hospital on the wrong site at an extortionate cost. It should be co-located on to a large hospital."

South Wales Police said the protest was mostly peaceful

Last month a legal challenge failed to halt the building works.

Protesters now claim the vegetation clearance breaches the planning conditions set out by Cardiff council.

David Powell, project director for the cancer centre, said: "The works being carried out are focused on limited vegetation clearance that will allow us access to do ground survey work on the site in the coming weeks. The work will only include removal of previously wind-fallen trees as agreed with Cardiff council."

He said the work was being done in line with the European Protected Species Development Licence (EPSL) granted by Natural Resources Wales and ecologists were on site to ensure the licence conditions were met.