Velindre Cancer Centre campaigner bursts into song at council meeting

A campaigner opposed to controversial plans for a new cancer centre broke into song during a council meeting.

Cardiff council was discussing plans, already approved, to build a new Velindre Cancer Centre on land near its current site in Whitchurch.

Opponents say the centre should not be built on an area of green space they refer to as "the northern meadow".

Tamsin Graves sang The Lord is My Shepherd, claiming the developer had shown "no regard" for the environment.

In 2021, Welsh ministers backed the plans, which were upheld by two separate High Court judges.

At a Cardiff council planning committee meeting, Ms Graves spoke for a group that protested against the construction of the centre in Whitchurch.

Opponents previously raised concerns about a loss of natural habitat and biodiversity.

She told councillors the opponents concerns had been left out of a council report, according the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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"These are the lack of a road safety audit and to the wholly inadequate surface, water and drainage strategy," she said.

"These two issues should be of paramount concern to every single one of us here.

"The developer has sadly shown little or no regard for the safety, health and well-being of the community or of the environment to date.

"The constant re-invention of words to gloss over the intended decimation of this site of importance for nature conservation is an insult to planet and people. On your heads be it."

Protestors occupied the meadow in 2021 with one woman chaining herself to a gate

Before breaking into song, Ms Graves added: "Here are the pasture meadows of Ty Clyd Farm in 1840, still here in 2023.

"Natural, unique, irreplaceable green pastures, providing health to our lungs, protection from cancer and refreshment for our souls."

The company selected to design and build the new cancer centre is Acorn.

Project director Richard Coe responded, saying a plan had been put in place "to make sure things like traffic, surface water and environmental concerns are well managed".

"The Acorn team has engaged extensively with council officers, CADW and NRW and we have worked with that feedback to develop the final [construction environmental and management plan]," he said.

"We are confident that it presents a very robust document to ensure that the project will be delivered with minimal impact and disruption to the local area for the shortest period possible."