Cardiff: Hailey Park sewage pumping station legal bid starts

Campaigners say they have lots of genuine concerns about the plans

A judicial review of plans to build a sewage pumping station in a popular park has begun.

Llandaff North Residents' Association (LNRA) claim Cardiff officials did not follow the proper process when granting permission for the development.

Welsh Water want to build the pumping station in Hailey Park to take waste water from the Plasdwr housing development at Radyr.

Campaigners say it would affect their community in Llandaff North.

About 12 protesters were outside the Civil Justice Centre in Cardiff on Thursday for the hearing - a decision due in the autumn.

A judicial review is a case in which someone asks a judge to examine whether a minister, official or public body broke the law in how they took a decision.

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"We get no benefit from the scheme but we carry all the risk," says Stephanie Wilkins from LNRA.

"We've got Victorian sewers underneath the houses and it's on a flood plain, so we've got lots of genuine concerns and we also think that this scheme isn't best for Cardiff because it doesn't really address what's in the news currently about the sewage in the River Taff.

"We think we've got a valid case - that's what our legal team have told us, so we hope to win, and we hope other community groups can be inspired and fight their councils."

Cardiff council said it was "unable to comment further during the ongoing proceedings".

Welsh Water has been asked to comment.