Case put forward to save green 'haven'

The local community put forward their case to save a playing field used for sports, children, dog walkers, and eating a Sunday bag of chips – calling for the council to protect their 'haven in a heavy urban setting'. Speaking after opening statements setting out the arguments for and against Rumney Recreation Ground being granted village green status, Alun Michael MP detailed the locality's long standing attachment to the fields and local resident Mel Plenty reminisced on his memories of the site. Read our earlier report from the meeting here. Alun Michael MP argues permission for use had never been granted Michael related letters he had sent in to Cardiff council to apply for village green status in which he documents his own connection to the area – from being a young journalist covering a patch in the 1960s, to a local youth worker, organising football and rugby matches on the green, to becoming a city councillor for the old Rumney ward and later as MP. "It has always be regarded as the lung of the local area," he said. "It's for the whole of these areas and it's seen as a village green." Michael focused particularly on his time in the 1970s in which he chaired the planning development committee on the council and spearheaded the decision to locate Eastern Leisure Centre on the site. During this time, he said, much consideration as to the status of the playing fields was considered – and it was understood by residents who had campaigned against the new leisure centre that no more development would follow. "There was some opposition but it [the leisure centre] was secured because it was accessible from both sides of the main road and the changing rooms were being made for all sporting activities. "As a result of this public debate, there was overwhelming support for the leisure centre but a clear message from the public was 'this far and no further'." Finally in his statement Michael said the council's plans to relocate the new school on the site would "steal" the Eastern Leisure Centre from them. "It's essential to provide common sense to this. The views of local people are quite clear and consistent. We have used the land openly and without permission and the council has never given us any permission but we have had mutual respect." When pressed on this by council lawyer Harriet Townsend, Michael said nothing formal had been written. Part of the debate surrounds the signage on the recreation ground which prohibited striking golf balls, motorcycling, beach casting and horse riding. Beach casting, joked Michael, couldn't be a problem as there are not waters on Rumney Rec, and there is only one sign which refers to Rumney Recreation Ground itself. Michael argued since 1979, the council has had little communication with residents and they have been using the land since 'as of right'. There was some dispute over whether Charles Williams (mentioned int he opening statement here) gave permission in 1952 – but Michael said no document was ever found to confirm there was ever a covenant or permission was given for usage. Michael said: "People had acquired the use of land as of right over a period of time not by Squire Williams. We discovered there was no document or covenant of a donation of rights to the people." Leslie Blohm QC added: "As far as I'm aware as long as residents act as if they have a right, that is enough. "As I understand it the council as objector is not jumping up and down saying the local inhabitants didn't do this – they are not challenging the use of the land. "I certainly doubt whether we'll have a lot of evidence back to the 1920s. There's no documentation from the 1950s in which the council accept that such a right existed." Llanrumney resident details memories of the ground Mel Plenty, treasurer of RREEL Action group spoke before the committee. He explained his connection to the parkland, which he has used for the last 60 years since his birth on Newport Road next to the playing field in 1938 where he lived for 16 years. He described his memories of the field after moving back to the area with a young family. He said: "Throughout my childhood there were regular visits to the playing fields. I remember in the the fields picnicking, playing children's games and picking blackberries. "Access to the fields was unrestricted. The thought of asking permission to use any of the fields in the Rumney village are never occurred. "There's not doubt that the residents of all this area have enjoyed unrestricted and unchallenged access to the recreation ground. "The community did oppose the Eastern Leisure Centre. At the time the council provided a pledge that no further development on the land would take place. One might have expected any future council to honour that pledge." "I've observed joggers, dog walkers, children playing games, eating a sandwich or an evening bag of chips. It's a haven in the midst of heavy urban traffic." Plenty said the recreation ground was the only 'flat' big area for use in the locality, and he had never known it be closed off from public use. He said the idea of the ground becoming the site for a new school an "injustice" to the community and called for it to be protected by village green status. The inquiry will continue for two more days and the case against the application will be reported later on the blog.