Summary of Heath Residents’ Association (HRA) Annual Meeting April 2025
Introduction
Dave and Emma, on behalf of the HRA committee, welcomed everyone to the meeting.
They explained that they were first going to outline what the HRA committee has been doing over the last 12 months in terms of engagement with the community including events the HRA committee had organised or been part of.
They would then outline the issues of concern the committee have been helping residents with since the last HRA annual members meeting in April 2024.
Then and importantly, the meeting would be opened up to members so they could raise current concerns and issues as well as any ideas members have for future events and activities.
Dave and Emma thanked June Edwards for her many years of service as the HRA committee Treasurer and said they were very pleased that June had decided to continue as a HRA committee member.
Emma said that details of HRA’s income and expenditure for the period 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025 had been prepared and where available at the meeting for any member present to view.
Engagement with the community.
Over the last two years the Committee, as well as identifying issues which may affect residents’ quality of life and to help find solutions, have also become more active in arranging activities in the community for the benefit of residents.
We meet several times a year with local Cllrs to identify areas of benefit to our residents and where we can work with them to help residents.
We continue to meet with some of the other local community groups in Heath and Birchgrove and are in correspondence with most of the others. This is so we can help each other and work better together to put on more events and activities for our members.
Over the last 12 months we have been involved in the following:
In partnership with Heath Citizens’ Association (HCA), over two days in June 2024 we held events to commemorate 80 years since D Day, a pivotal point that marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe in World War II. The events were truly intergenerational. On the first day, children from both our local primary schools undertook activities in and outside this Hall. With exhibitions, singing and dancing they demonstrated to their families what they had learnt about D Day and importantly the American soldiers based at Camp Heath. On the second day we held a community event which as well as displaying some of the children’s work to a wider audience included our own interactive exhibition about the US soldiers stationed here and their role in World War II. There was live 1940s music as well as tea and cake. About 300 people attended an enjoyable day.
HCA, with support from HRA, have elected a permanent memorial to the US soldiers and that now forms part of the notice board outside the HCA buildings.
The Committee thanked HCA and the staff and pupils involved from the two local primary schools for their considerable help in making this event a success.
It was highlighted that Birchgrove schools had won an award for their efforts on this project.
The Committee also advertised other events for community groups throughout the year such as Accordia summer concert in July, the Friends of Llwynfedw Gardens summer Party in the Park and the Halloween theme Craftaholics spooky craft fair held here in October.
We supported a successful second Heath and Birchgrove Christmas Festival. This year we again worked in partnership on this with other local community organisations and with support, via our local ward members, from the Birchgrove Business Group. Fifteen festival events took place from mid-November up to and including Christmas Day.
One event was our own very enjoyable Christmas Concert starring the Ton yr Ywen school choir. This event raised £466 for Action for Children. HRA are grateful to the school for their support at our Concert.
We also want to thank Birchgrove school, local councillors and the other local organisations who put on events or contributed to the Festival. As one of our contributions we donated selection boxes for the children who attended the Llwynfedw Gardens Christmas Festival event.
Some HRA committee members and some HRA members, as well as representatives from the other local groups have taken part in a few of the regular Heath/Birchgrove litter picks which have been set up by our local councillors.
Campaign to seek improvements to Heath Park play area
The Committee were pleased to report that following a meeting with local councillors in July and then with assistance from them and Cardiff Council Parks Department, an accessible swing was installed in the play area. We see this as an important first step to making the play area as a whole accessible and inclusive to all children regardless of any disabilities.
The Committee are in ongoing discussions with the Parks Department and local councillors to identify what we can do next to enhance the experience of children in the playground and nearby. We are aware funding will be in short supply. As a result we are raising funds ourselves, seeking to work with other local organisations to raise the funds and actively looking at a range of funding bids. At the time of the meeting the HRA Just Giving Page had received donations totalling £1043 with a further £20 donated at the meeting. We have had productive discussions with one of the scouts/cubs leaders and with her help we are holding a summer event with them in the HCA Hall on 28th June. Further details will be sent to members.
In addition, we are exploring other ways to improve the experience of children in the wider Park area (for example, nature trails) while carefully ensuring that anything that is proposed, respects Heath Park as an open, natural space for the benefit of the local community.
Please contact us if you would like to get involved or can help us raise much needed funds. You will find further details on the campaign on our website.
Issues we have helped or tried to help residents with during the last 12 months.
As well as identifying areas where we can work collaboratively with our ward members to help residents, we also and importantly, discuss issues with them that have been raised with us by residents with a view to them helping find solutions.
Problems caused to residents by Transport for Wales (TfW) railway works
For a number of months after our meeting last April, we assisted residents of Heath Park Drive and nearby in terms of the severe impact on them due to the manner in which TfW have carried out railway electrification works. As well as poor and patchy communication with all the impacted residents, some residents were subjected to nighttime work with excessive noise. For those residents and others there has also been an initial savage and inappropriate tree cutting programme. Some improvement in terms of the tree and vegetation work was eventually agreed to by TfW, with a promised planting programme. On behalf of residents impacted, HRA contacted the local MS and MP to express our concerns. We highlighted the nighttime noise issues and the severe impact for some residents this was having. We also highlighted the poor communications with residents during most of this project as well as the tree cutting issues. We have also asked both the local elected members mentioned to do all they can to make sure that TfW follows through on the promises and commitments they have given to residents impacted. The railway works themselves have now been completed.
We acknowledge the role local ward members played, particularly at difficult times during the works and in helping persuade TfW to take a more reasonable approach including improved communication and in terms of the replanting.
Parking and traffic problems.
The main issues have involved Heathwood Road and Heathway.
The Heathway problems were resolved.
Traffic and parking problems in Heathwood Road has proved much more difficult to progress in terms of a solution. We have had discussions with our local ward councillors about this over a long period.
When we met them in autumn 2024 we raised the issue again and they explained that Council was conducting a City-wide parking plan consultation.
This looked to create two new strategic parking areas called the Central Area and the Peripheral Area. The Central Area is broadly bounded to the north by the A48, east by River Rhymney, south by Cardiff Bay and west by the River Ely. The Peripheral Area was the rest of the City. The Heath residential area is therefore all in the Peripheral Area. The consultation document said that parking restrictions in the Peripheral Area would continue to be introduced as and when a local need is identified.
In our meeting with them councillors also indicated to us that the release of the consultation was helpful as it finally clarified the strategy for parking across the City, and they said it may now be possible to make some progress on those areas locally that have been flagged up for some level of parking scheme. We again highlighted Heathwood Road and especially where it narrows as it approaches Caerphilly Road as the highest priority in terms of concerns residents had raised with us.
Councillors also indicated to us that Council officers had said that areas that have previously been prioritised in Heath including Heathwood Road were intended to fit into a local consultation plan in the near future, once the results of the City-wide park plan consultation had been considered.
As the City-wide consultation period has ended and there has been time to consider it, we have asked our local ward councillors for progress on the issue of local consultation proposals including, specifically Heathwood Road. In response they have indicated to us that they anticipate meeting Council highways officers to progress this further. We have asked that they let us know the outcome of those discussions as soon as possible after they take place.
Trees in Rhydhelig Avenue.
During the year and following a large tree falling onto and badly damaging a car in Rhydhelig Avenue, residents have approach us and we have requested through local councillors that an inspection be carried out on the remaining large trees to ensure that they are healthy and that their structural integrity poses no risk to the public.
Potential pollution/contamination of the stream in Heath Park
Following concerns raised by residents we have contacted Welsh Water about potential pollution/contamination of the Nant-y-Wedal stream that runs through part of Heath Park. Welsh Water have indicated to us that they have been and will be working in partnership with Cardiff Council and Natural Resources Wales to ensure that the issues impacting the stream are rectified in a timely manner.
Objections to application for a new premises licence
Recently and following representations from residents, we objected to an application for a new premise alcohol licence in respect of a shop on Caerphilly Road. One of our primary concerns was that the shop should not be open and therefore be able to sell alcohol, after 10pm given its location near residential areas. The original proposal was for opening, with alcohol sales, until 2 am. Having considered our and other objections including from local councillors, as well as views from the applicant and the police, the licensing authority decided to grant the application but with strict conditions including only being open until 12 midnight.
Objection to increased parking charges at Heath Park car parks.
We objected to the proposal by the Council to increase the charging hours and tariffs at the car parks located at and near Heath Park. We understand the need to control parking near Heath Park and that the Council uses car parking charges to assist it in the funding a small part of its related services. That said we indicated, following views from residents, in terms of the Heath Park car parks, that the first and second hours should be free of charge. Our and residents’ reasons for this view was that Heath Park provides a space for both residents and visitors to use the Park to benefit from it and that more people will avail themselves of these benefits in the Park if the first two hours of parking are free.
Condition of roads and pavements in the Heath area.
Among the many issues we have raised and discussed with local ward councillors are potholes and the state of the pavements in our area. This has resulted in some resurfacing work being carried out in the Heath area including parts of both Caerphilly Road and Rhydhelig Avenue. We continue to monitor the situation regarding potholes and to listen to concerns of residents on this and related issues.
Recently residents have also raised with us the amount of broken glass on the pavements on some of the roads in the Heath. Residents have told us that they are finding our pavements becoming much more dangerous and difficult to navigate since the introduction of the new refuse handling arrangements. Residents and we understand the need to recycle, but it has to be done safely and with care to prevent harm to residents using these thoroughfares. Residents and we have raised these issues with our elected members.
Number 86 bus
We mentioned in our newsletters the great news that the 86-bus route had, following lobbying from ourselves and many local residents, as well as local ward members, been reinstated. We have encouraged residents who live on or near this route to use this bus to help ensure that it is funded long term.
Natural Resource Wales (NRW) consultation regarding potential works to the stream in Heath Park
NRW have consulted on potential works that seek to improve the natural character of Nant y Wedal stream in Heath Park. NRW have indicated any such works, if progressed, will be with agreement from Cardiff Council and the community using the Park. They also say that the opportunities set out in the consultation are suggestions at this stage to help improve the natural habitat, restore the river and provide more enjoyment for communities who visit the watercourse.
Following comments from residents, we have welcomed these proposals in principle but appreciate the need to work with NRW and other partners on the detailed implementation of them, if they go ahead. We have made it clear to NRW that the detailed proposals will need to supplement and enhance the experience of existing park users ( e.g. dog walkers, walkers, other park users) and not have any negative impacts on the existing and continuing activities of those using and enjoying Heath Park.
Looking forward.
We will continue to advocate on behalf of our residents.
Establishing what we can do next to enhance the experience of children in the Heath Park playground and nearby including if possible activities such as nature trails in the wider Park area will be our primary campaign activity for 2025/2026.
Membership fee to be reintroduced during 2025 but to remain at £3 and further details will follow on that.
Residents’ current concerns and issues as well as any ideas members have for future events and activities.
People are still parking on the double yellow lines at the top of Heathwood Road at the junction with Caerphilly Road. Local families can't get out of their drives. It is feared that the new city centre parking restrictions proposed will just push the problem further out including into the Heath.
Speeding on Caerphilly Road including near the New Inn was also a concern. The current speeding sign is hidden behind a tree so needs to be moved.
It was asked why the money raised from the car parks in Heath Park couldn't be used to help improve the playground. It was explained that due to Cardiff Council policy no money from the car parks can be used for this purpose.
The state of the Nant y Wedal stream was raised. One resident has been very active after it was discovered that there were very high levels of e-coli in the stream and the obvious dangers that this poses for people and their pets. Welsh Water have not been particularly helpful in trying to find the source, blaming a misconnection from one residence for the problem. It was suggested that a more likely source of the contamination is the storm overflow in Heathwood Road which can be allowed to discharge into the stream after periods of heavy rain.
In reply to a request to do so, Emma said she would put a message on the HRA site to ask members if any of their dogs have become ill after being in the stream. Dave confirmed that the committee had highlighted in its response to the NRW consultation about altering the stream, the potential pollution/contamination issues that had been raised by residents.
There was a call for more bins in and around the Heath Park playground and for them to be emptied more frequently. It was also mentioned that the border of the path near the playground is being gouged out by the vehicles used by the council to empty the bins.
The state of pavements was also a concern especially in St Helen's Road. It was mentioned that people with walking difficulties, people with prams and pushchairs are having to walk in the road because the pavements are so bad and are also blocked by cars parking on the pavement.
A question was raised about the problem of dead trees in Heath Park and also very tall trees on King George V Drive and whether these are checked by the council.
Dave and Emma thank everyone for attending the meeting and for the contributions made. They said that a note of all these issues had kindly been made by Glenna, one of the other HRA Committee members. The Committee would be discussing, as soon as possible, how best we take these issues forward.