Plaid Cymru’s Cardiff West candidate, Neil McEvoy has accused Labour of failing to support the retention of green field sites in Cardiff.
At last week’s Cardiff Council meeting – all groups including the Independents – except Labour supported motions declaring the Local Development Plan process as “not fit for purpose”.
Councillor McEvoy, Deputy Leader of Cardiff council, invited all its candidates in Cardiff to join him in Fairwater and Pentrebane to explain to residents why the neighbouring fields have to go.
Councillor McEvoy, who also raised the issued at the party’s Spring Conference in Cardiff, said: “The Assembly election in May in the west and north of the city is about saving Cardiff. The Labour Minister in the Welsh Government seems intent on building on every last green field site in this city.
“I am glad to say that Plaid in its manifesto will be committed to a complete reform of the planning process. People who vote for me will know that my first priority as an Assembly Member would be to allow Cardiff to save its green field sites.
“We are not talking about losing a field or two, we are looking at the wholesale destruction of the green lungs around the city, acres and acres. If Labour gets its way, we will have an urban sprawl from Newport through to Caerphilly and Barry.”
He went on: “In the autumn of 2009, I tried to be non-party political about this and started the Green Cardiff/Caerdydd Gwyrdd campaign, asking for cross party support. Not enough support came across and we are where we are.
“ In May, we all have a vote to use. It is time to be overtly political about this. If you vote Labour, you will be supporting concreting over our beautiful city. Last Thursday was a watershed in Cardiff politics, with only Labour supporting the LDP process.
“ Labour’s arrogance is coming to the fore again, because they think they will walk into power in the next Welsh Government. Taking people for granted in this city will be their undoing,” added Councillor McEvoy.
