Portable castle buildings to stay

The portable entrance buildings outside Cardiff Castle will remain for a further two years, it was announced yesterday, despite objections from local campaigners.

The temporary buildings were granted retrospective planning permission at the committee meeting in City Hall after hearing a plea to have them removed from Cardiff Civic Society.

Peter Cox, chair of the society, told councillors the buildings should have been taken down once the visitors' centre inside the castle had been completed.

He said: "If you allow these unauthorised buildings you establish that planning policy has no role in decision making, and that the council will not take enforcement action against unauthorised buildings.

"There is no way of taking action against a local authority undertaking or keeping unauthorised development – it beggars belief."

But those on the planning committee argued the buildings provided a vital use to the castle by attracting more visitors.

Councillor Fenella Bowden said: "We must bear in mind this was formally used as a sun bathing spot and informal meeting area."

Councillors Adrian Robson and Richard Foley were against the application. Foley said:

"This is a Grade-I listed building. It is terrible we are putting a little wooden shed outside the castle to attract more visitors. It was given temporary consent, so it really should not be there."

Robson said: "This is an absolute eyesore and this report does not understand the impact on the castle." He rejected the application on the grounds the buildings were not in keeping with the surrounding area. But in the end the committee voted in favour of the application – meaning the buildings will remain until 2012.

(You can read more about the background to this planning application here. )

Speaking after the decision, Peter Cox said:

"People in Cardiff have lost control of the way in which their city is developing. It has fallen into the hands of a group of councillors and officers who will steam roller decisions through, regardless of what people say."

Roath basin skyflyer

The planning committee also discussed the application for a skyflyer in Roath Basin to be erected. The skyflyer, which looks like a giant fish-shaped balloon, would measure approximately 17 metres in diameter and 31 metres from nose to tail, hovering roughly 30 metres above water, with an extending tether reaching up to 80 metres high.

The balloon was originally designed as a tourist attraction – giving visitors 15 minute rides over the city, but a second planning application asks for it to carry advertising. The proposed balloon is part of the council's ongoing strategic plan to enrich the Bay area, which also includes having a temporary beach, street markets and entertainment.

There have been a number of objections to this planning application made by Lindstrand Aeroplatforms Ltd. The main concerns surround how close the balloon is to the Norwegian Church – an iconic 1868 structure on the edge of the Bay – which would be dwarfed by the giant structure.

Butetown Councillor, Delme Greening, objected to the application on the grounds it would take away from the beauty of the Norwegian Church. He said:

"To grant the application would not be in keeping with Cardiff Bay. The impact will be enormous and when in flight it will be visible from all parts of the Bay. Residents are also concerned that it's proposed for an overbearing structure to bear advertising."

Councillors on the committee were also worried about the advertising spot – which would allow big brands to dominate the Bay skyline with lit-up adverts.

But the committee took the decision to defer the application to officers and voted to reject the second application for advertising pending the officers' report.

What do you think of the proposed skyflyer? Giant unnecessary balloon, or exciting addition to Cardiff Bay? Leave us your comments below.