Hopes of building a new £120m mainline train station on the outskirts of Cardiff are on hold after the Welsh Government called in the project. The decision means that final planning approval must now wait for the recommendation of an inspector appointed to assess the project. Welsh Government ministers will make the final decision.
The call in comes despite the Welsh Government owning a 10% stake in the Cardiff Parkway station development and associated Hendre Lakes business park. The plans were given planning approval by Cardiff Council back in April with the hope that work could start almost immediately.
Cardiff council leader Huw Thomas had pledged to work tirelessly to ensure the project is delivered as a key new public transport hub - with the aim of serving 800,000 rail passengers a year - and employment location for the wider Cardiff Capital City Region.
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It is not clear why it has taken until now for it to call it in. Head of planning decisions at the Welsh Government, Lewis Thomas, wrote to Cardiff council identifying a number of issues including that “that it does not comply with national policies”, specifically the recommendation of the South East Wales Transport Commission (chaired by Lord Burns) and that the project is “likely to significantly affect sites of scientific, nature conservation or historic interest or areas of landscape importance.”
Delivery of the Cardiff Parkway Station project is in fact one of the key recommendations of the Burns Commission which was tasked by the Welsh Government to look at alternative measures to reduce traffic congestion on the M4 in south-east Wales with an emphasis on integrated public transport. It was established after the Welsh Government’s decision not to proceed with an M4 Relief Road south of Newport. The station was also cited in the Union Connectivity Review, commissioned by the UK Government, to look at measures to improve transport and digital infrastructure across the UK. It was chaired by Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy.
In his letter Mr Thomas says that Natural Resources Wales has also "expressed significant concerns” at the potential adverse effects to features in the Rumney and Petersone site of special scientific interest and “advise that appropriate compensation is required for the habitat that will be lost by the development.”
The aim was for the four platform station to become operational next year and over time the Hendre Lakes business park developing up to 900,000 sq ft of new office, retail and leisure space. Once fully developed it said the business park could create up to 6,000 new jobs. While the project is shovel ready its completion target ( train station) of 2024 will now depend on the time taken by the inspector to make an assessment - assuming ministers give approval. However, any delay could add further cost to the train station and first buildings in the business park with construction prices spiralling.
The Welsh Government holds a 10% stake in the project with 60% held by international banking and wealth management group Investec. The remaining 30% is held by entrepreneur Nigel Roberts and his family.
On the decision to call it in, chairman of Cardiff Parkway Developments, Mr Roberts, said: "We are disappointed and frustrated that the Welsh Government has extended the decision making process. With all the effort that’s gone in, we are confident that our application is robust and we will work through the issues they have highlighted. We remain fully committed to the delivery of this major project, which will result in thousands of new jobs and create a major new rail hub which is fully aligned to Welsh Government policy.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The application will be examined by an appointed inspector who will then make a recommendation to ministers. Once the recommendation has been made, Welsh ministers will make a decision as soon as possible, while ensuring all evidence is given due consideration."
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