Western Power Distribution's strong armed tactics

Written by Jenny Randerson AM and published in Cardiff Post on Tue 28th Nov 2006

The first of what may be several Public Inquiries into the plans to build on the site of Llanishen and Lisvane Reservoirs has now finished. It lasted several weeks and many local residents showed their support and attended for part of the time.

The Reservoir Action Group (RAG) has done a tremendous job over 5 years to organise opposition to the plans. Their combined expertise has been invaluable and, through the subscriptions of many hundreds of members, they were able to fund a barrister to represent local interests. The Council, which had rejected the planning application, also employed a barrister to oppose the plans.

However, even if we win this one, there are other applications to follow. Western Power Distribution (WPD), the owners of the site, wasted no time in firing off an e-mail to the Council almost as soon as the Inquiry was over. In it, they threaten to drain the Reservoirs if they lose the Inquiry.

We are used to the aggressive tactics they have employed throughout this lengthy saga. However, this latest threat has led me to wonder whether a large commercial company really wants the bad publicity they are getting. So, just in case the bosses at WPD are unaware of what is going on here in Cardiff, I decided it was time to launch a petition which I will send to the Directors of the Company, not to their local representatives.

If you would like to sign the petition condemning the "strong-arm" tactics being employed by WPD, you can do so on-line at

Please sign up and show your support for our Reservoirs - after all, they were originally built with ratepayers' money for the citizens of Cardiff.