Saving Dinas Powys woods and meadowland on the Cadoxton Brook

NRW’s flood-protection engineers propose to save about 200 homes in Dinas Powys from flooding by erecting a massive dam, 3.5metres high across the 100metre wide valley.  

On the few occasions of  1 in 100 year floods, the water would back up as far as Michaelston-le-Pit.  More frequently it would flood the meadows and the ancient woodland bordering it, killing some through the repeated waterlogging.

Some 350 people turned out on Sunday 14^th Sept. to walk the area and hear the case against by the Save Dinas Woods group.

Under a magnificent oak tree, Cathy speaking to the crowds.

The Woodland Trust who own the meadows and woodland supplied information and support.   As for last year’s  Roath Brook scheme, the NRW are over-riding objections on sensitive landscape and ecology; it seems they can sequester land deemed necessary for flood protection, agreeing compensation afterwards.  Just guess what value the compensation system will place on irreplaceable woodland.

Fortunately, the dormouse has been found to inhabit the woodland margins.  The Habitats legislation covering European Protected Species, requires NRW to look at alternatives that do not damage the dormouse habitat.  They cannot promote their favourite, but must seriously consider alternative measures, which include tree planting upstream to hold back heavy rainfall, diverting steams onto fields to delay peak flows, excavating the brook to increase the flow downstream (and flood the Biglis and Sully Moors fields).

The Roath Brook scheme was on the verge of being stopped by the water vole – unfortunately the kingfisher did not count, as not a protected animal.  However, the presence of the voles was uncertain at the time the  scheme was underway.  Finding the dormouse in the Dinas woodland at this early stage should stop NRW’s huge and hugely damaging £5-7million dam.

The Dinas Powys group provides much information and document links here; they also have  Facebook and Twitter accounts.