Flats and take-away among local plans Recent plans to Cardiff council include plans to demolish a corner house (No2) in Rutland Street to build flats, and for a take-away at 40 Corporation Rd (next door to the Four Seaons restautant). It would involve a change of use and permission for the take-away to open from 12pm-10pm. There are also plans for a Harley Davidson motorcycle dealership on the former Dutton Foreshaw site in Sloper Road. Other plans have included alterations to provide a courtyard drinking and dining area at the back of The Cornwall pub in Cornwall Street by Brain's. Also to demolish a workshop at 12a Allerton Street to build three student flats. There are also plans to convert the old gospel hall in North Clive Street into three self-contained flats, by the Western Counties and South Wales Evangelical Trust. Meanwhile, Cardiff council plans to set up an office at 90 Court Road to oversee the long-term renewal plans in the area. The Cardiff planning committee will be asked to decide on plans for a shop and 12 flats on the frst and second floors, with parking and courtyard access, for 45-47 Clare Road - where Clare food store is. Meanwhile, the Baroness Windsor pub in Penarth Road has closed and is boarded up. Police had challenged the licence and it is understood the brewery is looking for new tenants. School bus award Fitzalan High School, along with Cardiff Bus and Cardiff Council, has won a partnership award for its school bus service. The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Wales award follows the introduction of six new double decker buses for journeys to and from the school. The vehicles are fitted with seatbelts, CCTV (a dozen cameras on each bus) as well as TVs showing a music channel. Regular drivers and a Cardiff Bus schools liasion officer encourage better communication with pupils and improve behaviour. The new system has brought a marked improvement in the behaviour of pupils. Huw Jones-Williams, head teacher of Fitzalan said: "It is another example of where treating students with respect pays such dividends. All of us at Fitzalan are proud to have received this award and look forward to further partnership arrangements." Project to work with young mums The Women's Workshop, a Butetown-based women's training centre is launching a five-year project to offer opportunities for young mothers and pregnant women. NewLife is to receive £856,696 funding from the Big Lottery, which was announced in January 2008. It will see skills training, health and fitness and volunteering offered to young mothers aged 16-25 and young pregnant women. A spokeswoman for the centre said social deprivation was linked to a higher rate of young motherhood and young motherhood leads to social deprivation. "This cycle needs to be broken by giving young mothers the opportunities now, ensuring they have aspirations for the future and do not remain trapped in poverty through lack of education, childcare and encouragement," she said. The project will also involve parenting skills, mentoring, free childcare and travel expenses. Other agencies such as Sure Start and Flying Start will also be involved. The state-of-the-art training centre is equipped with facilties including an IT suite, gym and DIY training room. Welsh starter Ninan Park primary school is one of four city schools to take a Welsh-medium starter class from September 2007 It is due to the demand for Welsh medium education and also the lack of spaces at Welsh medium schools in Canton and comes as part of a first phase in a long-awaited reorganisation of schools. Race equality advice IF YOU have been a victim or witness of racial discrimination or harassment, Race Equality First have set up bi-montly drop-in clinics in the Buzz/Grangetown Information Shop once again as part of our Access to Race Equality First (ATREF) programme. REF outreach officer, Fariba Dashtgard, will be holding drop-in advice surgeries at the Buzz Café (corner of Penarth and Corporation Rd) every second Monday from 10-12pm. Whether you just need advice or you feel you have been treated unfairly because of your race, colour, ethnicity, nationality or national origin, REF can act on your behalf. If you have any ideas or questions on how you can get involved in promoting race equality in your school or you just need advice, please call Fariba at 2022 4097. Age Concern advocacy As part of Age Concern's policy to make its services accessible and relevant to all people of 60 and over, the charity's advocacy project employs a worker specifically for people from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The advocate's role is primarily to represent people's views and concerns and to support them with making choices and decisions. In practise, support could be in the form of helping to write letters and fill-in forms, make phone calls and negotiate with outside agencies. Information can be provided about residential and nursing homes (fees, eligibility); health issues (rights to treatment and age discrimination); housing matters; and help with accessing other specialist advice and service providers. A drop-in service takes place on Thursdays, 10-12, at Butetown Community Centre. Please contact: Lesley Zienkiewicz, Age Concern & The Vale Advocacy Service, 13, Whitchurch Road, Cardiff CF14 3JN. Tel 20 621111. Email cardiff.advocacy@age-concern-cardiff.org.uk

30th festival looks back and forward

The Grangetown Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary with a very well attended Carnival Day at Grange Gardens.

Despite a grim weather forecast and a cloudy afternoon, the rain kept away and there was a tremendous turnout for children - and adults - in 70s retro costumes for the parade. It started, a little late unfortunately, from Courtmead Gardens as we waited for police cover. But there was a good turn-out and thanks to local residents who raised £96 in the bucket collection.

The Grangetown-based Welsh Piping Society as usual led the parade and performed on arrival in Grange Gardens. Great credit must go to the schools and other groups - and of course the parents - who made a great effort with the costumes. There were prizes for St Patrick's RC Primary and Grangetown Nursery Schools, but it was a difficult task to choose.

Jan Comrie, head of Grangetown Nursery School said: "More than 100 children and parents from our school paraded and we were delighted that we won the shield for Best in Parade - quite an achievement for such young children."

The display area also saw dancing, with the first public performance by a group from St. Paul's Church in Wales primary school. Teacher Katie Toozer said they had been only rehearing for a short while, but their display got a tremendous reaction. There was also a demonstration of karate from the St Patrick's club, which has only been meeting for a year but is winning Welsh titles and taking part in events across the country.

It was also gratifying to see the numbers of stalls this year, which ranged from schools, local churches, to jewellery, food, and organisations ranging from the Salvation Army, St John's Ambulance, Scouts, to Age Concern, Plaid Cymru and Communities First.

Cardiff South and Penarth AM Lorraine Barrett passed on her congratulations for 30th annual Grangetown Carnival, "which was again a huge success thanks to the unstinting work of the Grangetown Community Concern executive committee."

She passed on her thanks in person to Joan Gallagher and Chris Lomax on the day at Grange Gardens, and is pictured (right) with her purchase from the Grangetown Nursery School stall of a magnificent sunflower grown by the children.

A local festival - organised locally by Grangetown Community Concern. Let's look forward to another 30 years!

There are also a good selection of photos by Sean Kisby on the Grangetown Flickr group, while there was also a photo spread in Monday's Echo and you can see them in the gallery section of the Echo's Wales Online website.

There is a look back at 30 years of Grange News and the festival on our features pageand more information about GCC, including the recent AGM on the Grangetown Community Concern page.

Ex-councillor dies at 71 Tributes have been paid to former long-serving Grangetown councillor Peter Perkins, who has died at the age of 71. He represented the ward for Labour for more than 23 years, until 2004. The ex-steelworker, a former chairman of the old South Glamorgan County Council, had responsibility for education in the city for most of his time on the council. Mr Perkins was also a former chair of governors at Fitzalan High School, and leaves a wife, two children and four grandchildren. His funeral was held on 26th June.

Race equality advice

Race Equality First are running a series of evening advice sessions on racial discrimination at the Buzz Cafe in Penarth Road over the next few months.

The community advice sessions will be held on the first Monday of the month, between 5pm-7pm. The next dates are: 4th August 2008, 1st September,6th October, 3rd November, 1st December· Casework officer Hodan Hersi said they will offer advice on racial discrimination cases in housing, employment, health, education, police etc, and can undertake case work. Issues also covered include any general racial harassment experienced in the street or shops etc. Monthly sessions are also being held in other areas of Cardiff, including Butetown.

Amongs local case studies was a worker racially harassed and abused by several work colleagues. Although he complained to his employers about the treatment he received, he felt that they did not take sufficient action against the perpetrators. After approaching Race Equality First for assistance, an application was made to an employment tribunal for unlawful racial discrimination. The case was later settled before the hearing through Acas reconciliation. He was awarded £5,000 for injury to feelings. Another case was a shop owner who was harassed and racial abused. All of the incidents were reported to the police, but the situation did not change. REF assisted and supported her with the case by providing her with adequate advice. The case went to court and perpetrator was convicted of racially aggravated harassment against her.

Now residential home planned for laundry site

The latest plans for the old Initial laundry site in Pendyris Street involve a residential care home.

This is the third proposal for the site. The first plans were for 75 one-bedroom flats - close to the Bakery student complex - trongly opposed by local residents, already suffering serious parking problems. The second scaled-down proposals by developers Garrison Barclay Estates on the corner of Mardy Street include a block of three-storey, one-bedroom flats, with 34 car parking spaces. Conditions include pavement improvements, parking for 60 cycles. Now they've submitted a third plan - for a three-to-four-storey 100-bed home, with associated parking. It would be on a site over the road from an existing sheltered housing complex.

Bay women in harmony

The Welsh National Opera has been running a weekly song-writing workshop for women in Grangetown, aimed at performances in the summer.

Led by composer Stacey Blythe and performance poet Clare Potter, the sessions for women from Butetown, Grangetown and Riverside, encourage song-writing and poetry. There is currently a group of about a dozen women, but organisers say there is still time - and room - for more to join in the free Saturday morning sessions.

Asa Malmsten, producer with WNO Max, said: "We talk about issues close to women's hearts, and have so far delved into stories about our mothers, grandmothers and food.

"On Saturday (May 10th) we will start work on a new song about sisterhood and friendship. It is a singing project, but no previous musical experience is necessary."

Workshops run every Saturday morning, 10am to 1pm at the Salvation Army Community Centre, Corporation Road. It will lead to performances on June 7th (10.30am) at the WNO open day, and then again at 1pm and 3pm on July 12th - all performances on the Tesco Stage at WMC.

The project is free to join, and open to any women over 18 who would like to become involved in this amazing new project, for women, in the area. To take part please contact Asa Malmsten WNO Max Producer, 02920 6350 63, email asa.malmsten@wno.org.uk, or just pop along to one of the sessions.

Some of the volunteers and committee at the reception

Special delivery! GCC thanks paper volunteers

Grangetown Community Concern is this year celebrating the 30th year of the Grange News community newspaper - and held a buffet reception to thank the volunteers who help keep it going.

The free paper, which is published quarterly, brings together local news and features from across the community. But it relies on people to help write it - and importantly deliver it to 6,500 homes. Those deliverers, some who volunteer to post door-to-door in more than one street, were given a special thank-you from the GCC committee at Grangetown Library.

GCC secretary Joan Gallagher MBE (pictured above with old and recent copies of the paper) thanked the efforts of all the volunteers and advertisers who make the paper possible. Former councillor Joan, nearly 83, has been editing the paper herself for last decade.

"We're putting together a special edition of the newspaper to celebrate 30 years - we'll be going back to the 1970s," she said. "Anyone who has any memories or stories from that time they'd like to share, please get in touch as soon as possible."

The committee is also planning a 70s theme to Grangetown Festival Week and Carnival, with a 70s disco and band and a themed parade part of the events lined up.

Anyone who would like to contribute to the Grange News anniversary edition, please email contributions to grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk by April 19th or contact Christine or Joan in the GCC office on 029 20 377010.

Green light for pedestrian crossings

There are hopes that two pedestrian crossings will be installed in Clare Road by the early autumn. The speed and sheer volume of traffic at all times of the day has made crossing the road problematic, with only one zebra crossing close to the Stafford Road junction.

The issue has been raised again at recent PACT and residents' association meetings. The crossroads involving Pendyris Street and Court Road is particularly difficult. The impact of changes in city centre traffic because of the closure of St Mary Street and St Davids 2 developments, as well as new homes in Cardiff Bay have brought about a noticeable change in volumes.

Coun Francesca Montemaggi relayed the progress on the crossings at a recent meeting of North Grangetown Residents' Association, with a go-ahead given by council leaders.

Also writing on her blog, she said they would also be looking at issues in Corporation Road: "There are concerns about traffic in Grangetown. I have raised several issues and I am glad that the council will do a survey of traffic along Corporation Road. We need ways to manage traffic better.

"I have spoken to the executive member for transport and asked for an assessment on the impact on Grangetown of changes in the city centre. My primary concern are residents. I would like more residents' parking in Grangetown to prevent commuters from parking outside residents' houses.

Victorian library back on sale

The landmark old Grangetown Library building has been auctioned off, as part of plans to convert it into flats.

A "realistic price" of £400,000 had been put on the Victorian building, which has been empty for 18 months - since the new libary opened.

Residents, who submitted a 1,000-name petition, and local councillors had won a battle to save it from demolition. Plans were agreed last year to convert the distinctive redbrick building into 13 one and two-bedroomed flats. The proposal for the flats involves "making full use of the attractive internal features," including high ceilings, internal arches and high mullioned windows.

Agents Newland Rennie Wilkins, who fixed the sale for 22nd May at the Parc Golf Club at Coedkernew near Newport, called it a "an exciting and rare" development or investment opportunity.

The proposal was put forward by London-based Deauville Developments, at the end of 2007 with designs by Cardiff-based CFW Architects, who have experience in projects involving restoring old buildings. The plans agreed by the council are for five one bed apartments and eight two bed apartments, The building in Redlaver Street, dating from 1900, had been under threat of demolition to make way for housing after it closed on August 19th 2006.

Cardiff council needed permission by the Welsh Assembly Government to accept a lower tender to save the building. There were two options on the table from the same company - they would pay more to buy the site to demolish it, or a lesser tender for the more costly option of converting it.

The Echo had previously reported that the council was likely to make £71,000 from any housing refurbishment of the old building but redevelopment could see the council pick up a £565,000 profit.

Grangetown councillor Francesca Montemaggi, appealing for the building to be saved back in 2006, said she hoped it could be conserved. "It's part of the community and although it's not Grade II listed, it's a much loved building".

Lorraine Barrett AM said: “It would be an act of vandalism to demolish this beautiful building which is held in high regard by people in the community. If it is to be used for residential purposes, it is possible to keep the structure of the building whilst redeveloping the inside.”

The petition was organised by local residents and the Grangetown Historical Society. Grangetown Community Concern also expressed its support for keeping the building, which is next door to the historic - and listed - Grange Farm, both on land once owned by Margam Abbey. It was built at a cost of £3,521 and the winner of a design competition.

Lib Dems re-elected in Grangetown council ward

The Liberal Democrats retained their three seats in the Grangetown ward in the elections to Cardiff Council on May 1.

The Liberal Democrats had been defending the ward won from Labour in 2004. Asghar Ali and Francesca Montemaggi fought alongside David Morgan, who replaced sitting councillor Margaret Jones - who stood in Cyncoed. They had majorities of around 200 over Labour - former councillor Lynda Thorne, Stephen Brooks and David Collins. Plaid Cymru's candidates were another 100 votes behind. Meanwhile, the Lib Dems also took the neighbouring ward of Butetown, with Delme Greening beating Labour.

Crime, anti-social behaviour and parking were local issues among the three main parties, as well as litter and environmental improvements. Full results

CANDIDATE	VOTES
Francesca Montemaggi, Lib Dem (ELECTED)	1,357
Ashgar Ali, Lib Dem (ELECTED)	1,319
David Morgan, Lib Dem (ELECTED)	1,317
Lynda D Thorne, Labour	1,138
Stephen Brooks, Labour	1,131
David I Collins, Labour	1,104
Farida T Aslam, Plaid	1,099
Patrick J Daley, Plaid	1,009
Ioan R Bellin, Plaid	920
Benjamin Green, Conservative	546
Mark A Jones, Conservative	533
Michael P Wallbank, Conservative	482
Rick Newnham, Wales Communist	117

Landmark pub building set to go

Plans to demolish a landmark Grangetown pub building have been passed, subject to conditions by Cardiff Council's planning committee.

The empty Inn On The River on the Taff Embankment is set to make way for 23 housing association flats.

The proposal had been opposed by some local residents and Coun Francesca Montemaggi, who warned the character of the area would be damaged, as well as claiming insufficient parking would increase pressures on spaces for local residents.

A petition and letters of objection were forwarded to the committee, which met on 20th February.

The building, which dates from 1910, has been boarded up for a while and was the target for an arson attack and damage in 2006. The applicants said it had been used as a squat and also been "severely vandalised". Taff Housing Association first put forward plans for one, two and three-bedroomed flats on the site a couple of years ago.

But they've now been redesigned to offer what the architects call a "distinct mix of flat types." The proposals, if given the go-ahead by councillors, will see three-storey buildings in an L-shape, with the focus on the corner of the embankment and Clydach Street. There will be 13 two-bedroomed flats, seven one-bedroom flats and three ground-floor flats for disabled people. There will also be 10 parking spaces in the old pub carpark on the embankment opposite and two disabled spaces, as well as 16 cycle spaces.

The architects in the proposal document said the plans had been "carefully considered" in relation to the Victorian housing in the area. They said there had been "prolonged pre-application consultations" with planning officials.

But residents called for the existing building to be renovated. However, historic momuments body CADW believed it does not have enough of its "original character" after alterations when the former mansion house became a pub. Agents for the owners looked into renovation and said the cost would outweigh its value to make it viable. The council report says the demolition issue was therefore not material to the application.

The old "Pub On The Mud" was once a popular venue for blues, rock and jazz bands. But the old Brain's pub started life as an Edwardian town house, built and owned by William Turner - part of the E Turner and Sons building company, which was based in Havelock Place - and included a tennis court before being turned into a pub in 1974 by his grandson.

The latest development follows news of plans to demolish the former Plymouth Hotel pub at the end of Clive Street, on the junction with Holmesdale Street.

The building has stood empty for a number of years, and has latterly been known as the short-lived Desi Inn. But plans have been submitted to Cardiff Council by city-based Stonecastle Developments for a new three to four storey housing development, with 19 flats. There has been an objection from the Environment Agency on flood-risk grounds. The 160-year-old inn first opened as a pub in 1847 and was once the oldest in the area. While it's been a pity to see the old pub lying disused for so long, it's a shame something could not have been made of the building, which dates from the earliest days of Grangetown's birth as a suburb. See History page

Pupils spell out local issues

Grangetown primary school pupils have made a DVD to show policy-makers what they believe needs to be done for their local environment.

The children from St Paul's in Grangetown also hosted two special assemblies for parents, civic leaders and local organisations to showcase their work. Their presentations showed them taking to the streets with film-makers to show their concerns over litter, traffic, recycling, play facilities and the local environment.

The DVD was produced in support of the Communities First project, which will hopefully get off the ground in Grangetown.

Pupils switch on to super-computer

St Paul's computer club are shown the Cardiff University computer Photo: Nick Treharne

Pupils from St Paul's Church in Wales primary school in Grangetown were given a taste of one of the UK's most powerful computers.

The school's IT club asked about a visit to Cardiff University's new high-performance computer, after reading about its recent launch.

They were given a tour of the system by Professor Martyn Guest, director of Advanced Research Computing The computer has been officially measured as performing 20 trillion (or million, million) computations a second (in computer terms, that is called 20 Teraflops!). This makes it the third fastest university research-based system in the UK.

The computer will be involved in research ranging from medical, environmental to archaelogy. Prof Guest has likened its ability as being able to do the equivalent of all of the homework of all students - school children and undergraduate in the UK - a year's worth of that work, in a matter of a few seconds!

More on the super-computer

Progress on parking issues

Residents' parking is in the pipeline for two more streets, after petitions organised by North Grangetown Residents' Association.

The group complained about congestion exacerbated by daytime commuters, shoppers and Millennium Stadium match-day traffic in four streets.

After surveys, it has been agreed that residents' parking can be introduced in the two worst affected streets - Sussex Street and Allerton Street. Councillors have also asked for a further review of part of Court Road and Cornwall Street in the future.

"We're delighted residents' concerns have been taken on board and thank the local councillors for their work on our behalf," said Steve Duffy, of the association. "There are still concerns in the other two affected roads and we will be monitoring the situation very carefully over the coming months."

Residents have been asked to take photographs showing congestion problems and there are plans for the association to affiliate with an organisation representing residents living near sports stadiums.

The meeting also heard worries over motorcycle nuisance and speeding traffic in Cornwall Street, including an incident in which a car crashed into a shop.

The association is also looking at future fund-raising to ensure its work can continue, after the winding up of both the healthy living project and regeneration forum.

Party time as residents do it themselves

Wind and rain couldn't put a dampener on a street party for residents in Somerset Street as they celebrated becoming the first "DIY Street" in Wales.

Over the next two years, people are to be involved in redesigning their own street - improving road safety and creating somewhere children can play and everyone can walk.

The pilot scheme is managed by sustainable transport charity Sustrans and supported by Cardiff Council, and the one in north Grangetown is the first of 10 across Wales. Somerset Street residents are being encouraged to come up with "creative and exciting ideas" to make their street a lively, social area where traffic does not dominate.

Once the residents have created the new designs, more funding will become available so that the street alterations can be made.

Despite the weather on Sunday November 18th, there was a good turn out of residents, who made soup and cakes, and children enjoyed face painting and balloon modelling.

The council's communities and housing spokeswoman Cllr Judith Woodman, said: "Anything that encourages people to improve and take a pride in their community is to be welcomed. I'm sure the residents of Somerset Street will greatly benefit from this."

Somerset Street resident Nick Laney added: "No one minds being guinea pigs. It'll focus on traffic calming like building out pavements and speed bumps. Anything that makes the city prettier has to be good."

Bay-based radio launches

Radio Cardiff, the Butetown-based community radio station started broadcasting in October, after winning a five year licence. The station, broadcasting on 98.7FM, aims for different types of music, local presenters and community features and news. It follows the successful experiment of Beats FM a couple of years back. The station controller Lynden Cumberbatch, aka local DJ Tubbs promises a wide selection of music, from house, soca to jazz.