Council says Blackweir Live did not have planning permission

Local TV

A series of gigs at a popular Cardiff park have sparked controversy at every turn and the latest chapter in the saga has found that the events did not have proper planning permission, but the council are not taking the issue further.

Transcript

00:00Cardiff is absolutely full of incredible live music this summer, from the smaller venues

00:08along Wolverineby Street, all the way up to the gigs at the Castle and the Principality.

00:12One series of gigs, which has now come to an end, has been riddled with controversy

00:16since before the first show took place.

00:20Black Weir Live was supposed to be a totally new avenue for live music to come to Cardiff,

00:24and despite welcoming some giants of the world of music, it's also come with its fair share

00:28of issues, particularly from people living close to the site.

00:32Now the council have said the events did not have proper planning permission.

00:38Access to Black Weir Fields was extremely limited while the gigs were ongoing, with large fences

00:42erected to block off the site.

00:44The council have since said the event organisers should have requested proper planning permission

00:48for the event, and a certificate of lawfulness wasn't issued.

00:52Parks do not require planning permission to alter the use of the site for up to 28 days

00:56a year, but the space was out of use for 37 days in total, while the gigs were ongoing

01:01and the site was put up and taken back down.

01:06Council have said they have decided not to take proper planning enforcement action against

01:09the organisers of the event, saying there was minimal public harm and limited impact on

01:14Butte Park, which is a Grade 1 listed park.

01:18Cardiff Council have said that any necessary restoration of the grass, soil and cricket pitches, like

01:23receding and aerating, will be funded by the event organisers as part of the initial agreement

01:28for the site.

01:30Despite the success of the concerts themselves and the thousands of people they brought to

01:33Cardiff, is the problems and controversies that have overshadowed Black Weir will likely

01:38be the legacy of the gigs.

01:39Jane Peach Watkins, reporting for Local TV.

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