Vale of Glamorgan Council’s proposal to introduce an Aqua Park at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park has angered many local residents.
Concerns about the impact on local wildlife, public safety, increased traffic, and the fact that residents are well aware of the area's unsuitability for swimming - evidenced by numerous signs around the lakes - have led to significant resistance against this proposal.
With the Aqua Park moving from Cardiff due to poor water quality in Cardiff Bay, Vale of Glamorgan Council plans to enter into a licensing agreement this month, allowing the water park to relocate to Penarth, which will bring hundreds of visitors throughout the summer.
There’s no disputing, in my mind, that Cosmeston Lakes is totally the wrong location. The proposals are ridiculous and should have never been considered. The decision shows how out of touch the Welsh Labour Vale of Glamorgan Council are - time after time they put their agenda and priorities over the residents it will impact with no care for their views and concerns.
However, this situation also highlights the ongoing issue of water quality in rivers across Wales. Pollution levels and sewage overflow are compromising our waters and beaches. The Cardiff Bay operator highlighted that the move was necessary given the poor water quality in Cardiff following spells of heavy rain, leaving them unable to operate.
I recently took part in the Guinness World Record attempt to clean the River Taff at the Cardiff Bay beach location and I must admit, I was completely shocked at the level of rubbish that was on the banks of Cardiff Bay. It’s such a shame how our rivers, roads, parks and beaches are just covered in rubbish - we can and we must do better.
Yet, it isn’t just rubbish destroying our rivers but also sewage being released by Dŵr Cymru, via sewer overflows, which are routinely used to discharge raw sewage into our rivers and ocean – with Penarth Beach, and Barry’s Jackson Bay and Whitmore Bay being in the top ten nationally for most sewage discharges.
Surfers Against Sewage recorded an alarming 118,276 sewage spills by Dŵr Cymru in 2024. Shockingly, that’s more than one every five minutes - the highest of any UK water company. More action is needed from Dŵr Cymru to tackle these issues with achievable targets.
For too long, Dŵr Cymru, which has access to financial reserves of over £1.5billion, has taken our rivers and oceans for granted. As a Member of the Welsh Parliament, I’ll continue to prioritise our communities and hold accountable those companies and councils that have been allowed to ignore these critical concerns for far too long.
ENDS
