Locals are concerned about increased light and noise pollution when 24/7 work begins in March
16:44, 16 Feb 2026Updated 07:44, 17 Feb 2026
The construction of the Hailey Park sewage pump has led to a long-running row(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
Residents are in uproar after finding out that work on a controversial sewage system in a popular Cardiff park will continue overnight after a string of delays. One local called the decision to work 24/7 “scandalous”.
The community have long raised concerns about the sewage system being erected in Llandaff North’s Hailey Park, citing concerns over high noise levels, pungent smells, and the impact on the park’s biodiversity. The latest announcement has created even more friction between Welsh Water and locals.
The decision to build a sewer pipeline between Hailey Park and De Braose Close in Danescourt was made to accommodate the Plasdwr development which will eventually see 7,000 new homes built in the north west of the capital. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here.
At the time it was explained that extra waste flows from the development would put increased pressure on the wastewater system in the area and Welsh Water said the park site was selected as the “most appropriate” location following careful consideration.
In 2022, plans for the controversial sewage system were approved by Cardiff Council despite uproar from residents, community groups and councillors. Campaigners raised over £11,000 in a legal challenge against the development which took place in 2023 but ultimately lost the review.
Local residents crowdfunded a legal challenge against the sewage pump in 2023(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
Shortly after the conclusion of the judicial review, mobilisation work began and since then work has seen continuous delays. Tunnelling eventually began in February 2025, but in September 2025 residents were informed that this work had stalled due to “unforeseen circumstances” which left the necessary machinery badly damaged.
Tunnelling, the method used to install sewers underground, was then supposed to resume in January 2026 before being pushed back to February. It now looks set to start in March after a Section 61 application was approved to allow Welsh Water to complete 24-hour work for a five-week period.
This latest instalment of the ongoing dispute has seen residents raise concerns about increased noise and light pollution in the area, with many concerned it will take longer than the expected five-weeks following a string of previous delays.
The water supplier said mitigation measures will be implemented to ensure disruption to the local community is kept to “an absolute minimum”.
Steph Wilkins, the chair of Llandaff North Residents’ Association, said loud construction work would have a “profound” impact on the usually quiet area, adding that it would be a “massive disruption” for the community.
She added: “I’ve heard a couple of residents who are obviously not happy about it and the impact. One of our concerns as residents was that it was to go on when people leave their windows open in the summer.
“We’ve got big concerns because of the whole project and I think it’s safe to say the local community doesn’t have much confidence in Welsh Water and the contractors so we’re just going to have to wait and see.”
Steph said there was a lack of confidence among residents that it would only take five weeks for the work to take place, but said she had been reassured measures would be put in place to try and mitigate the impact.
She was however concerned that methods such as sound barriers hadn’t previously worked and she was therefore sceptical about how effective they would be.
One local resident said he expects the overnight work to bring “chaos” to the local area(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
Ian Vincent from Whitchurch, who was heavily involved in the legal challenge, called the 24/7 work “scandalous”. He said: “Now we’re going to be stuck with it 24/7 and it will just be chaos. It should’ve all finished by now, they should’ve packed up and left Hailey Park.
“Hailey Park is a green flag lovely park and they’ve had a gigantic compound set up there, destroying meadow land and disrupting the rugby pitches for a number of years and the way it’s going they’ll be there for another year or two by the look of it.
“All the construction traffic goes up and down my road so they’ve damaged the road and had to close it on a number of occasions to get the massive equipment in and out. It’s had a real effect.
“It’s unknown what the vibrations will be like and what it will do to the underground water so it’s all a bit unknown. It’s being done at the expense of the wellbeing of the community.”
In response to the criticisms, a Welsh Water spokesperson said: “To reduce the risk of further delays to our work, we have sought permission from the local authority to begin 24‑hour tunnelling beneath the river between Hailey Park and Danescourt for up to five weeks. This is a two-week extension to the originally agreed 24-hour working period.
“Subject to approval, this work will begin mid‑March. Mitigation measures will be in place to manage noise levels and keep disruption to the local community at an absolute minimum.
“This includes the installation of acoustic noise barriers and continuous noise monitoring around the site.”
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