Viewpoints Bay Pointe plan far from perfect.

ONE cannot allow the half truths of Chris Hamilton, managing director of the Bay Pointe development, in Wednesday's Echo to go unchallenged.

He states that Bay Pointe paid for the international swimming pool.

If didn't; Cardiff council sold the land to the Bay Pointe developers to build 1,127 apartments here - that's all the planning permission allows.

Bay Pointe wants now to double its profits by building 2,400 apartments on the same site!

It was Cardiff's decision, not Bay Pointe's, to use the proceeds, together with other reserves, to build the swimming pool, a commitment since the Empire Pool was demolished. Bay Pointe certainly did not pay pounds 50m.

He further goes on to say that it wants to provide homes for local people. Why is it therefore that only 11.5 per cent of the apartments on site, considerably below the 20 per cent or 480 apartments that are expected as part of a scheme of this size, are designated as affordable?

He states that taller buildings are becoming increasingly common in Cardiff. The tallest on the Sports Village site is 15 storeys at Victoria Wharf. Bay Pointe proposes 41 storeys, almost three times as high. And as for Cardiff's tall buildings in the centre of town, the tallest residential is Altolusso - a mere 22 storeys!

He then describes the buildings as a distinctive iconic skyline. It's just blocks of flats, of a rather ugly design, crammed greedily into too small a space. But it's still not too late to make your voices heard. If you value the Bay skyline and don't want it spoilt for ever, use time over Christmas to write to object to application number 07/01276 to Norman Hewlett Planning Department, Cardiff City and County Council, City Hall, Cardiff CF10 3ND.

Alwyn Evans

Secretary, Penarth Marina Residents Association