THE FIGHT over the future of a Cardiff green space will continue tonight at a potentially-fractious public meeting.

The Rumney Recreation Ground has been the subject of much vitriol over the past two years, with battle lines being drawn between the community and the council.

The council want to build a new school at the site, knocking down Rumney and Llanrumney high schools in the process, while the residents of the area have been battling to oppose the plans.

Chairman of the Rumney Recreation & Eastern Leisure Centre (REEL) Action Group has accused the council of prioritising financial gain over community wellbeing.

As well as eradicating a vital piece of green space, the REEL Action Group say the new school would cause drainage problems and would add to the congestion trouble on Newport Road.

Councillor for Llanrumney Derrick Morgan, who is against the new school, said: “We are waiting to hear back from the application for village green status. Until then there’s not a lot we can do.

“The council’s executive are completely alone on this issue, everyone else is opposed to it.

“People like Delme Bowen, who, before becoming officer for transport, was very supportive of the action group, seem to have turned against the cause since joining the excutive,” he added.

Les Jones, a 75-year-old whose newsagent overlooks the green space the school would be built on, said: “I’ve been running this shop for 28 years and have lived in the area all my life. I can remember when the trees here were planted, but now they want to tear it all down.”

The matter has been passed to the Welsh Assembly Government after a 93.7% “no” vote from the residents of Rumney and Llanrumney put the brakes on the council’s designs.

The meeting will be held at Rumney and St Mellons British Legion at 7.30pm tonight.