Residents outraged over 'horrendous' new bollards on green used to film Doctor Who
BBCNew bollards in a leafy city suburb have been described by local residents as "horrendous".
The bollards were installed by Cardiff City Council at Y Groes in Rhiwbina Garden Village, where scenes from the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas special were filmed.
A petition has been launched asking the council to reconsider the installation, claiming the posts are "altering the character" of the green.
The council said there were already bollards around more than half of the green, adding that additional bollards had been placed "to prevent vehicles driving on and damaging the grassed area".
"The council have said it's [because of] continuous parking on the green... I've lived here for 15 years, and I've seen it a handful of times," said resident Natalie Drury-Styles, who said the new bollards felt "out of keeping" with the local character.
Natalie also claimed many people living in the area were not given a "meaningful opportunity" to understand or comment on the plans before they were implemented.
Lynn, 71, who has lived in Rhiwbina for 46 years, described the bollards as "horrendous" and looking like "the entry to a circus".
The petition - signed by more than 200 people - argued that the "uncluttered" and "simple" design of Rhiwbina Garden Village was what made it one of the best places to live in Wales.
The petition said the "dense" line of bollards had fundamentally changed the character of the historic space.
A spokesperson from Cardiff council said: "The installation of bollards at Y Groes forms part of the wider regeneration scheme around the Rhiwbina shops.
"Bollards were already in place around over half of the green space. Additional bollards, along with the replacement and upgrading of existing ones, have now been installed to prevent vehicles driving on and damaging the grassed area."
The council said a consultation on the plans took place in September 2025 with residents on the road receiving leaflets which invited them to comment.
