Author: Rhys Gregory

The average price of a home in Wales fell to £229,263 in the first quarter of 2024, making this the fifth consecutive quarter that prices have fallen in Wales and brings the average house price almost £20,000 below its peak of £249,000 at the end of 2022. The figures have been released from Principality Building Society’s Wales House Price Index for Q1 2024 (January-March), which demonstrates the rise and fall in house prices in each of the 22 local authorities in Wales. Principality’s report shows the average house price in Wales has fallen by 2.1% since last quarter and is…

During its meeting on 19th April, the Growing Mid Wales Board granted approval of the Outline Business Case (OBC) for the Elan Valley Lakes project. This decision marks a major milestone for the Growth Deal as the first project to advance to the next stage of development under the Board’s approval. With this milestone achieved, the project is now poised to progress towards the completion of a comprehensive Full Business Case; the crucial final step required to secure Growth Deal funding prior to implementation. On receiving the news, Martin Driscoll, Senior Responsible Owner for the Elan Valley Lakes project and…

A popular TV chef has been giving tips to a group of enterprising teenagers who are setting up a pizza making business The budding entrepreneurs are regulars at Cellb, the innovative community arts complex based at the former police station in Blaenau Ffestiniog. Chris “Flamebaster” Roberts conducted a workshop teaching them the finer points of making dough and adding toppings. Their new venture, Pizza ‘Stiniog, is based in a converted shipping container that’s been kitted out with three pizza ovens. Chris went to Cellb with his fellow presenters, stand-up comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean television presenter Alun Williams, from the S4C series,…

A much-loved North Wales hospice has been adopted as a charity by a high flying precision engineering company after staff voted to support it. St Kentigern Hospice, which serves Denbighshire, eastern Conwy and western Flintshire, was chosen by Continental Diamond Tool Ltd (CDT) because of the “wonderful care” it has shown for relatives of team members, including both parents of engraver and dispatch officer Helen Turberville. The company,  which supplies sophisticated parts for production machinery for Rolls-Royce and other aerospace companies, has made its first donation to the charity with Helen handing over a cheque for £1,000 at the hospice…

A Swansea duo are preparing for a second season of business SUP-cess, having launched a popular water sport rental company with the support of Big Ideas Wales. Gower Waves is a mobile stand up paddleboard (SUP) rental company that delivers equipment across all 26 of the Gower’s beaches, from Langland and Swansea Bay to Caswell and Oxwich Bay. Behind the business are best friends Evan Richards, 20, and Lewis Morgan, 19 from Swansea. The pair launched Gower Waves in early 2023 during a gap year and spent the summer driving from beach to beach delivering customised paddle boards to holiday…

37 aspiring young business people from all corners of Wales have come together to hone their business ideas, expand their networks and develop their self-confidence at an immersive residential bootcamp. Hosted at The Summit Centre, Treharris, this year’s Big Ideas Wales residential ‘Bootcamp to Business’ event marked the eleventh annual event since it first launched in 2013. Targeted at individuals aged 18-25 with an entrepreneurial spark, Bootcamp to Business aims to strengthen the support framework available for aspiring startups by inviting leaders to collectively develop the skills needed within the first year of trading, from branding and social media to…

Bellway Wales has released the first images of the new homes it is building at its latest development on the former Llanwern Steelworks in Newport. Alder Grove will be the third housing development to be delivered by Bellway at Glan Llyn, a major regeneration scheme which is transforming 600 acres of land on the eastern edge of the city. There will be 191 properties for private sale, featuring a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses, and 25 affordable homes for low-cost rent or shared ownership, ranging from one and two-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom houses. Situated on a 12-acre site…

A trade association, which campaigned for a review of the 20mph speed limit in Wales, has welcomed moves to change the policy, as announced by Ken Skates MS, Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport. The Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport, Ken Skates, will outline his transport priorities, including plans for 20 mph, in the Senedd today (April 23). Listening is the immediate priority for the Cabinet Secretary on 20mph. He will say the Welsh Government will listen to the people of Wales and work in partnership with councils to deliver targeted change to the 20mph implementation. The…

Pembrokeshire County Council Leader Cllr David Simpson has confirmed his intention to stand down next month. Cllr Simpson, who has been Leader since May 2017, will not seek re-election as Leader of the Council at the Annual General Meeting in May. Chairing his final Cabinet meeting as Leader on Monday, Cllr Simpson said he was looking forward to spending more time with his family. Cllr Simpson said: “I would like to thank my fellow Cabinet Members for their commitment to their roles and their support to me personally over the last seven years. “I also want to put on record…

A pioneering housing initiative co-ordinated by Caerphilly County Borough Council is continuing to transform lives and prevent homelessness. The Caerphilly Keys project helps private landlords find long term tenants for their properties, whilst preventing homelessness.  There are currently 41 landlords signed up to Caerphilly Keys, offering 97 properties throughout the borough. Since it launched in August 2018, Caerphilly Keys has successfully rehoused 271 people.  One of the tenants housed through the project has seen their life transformed.  Michelle* had spent time in prison, followed by several months in temporary accommodation and then, because of deteriorating mental health, admission to hospital…