Author: Rhys Gregory

These aerial pictures show how far work has progressed at Bellway’s Parc Mawr development at Penllergaer near Swansea. The homebuilder has almost reached the halfway point of construction at the scheme, which will comprise 184 new homes off Brynrhos Crescent to the south of the village when complete. The properties will be made up of 147 two, three and four-bedroom houses for private sale and 37 affordable homes for local people through shared ownership or rent. Bellway has already completed and handed over 20 of the affordable properties and built 60 of the private homes. Rhodri Davies, Sales Manager for…

This week, nine intrepid dads, uncles and friends supported by Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice set off to travel to Conwy in North Wales as they prepare to undertake their latest extreme fundraising challenge. Tŷ Hafan fathers Paul Fears, Dan Forbes, Ryan Tomlinson, Chris Thomas, James Meacham, Lee Morgan and Anthony Boggis have been joined by Laurence Morgan, brother of Lee, and Jason Foster, Tŷ Hafan’s Director of Finance for the four-day epic #BikeBoatBoot challenge. Starting today (Thursday 27 June) and ending on Sunday, this will see the team cycle off-road, hike miles of mountain trails and kayak the length of…

A housing development which is already seeing high interest from prospective buyers has been supported by the Development Bank of Wales with a £5 million development loan. Work on the 21-house project at Begelly, near the popular seaside towns of Tenby and Saundersfoot, is being undertaken by developers Luckton Ltd and consists of a range of detached and semi-detached homes. Each of the homes is designed with green energy use and energy-efficiency in mind, with forecast EPC values of more than 100 and A-grade efficiency ratings.  The four houses sold to date have all achieved 100+ EPC ratings with one…

A Welsh TV gardening personality is urging people across Wales to reduce their reliance on pesticides to help protect the environment and minimise their impact on Welsh waters. Naomi Saunders, a presenter on S4C’s popular gardening slot, Garddio a Mwy, is calling on the Welsh public to take more of a natural approach to gardening and swap weedkillers and insecticides for more eco-friendly alternatives. The self-confessed ‘crazy plant lady’, who is an advocate for using natural pest control methods, has teamed up with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water on its PestSmart campaign to encourage fellow green-fingered enthusiasts to make simple changes…

North Wales Police have issued an update regarding an incident that occurred in Cefn Mawr early on Monday morning. Officers have confirmed that two men aged 28 and 31 respectively have been arrested on suspicion of Rape and False Imprisonment. They remain in police custody for questioning. North Wales Police would like to reiterate that this is an isolated incident and there are no ongoing concerns for the wider community. Police are continuing to appeal to anybody who was in the area of the roundabout near to Tesco in Cefn Mawr around 6am on Monday morning to contact North Wales…

This week, Wales and the UK saw the peak of the current high temperatures before things cool off from today, with unseasonably windy conditions in the north of the UK on Thursday. Many experienced very warm weather many this week with temperatures of 31°C in the southeast, which would be the highest of the year so far. Change in type overnight Rain and brisk winds reached the far west by Wednesday evening, with  some heavy outbreaks of rain over northwest Scotland and signalling the change in weather type over the next 24 hours. Paul Gundersen is a Chief Meteorologist at…

Some of Wales’ top hospitality operators shared insights into their net zero journeys, with a particular focus on the impact of new legislation rolled out in April. The likes of hotels, restaurants, pubs, and bars have had to separate out their recycling, including food waste of more than 5kg per week, under Welsh Government regulations. And less than two months on, the Institute of Hospitality hosted an event in Cardiff to discover the impact on organisations. Keenan Recycling, the UK’s largest food waste recycler, which went from servicing 300 sites in Wales to 1,500 in the first few weeks after…

An award-winning South Wales manufacturing company has secured its biggest US export deal to date worth over $1.4 million USD (£1.1 million), thanks to support from the Welsh Government. Pontyclun-based Concrete Canvas, which manufactures innovative flexible concrete fabric, signed the milestone deal as part of its wider expansion in the US, which includes lining canal networks across the West Coast. The company is eyeing significant further expansion in the US as a route to export growth, having partnered with more than 12 new distributors in the country in the last 12 months. The deals will provide it with access to…

The threats facing regional or minority languages will be the focus of an international conference at Aberystwyth University in July. The event will bring together academics and practitioners from across Europe who are experts on the Welsh language and more than ten other regional and minority languages. A central issue under consideration during the conference will be how best to research some of the main challenges facing language policy makers and practitioners. Dr Elin Royles, a Reader in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University, is part of the organising team for the Centre for Welsh Politics and Society…

A new accessible play park is due to be installed at Cae Ddol in Ruthin as part of an Accessible Play Area Provision project. Denbighshire County Council’s Accessible Play Area Provision has received £300,000 from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity fund to deliver accessible play provision in two key locations in the county, with Cae Ddol being the first to undergo construction. The construction of the new play area will begin on the 1st of July (weather permitting), with the play park remaining closed for a period of up to 8 weeks while the works take place. While the existing…