Author: Rhys Gregory

As part of its journey to net zero, global medical products and technologies company Convatec is bringing forward proposals for a renewable energy hub to use local wind and sun to power its South Wales manufacturing operation. The proposed renewables hub is being developed in partnership with local farmers and would be situated adjacent to Convatec’s manufacturing site in Rhymney, South Wales. The project will feature three wind turbines, and around 10 hectares of solar panels, providing a generating capacity of around 20MW. As well as generating enough clean energy to meet the requirements of the Rhymney facility, the project,…

Pride Cymru is back with a two-day festival planned in Cardiff City Centre on June 17 and June 18. The parade will take place on June 17 and road closures will be put in place to ensure that the event can take place safely. The parade will begin on Castle Street at 11am moving onto High Street, St Mary Street, back into the Hayes, onto St. John Street, along Queen Street, up Park Place, back along Greyfriars Road, onto Kingsway and finishing on Castle Street. To facilitate the events that will be taking place, the following roads will be closed…

The play area at Heol Llanishen Fach has officially re-opened to the public following extensive refurbishment. Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Events, Cllr Jennifer Burke, said: “The play area at Heol Llanishen Fach is the latest facility to benefit from our ongoing programme of investment in parks and play areas across Cardiff and will be another fantastic facility for local families to enjoy.” Designed around an oak theme, and complete with acorn, oak leaves, creatures and insects associated with Oak trees. The play area includes a toddler and a junior play area, all aimed at encouraging imaginative play, climbing,…

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council has been successful in securing funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the creation of its Heritage NPT project. Part of this project includes a Community Heritage Fund, which charities and not for profit organisations, schools, heritage groups, community groups, Town Councils and Ministry Areas can apply, enabling them to deliver heritage-based projects and become more sustainable for the future. The first round, which closed in January, funded two projects, proposed by Pontardawe Heritage and Visitor Centre and Pontardawe Town Council. Pontardawe Heritage and Visitor Centre was funded to undertake a project entitled…

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has today (14 June) approved extra investment into the creation of a new vulnerable learners’ centre and modern, eco-friendly community sporting facilities in Pontllanfraith. Cabinet members agreed to set aside a further £2,150,739.40 from the Council’s Place-Shaping Reserve for the development, in addition to the £1,375,000 previously agreed.  The Council’s investment equates to 25% of the total costs, with the remaining 75% funded through Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Band B Programme. The centre is being developed on the site of the former Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School.  Plans include adapting and refurbishing the former grammar…

A ‘reserved matters’ application has been submitted by Caerphilly County Borough Council for an innovative new later living scheme on the site of the former Ty Darran care home, Risca. Outline planning has already been granted for the development and work begun to prepare the site.  When completed, the new development will be used to relocate existing Council customers (contract holders) from sheltered housing schemes in the locality that have been programmed for closure. Future residents of the scheme have been consulted on plans for the new scheme and, as a result, certain aspects of the design have varied slightly, and are now…

A new art installation at Graig y Rhacca Primary School in Caerphilly celebrates the environment and community. Pupils from the school worked with the local community and artist Stephanie Roberts to design and develop the environmental themed sculpture.  Funding for the project was provided by Caerphilly County Borough Council, through its Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) environmental improvements programme. The mosaic leaf design, which incorporates the message ‘We respect our environment’, has been installed at the entranceway to the school.  South Wales based artist Stephanie said “For this project the children had to absorb themselves in their topic and then…

Welsh-medium education could be introduced at a south Powys primary school if given the go-ahead by Cabinet later this month, the county council has said. Powys County Council wants to move Ysgol y Cribarth in Abercraf along the language continuum by formally establishing a Welsh-medium stream at the school. The school is currently an English-medium school providing education for pupils aged 4 to 11. Since September 2021, Ysgol y Cribarth has operated a Welsh-medium Foundation Phase class on a pilot basis as part of a scheme that has been supported by the council. The proposed change would see a Welsh-medium…

A single ticket scheme that aims to simplify bus travel has been introduced across north Wales. The 1Bws initiative allows passengers to travel throughout the north of Wales using a single ticket across multiple services and with no extra cost. Included in the 1Bws scheme is the TrawsCymru T12, T2 and X28 services, which runs within Powys. Powys passengers boarding the T12, T2 and X28 services will be able to benefit from the new 1Bws scheme, if they wish to use a single one-day ticket for unlimited travel further afield across north Wales. The existing Powys Day Rover Ticket is…

More than £58m will be invested into ways to help us choose to walk and cycle for local journeys, Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters confirmed today (Thursday, June 15). Speaking on Clean Air Day, the Deputy Minister with responsibility for transport outlined how the huge investment would fund new and improved active travel routes across Wales. Since 2018, the Welsh Government has increased active travel funding from £15m to £70m – now more than £22 for every person in Wales, compared to dedicated active travel spending in England of about £1 per head in the same period. The Deputy…