Author: Rhys Gregory

Swansea has been named among the UK’s top four cities in a prestigious awards ceremony. The city was shortlisted for the City of Year title at the Estates Gazette 2022 awards, which celebrate the country’s best regeneration and development schemes. Pipped to the post by Birmingham for the award, other cities on the shortlist included Newcastle and Cardiff. Developed by Swansea Council and development managed by RivingtonHark, Swansea’s £135m Copr Bay district was among the schemes that led to the city being recognised. As well as Swansea Arena, the district – worth £17.1m a year to the city – also…

Successful technology investor and experienced in the metals and mining sector Roger Maggs MBE, has been chosen by the bid partners as the chair of the Celtic Freeport consortium. The consortium is putting together a transformational bid for a freeport covering the ports of Milford Haven and Port Talbot to create a green investment corridor that spans clean energy developments and innovation assets, fuel terminals, a power station, heavy engineering and the steel industry across south-west Wales. Roger Maggs will work with the consortium partners – Associated British Ports (ABP), Neath Port Talbot Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Port…

Homeless people housed at the Silverdale Lodge in Johnston and other temporary accommodation in Pembrokeshire are set to receive assistance from a new support provider, Nacro. Since the start of the pandemic, Pembrokeshire County Council has used the Silverdale Lodge to house people who are homeless, with the help of support provider Pobl. Cllr Michelle Bateman, Cabinet Member for Housing Operations and Regulatory Services, thanked Pobl for their support and welcomed Nacro, which was awarded the contract following a recent tender exercise. “We look forward to building a strong working relationship with Nacro and to continue to support those across…

Wales football manager Rob Page has helped the Council officially open its brand-new, state-of-the-art 3G sports facility in Rhondda today (Wednesday, November 9) ahead of naming his 2022 FIFA World Cup squad. The Council’s fantastic new outdoor sporting facility is at the Baglan Field in Penyrenglyn. The first event held there, immediately after the opening ceremony, was the Rhondda Primary Schools’ Football Festival, organised by Sport RCT, attracting hundreds of schoolchildren. Sport RCT is a Council team that works to get people of all ages and abilities into leisure activities – from football events to “Mams and Prams” and Super…

Adult Social Services has worked in partnership with ABUHB, Tai Calon Community Housing and the Community Housing Group to develop a Smart Flat in Blaenau Gwent which was officially launched in November.  The Smart Flat has been created to provide an opportunity for individuals, families, carers and professionals to view the different types of new and emerging technologies available to them and how they can help people to live independently in their own home. Check out what’s been installed in the flat for yourself by taking a virtual tour here. The website provides an interactive 3D view around the Smart…

On Monday 7th November, Monmouthshire County Council have taken part in Carbon Literacy Action Day, which aims to be the world’s largest climate education training event and coincided with the beginning of UN COP27 negotiations in Egypt. Monmouthshire County Council has been delivering training to officers and Councillors to help them learn more about the science behind climate change and most importantly what everyone can all do to make a difference both as individuals and in the workplace. The Carbon Literacy training, which takes place throughout the year, gives a day’s worth of learning that covers climate change, carbon footprints,…

Businesses looking for a small but perfectly formed office space geared to meet to all their requirements will find just the ticket in Merthyr Tydfil. The County Borough Council’s Orbit Business Centre is not only in an ideal, central location, it also offers a state-of-the-art building and facilities, free parking and ICT support – all included in one dynamic package. The centre, which opened in 2008, has a total 60,000 sq ft of flexible open plan high quality office space, an executive boardroom, training and conference rooms with hybrid meeting technology and superfast fibre broadband. There are rooms suitable for…

As further education learners head back to a new term, there is help available to FE students in Wales to support their studies as the cost-of-living crisis continues to effect people. Full-time Further Education is Free Full-time learners in Wales can access further education free of charge, regardless of age. Funding is also available for learners undertaking a range of part-time courses in further education, contact your FE college to find out what you could be entitled to. Free Meals You might be eligible for Free Meals for Learners during the college holidays. The Minister for Education and Welsh Language…

The Liverpool based hospitality operators are planning to open their latest Golf Fang site on Cardiff’s Mary Ann Street. The company was founded by Kip Piper and Daniel Bolger, who opened their first site in Liverpool in 2016 inside the 25,000 square-foot Cains Brewery. Each Golf Fang venue offers an 18-hole crazy golf experience, combined with themed cocktails and DJs in a ‘sprayground’ environment where the venue features work from selected graffiti artists. The brand’s goal is to create a unique set of courses that provide guests with an experience that both inspires and positions graffiti as an art form.  The company now…

Local investment company, Kartay Holdings, has recently acquired six key properties across Oxford Street between H Samuel Jewellers and Barclays Bank, with a view to revitalising a main shopping artery of the City Centre. Kartay has pledged further investment in the buildings to breathe life into a major thoroughfare of Swansea City Centre. At present, three of the six acquired retails units sit vacant, however ongoing talks between Kartay and a number of new retailers and eateries are moving at pace in a bid to provide a major boost to Swansea City Centre’s retail and hospitality offering. Redevelopment of the…