Author: Rhys Gregory

The North Wales Growth Deal will reach a historic milestone this week as it launches its first project; with new cutting-edge equipment at Bangor University’s Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Centre. Technology at the DSP Centre, manages the way digital signals are transmitted, providing a solution for the signals to be better processed and received and to be both more secure and more cost effective. The £3million Growth Deal funding through Ambition North Wales, has enabled the DSP Centre to acquire new equipment to undertake cutting-edge research for digital communications. The funding will develop solutions to support the future’s digital requirements,…

The UK’s leading ports group, Associated British Ports (ABP), has launched two development sites at Newport  to support around 95 acres of regeneration. Since the beginning of the year, ABP has made close to 600 acres of land available to the market as part of its ongoing port-centric manufacturing initiative. The sites in Hull, Southampton, Cardiff, Grimsby and Newport can support around 6m sq ft of future development and offer particular opportunities for the manufacturing, logistics and renewable energy sectors. The Atlantic and West Way Road sites at the Port of Newport comprise 73 and 22 acres respectively. Helen Thomas,…

Charity, Speed Of Sight, hosted a track day for disabled people that enables them to drive at Llandow Circuit on 19th and 20th July 2022, and was hailed a success by all. People with all disabilities had the chance to drive themselves and an instructor around Llandow Circuit this week and it’s all thanks to charity, Speed Of Sight that hosts the experiences all over the UK. Speed Of Sight is run by blind race car driver and multiple World Record holder Mike Newman and his co-founder John Galloway. Interested participants can have any disability, as the team is trained to help everyone…

Huw Thomas, the leader of Cardiff Council, has presented his administration’s new Programme for Government to a gathering of more than 100 business, civic and public sector leaders. In a meeting at the city’s Parkgate Hotel, chaired by Cardiff Youth Council, he outlined the ‘Stronger, Fairer, Greener’ ideals that will inform the authority’s decision-making and ambitious developments over the next five years. Outlining the agenda, he said the council would create  A stronger city – creating and sustaining well-paid jobs with an education system that helps young people reach their potential, with good, affordable housing in safe, confident and empowered…

Swansea Council’s free bus initiative is returning for the summer holidays, starting on July 29. All bus journeys starting and ending in Swansea will be free for everyone each weekend from the end of July and throughout August and will offer a total of 20 days of free travel (Fri – Mon). The Council launched the free travel initiative during last year’s school summer holidays with tens of thousands of people taking the chance to travel for free to do the shopping, see friends for a coffee, visit local landmarks and many of the wonderful beaches along the coastline. The…

A number of new temporary food and drink wooden chalets are now open for business in Swansea city centre. They’re located in the £135m Copr Bay quarter on the Swansea Arena side of the new bridge over Oystermouth Road. Swansea Council is behind the chalets, which are being leased to FrozziYo Frozen Yoghurt and KoKoDoo Korean Fried Chicken. These are two of the businesses that will take up new retail units at the nearby Cupid Way development later this year, where construction is continuing. Discussions are also on-going with other confirmed Cupid Way tenants about opening up further temporary wooden…

A planning application has been submitted to install a boating pontoon on Swansea’s River Tawe. It would stand around 1.5 miles upstream from the river barrage, at the edge of the historic Hafod-Morfa Copperworks which is undergoing regeneration. It would be available for services such as the Copper Jack community boat and for rowing clubs. The planning application has been submitted by the council which sees the pontoon as part of the ongoing regeneration of the Lower Swansea Valley. The plans, drawn up for the council by Ashley Davies Architects and structural specialists Mann Williams, show a 59m-long pontoon alongside…

A brand new play area for West Cross and an upgraded play area for Pontarddulais have been completed just in time for the busy school holidays. Work has been finished at the West Cross site near the seafront at West Cross with updated play facilities also completed at Coed Bach park in Pontarddulais. At the same time the council has agreed plans for improvements at seven other locations where work is due to start in coming weeks. On top of that there are plans in the pipeline for 18 other council play areas in parks all across the city. Robert…

Members of Neath Port Talbot Council’s new Coalition Cabinet will discuss a range of important issues at what will be their second meeting on July 28th. At the meeting, the Cabinet could approve spending £4.25m to “clean up and green up” towns, valleys and villages across Neath Port Talbot. The money comes from additional Welsh Government funding and the council’s approved spending programme. New Leader Cllr Stephen Hunt said earlier this month improving the ‘public realm’ in Neath Port Talbot was one of the Coalition’s early priorities. Also on the agenda will be proposals to extend the Welsh Government’s flagship…

Neath Port Talbot Council is working in partnership with Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and local transport operators DJ Thomas and Forge Travel to reintroduce the free Waterfall Country Park Ride Service this summer. Starting at Lancaster Close Car Park in Glynneath, the service will run on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Monday from Saturday 23rd July to Sunday 4th September 2022. Originally introduced in 2021, the Waterfall Country Park and Ride pilot project has been extended for a further two years with the aim of having a positive impact on the local community by easing intense visitor parking pressures…