Author: Rhys Gregory

Residents in Mountain Ash may soon see early site works getting underway on land off Darran Road, as final preparations are made for the construction of a new, modern care development for older people. The main phase of construction is expected to begin in February 2026. The scheme is a joint project between the council and Codi Group, formerly Linc Cymru, and has already been granted planning permission. It will deliver 25 extra care apartments, 15 dementia residential care beds and eight later living bungalows, providing a range of high quality accommodation to support older residents in the area. The…

Newport saw increasing footfall in the city centre during 2025 as it appeared to continue to buck Welsh and UK trends. Known as the “golden quarter” for the retail sector, the last three months of the year saw an average footfall in the city centre of around 1.85 million people a month. December’s footfall was up on November’s, bucking a Wales-wide decrease between the two months. Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, leader of Newport City Council, said: “We remain optimistic that our plan for the city centre is working, as we collaborate with traders, venues and our night-time businesses to develop a…

Schools across Newport are benefiting from major investment in greener energy and energy efficiency upgrades, helping to cut carbon emissions while saving hundreds of thousands of pounds in running costs. Newport City Council has carried out more than 70 major upgrades across over 33 school buildings since 2020, installing a range of low carbon technologies designed to reduce energy use and improve sustainability. The work includes the installation of solar panels on school roofs, air source heat pumps, electric vehicle charging points, draught proofing, LED lighting upgrades, battery storage systems and other energy efficiency measures. Solar panels are now a…

Welsh Government funding is helping an award-winning logistics company to establish a modern, technology-led logistics hub, supporting Welsh businesses and creating highly skilled new jobs. Pontypool-based Freight Logistics Solutions (FLS) is expanding its operations to meet growing demand for digitally-enabled, locally-delivered logistics services across Wales and the wider UK. Founded in 2016, FLS has grown into one of the UK’s leading digital freight providers, working with more than 16,000 hauliers across the UK and Europe. Its proprietary technology connects clients with nearby transport providers using real-time data to optimise routing, reduce inefficiencies and support more carbon-efficient transport solutions. Welsh Government…

A dead nest of the yellow-legged hornet has been found near Wrexham, in the first confirmed discovery of the insect in Wales. The yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax also known as Asian hornet) is not native to the UK. It comes from Asia and was first seen in France in 2004. Since then, it has spread and has been found in many European countries like Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. The yellow-legged hornet poses a risk to honey bees and pollinating insects, which is why them public has been asked for vigilance around sightings of them in Wales, and…

The Final Budget 2026-27 will provide £1.2bn more for people, public services and businesses across Wales than in this financial year. It makes £400m of new allocations since the Draft Budget was published in October. This includes £300m of revenue funding for local government and the NHS, secured through the budget agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru. And a further £100m of revenue and capital funding, which will support Welsh Government priorities, including bus services, apprenticeships, further education, flood prevention, and the maintenance of school buildings. Every Welsh Government department will have at least the same level of…

Nathaniel Cars, a well-established, family-run automotive business founded and based in Bridgend, is set to significantly expand its operations with the support of a £1.5m funding package from NatWest and the remaining provided by Lombard. The funding from NatWest has facilitated the creation of a fifth site for Nathaniel Cars, the largest for the business, which will replace six previously rented storage facilities. The new 8-acre preparation site based just 2 miles away from the business’ headquarters in Bridgend will serve as the hub for all of Nathaniel Cars vehicles before being transported across the UK. This expansion includes plans…

A nine-year-old Swansea schoolboy has completed an inspirational 30-day running challenge, raising more than £2,000 for Kids Cancer Charity and capturing the hearts of the community. Osian Window, a pupil at Dunvant Primary School and a member of Dunvant RFC’s Under 10s, set out to run 1km every day for 30 days. What began as an ambitious goal soon grew into an extraordinary effort, with Osian clocking up over 100km in total – braving the winter elements to keep his promise. Osian completed his challenge on Saturday (January 17), finishing with a determined 5km run that saw him pass through…

Having rehomed over 890 dogs in 2025, Dogs Trust Cardiff is encouraging people from across South Wales to visit its rehoming centre to see how the charity can find potential adopters a four-legged friend, and to learn more about how Dogs Trust supports dog owners in the wider community.   Although only a few weeks into the year, Dogs Trust Cardiff has already rehomed its first dog of the year. Bron, the nine-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, found her forever home on 2nd January, after arriving in the charity’s care when her owner passed away. After a short stay in foster care, Bron found a loving forever home after just 30 days with the charity.  However, there are still many…

These images show the significant progress that has been made on site at Bellway’s Longwood Grange development in Lisvane, where more than half of the planned 270 homes have now been built. Residents have moved into all 144 completed properties at the development on the northern outskirts of Cardiff, while a further 14 homes currently under construction have been reserved. Bellway began construction work on the 26-acre site off Maerdy Lane in 2021 and is on track to finish the development by the summer of 2027. When completed, Longwood Grange will comprise 216 properties for private sale and 54 homes…