Author: Rhys Gregory

The process to appoint a contractor as part of plans for a new-build replacement Mynydd Cynffig Primary School is set to get underway following approval by Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet. The new-build school would be built on land currently occupied by Mynydd Cynffig Primary School’s junior department and would operate on a single site basis, bringing together all year groups in the same location. The school has also been designed with sustainable features and will be Net Zero Carbon in operation. In addition to the classrooms, the two-storey school features an indoor learning plaza, a main hall, ancillary studio…

A Swansea-based tech company has backed the city’s ongoing £1bn regeneration programme. TJ Amas, co-founder of DocFlite, says schemes like 71/72 Kingsway and the Princess Quarter development are positives for Swansea’s business community. Set up in 2019 and based in the Uplands part of the city, DocFlite helps streamline the process of document management. The company’s goal is to make it easy for businesses to create, edit and share documents online – from internal staff documentation and contracts to quotes and tenders for work. DocFlite automates the process, also enabling the tracking and reminding of documentation. The company now has…

A project to create new facilities to ease visitor pressures at Pontneddfechan, which forms part of the spectacular Waterfall Country, will begin with enabling works this June. Here are the key highlights of the project: Providing a permanent parking solution: Better management of visitor impacts on the village of Pontneddfechan. Improved Public Toilets: New and upgraded facilities for all. A Farm/Community Shop: Supporting local business and the community. Low-Key Visitor Accommodation: Comfortable family friendly options for a pleasant stay. Road Safety & Landscaping: Enhancing the public realm for a safer and more pleasant environment. A Playpark: Creating a fun and…

Children from across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion joined hundreds of people at one of the largest processions in many years to welcome the National Eisteddfod to the area. Members of Gorsedd Cymru, along with residents, led a procession through Narberth on Saturday, 17th May, for the proclamation ceremony and welcome of the Eisteddfod at Llantood in 2026. Held from the 1st to 8th August 2026, the Eisteddfod – Eisteddfod y Garreg Las –  will make its first visit to Pembrokeshire since 2002 and will be a unique collaboration with neighbouring counties, with the catchment not only including the whole of Pembrokeshire,…

RCT Council has provided a progress update on the major works to redevelop the Marks and Spencer site in Pontypridd Town Centre – with good progress having been made since the main construction phase started earlier this year. The prominent site at 97-102 Taff Street is being developed into a ‘riverside plaza’ that will provide a functional and aesthetically-pleasing public space with areas of greenery, that will open the townscape towards the river for the first time in more than 100 years. It will enable small kiosks (commercial units) selling food and drink, while the site will also be used…

Children and young people from across Newport came together this week at a special event in Newport Cathedral to celebrate National Children’s Day 2025. National Children’s Day is a UK-wide initiative aimed at highlighting the importance of healthy, happy childhoods, and protecting the rights of children and young people. The event saw children and young people from schools, youth clubs and other settings put on a number of fantastic performances, including school choirs, poetry readings and rap. It included the very youngest children from Flying Start settings, who were helped by the audience to sing a few songs, and the…

Caerphilly County Borough Council has issued a statement in response to public concern and confusion regarding the potential reclamation of Bedwas Tip, aiming to clarify the current situation. The council emphasised that no permission has been granted for any reclamation scheme to proceed. Any such major development would require thorough scrutiny and public consultation as part of the formal planning process. A project of this scale would also need approvals and permissions from various statutory agencies before any work could begin. At present, no formal planning application has been submitted to the council. However, it has been confirmed that a…

The Nature Networks Fund has awarded a grant of £250,000 to Blaenau Gwent Council which will fund a project to help understand the value and connectivity of ecosystems across Gwent and the benefits they provide for both people and nature. The Nature Networks Fund is a collaborative programme between The Heritage Fund, Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales which was set up to tackle ecological challenges. In partnership with Natural Resources Wales and in collaboration with organisations across the region, the Council will work to create plans for resilient ecological networks. These plans will inform how and where to improve…

Arts, culture and sporting events supported by Welsh Government through Event Wales generated more than £40m for the economy in 2024. This represented a ten to one return on investment, with approaching £4m provided to support a total of 35 events last year. Successful events included the Women’s Tour of Britain cycle race, Wheelchair Fencing World Cup, Hijinx Unity Festival and the first Cardiff Music City Festival. Almost 170,000 additional visitors were attracted into Wales by funded events last year, and they also supported over 900 jobs in the wider tourism economy. They created around 4,000 work experience and volunteer opportunities,…

Today (Tuesday 20 May), on Clinical Trials day, Blood Cancer UK announce a £750k award for researchers at Cardiff University to conduct a clinical trial testing a new treatment to be taken at home. This exciting new clinical trial could transform the way acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL,) is treated. Around 200–300 people in the UK per year are diagnosed with this form blood cancer – a rare and aggressive form of the disease that is very difficult to treat. Treatment for APL is very intense and time consuming, involving many hospital visits and long appointments. Patients currently receive many arsenic…