#Waunarlwydd

7,000 homes promised, just 300 built: Swansea’s housing blueprint falters

What this feature covers

  • The 7,000 homes promised in Swansea’s Local Development Plan – and why fewer than 300 have been built
  • A site‑by‑site look at the Strategic Development Areas: from Penllergaer to St Thomas
  • The obstacles – from Covid and costs to nutrient neutrality rules
  • The impact on families, communities and local services
  • How the next Local Development Plan (LDP2) could reshape Swansea’s growth to 2038

When Swansea councillors adopted the Local Development Plan (LDP) in 2019, it was meant to be a clear guide for growth. Instead of scattered estates, the council wanted builders to focus on a dozen large “Strategic Development Areas” (SDAs) — planned new neighbourhoods with schools, shops, roads and green space. The promise was bold: more than 7,000 homes within five years. Six years later, the council’s own Annual Monitoring Report shows fewer than 300 have been built.

At the latest planning committee, Cllr Peter Black voiced frustration:

“It does seem as if the plan is aiming to be a planned economy without actually any control over the economy. We’re saying how many houses we want built without having any control over that.”

Responding, Tom Evans, the council’s Placemaking and Strategic Planning Manager, acknowledged the difficulties, stressing that Swansea is not alone:

“Deliverability of residential sites has been one of the biggest difficulties we’ve experienced — and it’s not limited to Swansea, it’s a national issue.”

The Strategic Development Sites

Parc Mawr, Penllergaer (planned: 644 homes | delivered: 119)

Drone photography at Bellway’s Parc Mawr development

Bellway Homes is building here, and aerial photos show rows of new houses already occupied. But Parc Mawr has been one of the most controversial sites. A vocal campaign group, Preserve Penllergaer, fought the allocation from the start, warning that the promised primary school and relief road might never materialise. Penllergaer Community Council has echoed those concerns, arguing the development risks overwhelming local services. The late Cllr Wendy Fitzgerald was a prominent critic, warning in 2020 that the scheme would “change the character of the village forever.”

Garden Village, Gorseinon (planned: 700 homes | delivered: 24)

Google Maps view showing Persimmon’s Garden Village development near Gorseinon under construction, where more than 700 new homes and a primary school are being built.

Garden Village has history: it was first conceived as a model community in the early 20th century, but World War I halted progress. A century later, Persimmon was tasked with reviving the idea. Yet only 24 homes have been built so far. The site has been dogged by concerns over ancient woodland, which led to a public inquiry, and by scepticism that the “garden village” branding masks a conventional estate. For now, the grand vision remains largely on paper.

Pontarddulais (planned in the LDP: 486 homes | delivered: 0)

Persimmon’s Pontarddulais Masterplan

On paper, Pontarddulais was supposed to take around 486 homes under the Local Development Plan. In reality, the schemes now on the table go well beyond that figure — and the town has become one of the fiercest battlegrounds in Swansea’s housing debate.

Persimmon’s zero‑carbon neighbourhood

The biggest proposal is from Persimmon Homes, which has branded its 280‑acre scheme south of Glanffrwd Road as a “zero‑carbon ready” neighbourhood. The plans, lodged in 2024, set out 516 homes powered by air‑source heat pumps and solar panels, with no gas connections at all. Persimmon promise a new primary school, a community hall, parks, play areas and sports pitches, alongside contributions for a 3G pitch at Pontarddulais Comprehensive and upgrades to local bus services.

Supporters say it would bring jobs and give young families a chance to stay in the town. But opponents point to the same pinch‑points that have dogged every major application here: traffic through St Teilo Street, the Station Road/Water Street junction, and the pressure on schools and GPs. Councillors resolved to approve the scheme in March 2025 “despite traffic and infrastructure concerns,” but as of this autumn, the fields remain untouched.

Walters’ aluminium site and the spine road row

A second scheme is also moving forward on the former aluminium factory site off Station Road, promoted by Walters Land Ltd. Outline consent has been granted for up to 150 homes, part of a wider tract of land that could eventually deliver as many as 720. The plan has been mired in rows over the so‑called “spine street” — a relief road meant to take traffic away from Water Street. The original LDP envisaged a western route parallel to the railway, but flood risk has forced Walters to propose a new alignment via High Street and Woodville Street. Residents fear it will funnel HGVs and commuter traffic through residential streets.

Even councillors have voiced unease. Cllr Phil Downing warned at committee: “It’s either going to be a functional road, or it’s not – in which case what are we doing?” Despite those misgivings, the outline plans were approved, with just 10% affordable housing promised because of abnormal remediation costs. Walters intend to clean up the site and then sell it on to a housebuilder for detailed consent.

For now, Pontarddulais remains in limbo: two major schemes approved in principle, more homes than the LDP ever envisaged, but not a single brick laid. To campaigners, it’s proof the town is being asked to take too much. To developers, it’s a chance to deliver “sustainable, future‑proof” neighbourhoods. To residents, it’s years of uncertainty with no clear end in sight.

Both major schemes also fall within the nutrient neutrality catchment, meaning even with outline approvals, progress could be delayed until developers can prove their plans will not add to pollution in the Burry Inlet.

Morriston, Clasemont Road (planned: 490–600 homes | delivered: 0)

The Pantlasau Farm development site off Clasemont Road.(Image: Mitchell, Eley, Gould)

The land north of Clasemont Road, known as Pantlasau Farm, was one of the flagship allocations in the Local Development Plan. A detailed “Design Code” was drawn up in 2017 by consultants Mitchell Eley Gould on behalf of the Morris Estate Trustees, setting out a vision for up to 600 homes.

The plans imagined a high‑density, walkable neighbourhood inspired by the original 18th‑century Morriston grid. Key features included:

  • A new primary school and playing fields.
  • A local centre with shops, community space and a small commercial hub.
  • A network of green corridors and a nature reserve to buffer the site from the M4.
  • A mix of houses and flats, with higher densities around the centre and lower densities at the edges.
  • Play areas and sports facilities (one multi‑use games area, three larger play areas and nine smaller ones).
  • A street layout designed as “shared spaces” to slow traffic and prioritise walking and cycling.

The 26‑hectare site was to be built in phases over a decade, starting with around 100 homes and a small commercial space, before expanding to include the school and community hub.

A masterplan on paper

Yet despite the detailed framework, no homes have been built. The allocation remains on paper, a reminder that even with masterplans and design codes, delivery depends on developer appetite, infrastructure funding and market conditions.

Llangyfelach, M4 Junction 46 (planned: 565 homes in the LDP | live proposals: up to 1,950 | delivered: 0)

Llanmor homes is behind plans for 1,950 new homes on 280 acres of land off Llangyfelach Road (Image: Google Maps)

From 565 to 1,950 homes

At the northern edge of Swansea, just off Junction 46 of the M4, lies one of the most ambitious housing sites in the Local Development Plan. Known as Pentref Rhostir, the 280‑acre tract of farmland was originally allocated for 565 homes. Since then, developer Llanmoor Homes has secured outline consent for a far larger scheme: a new community of up to 1,950 homes to be built over 15–20 years, with around 15% affordable.

The masterplan promises more than just housing. It includes:

  • A new primary school.
  • A local centre with shops, food outlets, medical and community facilities.
  • A 1.4km link road designed to ease congestion on Llangyfelach Road.
  • Around 100 acres of public open space, with sports pitches, play areas and landscaped green corridors.
  • Contributions to active travel routes, ecology improvements, and an on‑site demand‑responsive bus service.

Outline consent, no spades in the ground

The first phase was expected to deliver 472 homes, with Llanmoor previously aiming to start infrastructure works in spring 2025 and open a sales centre by autumn. But as of autumn 2025, the fields remain untouched. Despite outline consent and glossy brochures, not a single home has yet been built.

For supporters, Pentref Rhostir is a chance to deliver the scale of housing Swansea desperately needs, in a location with space to grow. For critics, it is a symbol of the gap between the city’s housing promises and the reality on the ground — a flagship allocation still waiting to break ground.

Despite outline consent, the site lies within the affected catchment, so condition discharge and detailed applications may now face additional scrutiny under the new nutrient rules.

Penderi Regeneration

Drone view of Swansea Council’s Colliers Way development in Blaenymaes, where 36 new energy‑efficient council homes have been completed.(Image: Swansea Council)

Penderi — the collective name for the communities of Blaenymaes, Portmead, Penplas and Cadle — is not a strategic LDP housing allocation but a neighbourhood regeneration programme. The area is dominated by social housing, with thousands of homes owned by Pobl and Swansea Council, and has long faced challenges of poor connectivity, deprivation and ageing housing stock.

Since the LDP was adopted, the most significant investment here has been in retrofitting existing homes rather than large‑scale new construction. The flagship Penderi Energy Project, led by Pobl in partnership with Sero, is one of the UK’s largest residential retrofit schemes. It is upgrading 644 social homes with solar panels, battery storage and other energy‑efficient technologies, aiming to cut bills and carbon emissions.

There has also been some new council housing: Swansea Council has completed 36 homes off Colliers Way in Blaenymaes — 18 built to ultra‑efficient Passive House standards and 18 to the council’s own “Swansea Standard,” which performs 25% better than building regulations.

The 2022 regeneration prospectus, prepared with The Urbanists, sets out a 15‑year vision for a 92‑hectare area. It proposes:

  • Transforming The Ravine and other green corridors, with 27ha of landscape improvements overall.
  • Upgrading 14ha of sports fields at Penlan Fields.
  • Testing layouts for 384 new dwellings, potentially adding around 921 residents.
  • Raising tree canopy cover from 7.5% to 50% within 15 years, through new street trees, fruit trees in gardens and extensive planting.

The ambition is to turn Penderi from a low‑density, service‑poor estate into a greener, healthier, better‑connected neighbourhood. Progress so far has been modest — a retrofit programme and a handful of new council homes — but the groundwork has been laid for a much larger transformation if the masterplan is realised.

Cefn Coed Hospital, Tycoch (planned: 371 homes | delivered: 73 pre‑LDP, 0 since)

Drone view of the derelict Cefn Coed Hospital site in Tycoch, with the 73‑home Bellway estate at Lon Masarn in the foreground. The health board now plans to keep part of the site for a new mental health unit, reducing the number of homes likely to be built.(Image: 28dayslater)

The sprawling Cefn Coed Hospital site was originally earmarked for around 350–370 homes once services moved out. An early phase on the edge of the site, built by Bellway Homes off Lon Masarn, delivered 73 houses before the Local Development Plan was adopted.

But the wider redevelopment has stalled — and the scale of housing is now set to shrink. In 2023 Swansea Bay University Health Board confirmed that part of the land will be retained for a new adult acute mental health unit, with space for parking and possible future expansion. That means the number of homes likely to be built has fallen to around 170, almost half the original figure.

The health board has also acquired and plans to demolish an old Welsh Ambulance Service building on the site to make way for the new unit, subject to planning approval. Officials said the change reflects the need to modernise NHS facilities while managing a £100m+ maintenance backlog across the estate.

At the same time, the board has identified surplus land, including parts of Cefn Coed, as potential “candidate sites” for housing in Swansea Council’s next Local Development Plan (LDP2). That means some areas could still be released for development, but the final balance between health facilities and housing will only be confirmed in the new plan.

Waunarlwydd / Fforestfach (planned in the LDP: 716 homes | delivered: 0)

Red‑line boundary map of Barratt Homes’ proposed “Keepers Lodge” development at Waunarlwydd, showing the farm site off Titanium Road earmarked for around 400 homes, a primary school and a community hub.

This corner of Swansea was earmarked in the Local Development Plan for major growth, with around 716 homes expected. In practice, the proposals now emerging are even bigger.

Persimmon’s ribbon of development

Persimmon’s outline for a 600‑home estate has already stirred fears of a “continuous ribbon” of development stretching from Penllergaer to Gowerton. Campaigners warn it would erode the green gaps between communities and overload the A484 corridor.

Barratt’s Keepers Lodge vision

And in late 2024, Barratt Homes began consulting on a second scheme at Keepers Lodge Farm, off Titanium Road. Their boards, shown at a pre‑application consultation in November 2024, set out a vision for around 400 homes, a new primary school, and a “community heart” with shops, commercial space and community facilities.

The boards also noted that the wider site is allocated in the LDP for mixed‑use development of approximately 1,319 homes — far more than the 716 figure usually quoted. Barratt’s “Keepers Lodge” would be the first phase of that larger allocation.

For now, though, the fields remain untouched. No formal planning application has yet been lodged, and residents are bracing for another round of arguments over traffic, schools and the loss of green space.

Gowerton, Fairwood Terrace (planned in the LDP: 664 homes | delivered: 0)

Planning map showing the red‑line boundary of the proposed 216‑home development off Fairwood Terrace, Gowerton. The scheme, refused by Swansea Council in 2024, is now the subject of an appeal by Persimmon Homes and Urban Style Land.

A strategic site with zero delivery

This site has become a symbol of the contradictions at the heart of Swansea’s Local Development Plan. On paper, the land at the end of Fairwood Terrace was earmarked for hundreds of homes. But when the first major application came forward — a joint bid by Persimmon Homes West Wales and Urban Style Land Ltd — councillors turned it down, despite their own officers recommending approval.

The outline application, lodged in 2024, sought permission for up to 216 homes alongside some mixed‑use commercial space. The plans promised a blend of flats and houses from one to four bedrooms, with just over 10% affordable housing, plus new pedestrian crossings, an upgraded signal‑controlled junction at Fairwood Terrace and Victoria Road, and even a potential park‑and‑ride hub to serve Gowerton railway station.

Residents were unconvinced. A Facebook campaign group, “Save Gowerton From Gridlock,” mobilised hundreds of objections, warning that the extra traffic would overwhelm the already congested Fairwood Terrace/Victoria Road junction, where a low railway bridge and rugby club access already create bottlenecks. Others raised concerns about the loss of mature trees and green space, and about pressure on local schools and GP surgeries.

In September 2024, the planning committee narrowly voted to refuse the scheme, citing congestion and amenity impacts. Officers warned the refusal reasons were weak and would be hard to defend at appeal, but councillors stood firm.

The twist came in 2025, when the case went to appeal before Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW). Gowerton ward councillors Susan Jones and Dai Jenkins, who had opposed the scheme, initially agreed to defend the refusal. But they later stepped back, saying they wanted to represent their constituents’ views more freely outside the formal constraints of the planning process. Into the breach stepped Cllr Peter Black, who has taken on the role of defending the council’s decision at the hearing, supported by planning officers.

The developers, meanwhile, are pressing hard. Persimmon and Urban Style Land argue the scheme fits the Local Development Plan and meets pressing housing needs. They have even lodged a claim for costs, insisting there is an “overwhelming case” for approval. Nearly 600 local submissions have been made to PEDW, underlining the depth of feeling in the community.

For campaigners, the refusal was a victory for common sense. For developers, it is a test case of whether Swansea can deliver the homes its own plan says are needed. For the council, it has become an awkward standoff: a strategic allocation with zero delivery, a developer determined to push ahead, and a community that feels it has already reached breaking point.

The Fairwood Terrace appeal has already been postponed while Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) seeks further evidence on nutrient impacts — underlining how the new rules are already slowing decisions.

⚖️ Gowerton at Appeal

The Fairwood Terrace site (216 homes, part of the Gowerton allocation) was refused by Swansea’s planning committee in 2024 on traffic grounds, despite officers recommending approval.

Planning officers warned the refusal reasons were “not particularly strong” and may be hard to defend at appeal.

After ward members stepped back, Cllr Peter Black was nominated to defend the decision at a Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) hearing.

Developers Persimmon Homes and Urban Style Land argue the scheme complies with the LDP and would provide “much‑needed housing.”

Nearly 600 local submissions have been made to PEDW, alongside petitions and objections citing congestion and safety concerns.

The appeal has since been postponed while inspectors seek further evidence on nutrient impacts, showing how the new nutrient neutrality rules are already affecting live cases.

Central Area / Waterfront (planned: 856 homes | delivered: 128 so far, with more underway)

Drone view of Swansea’s SA1 Waterfront showing Beacon Cymru’s new housing development under construction on Kings Road, part of the city’s Central Area regeneration.
(Image: Beacon Cymru)

The Central Area / Waterfront SDA covers Swansea city centre and the SA1 Waterfront. It was earmarked in the Local Development Plan for 856 homes, alongside new commercial and leisure space. Since adoption in 2019, only 128 homes have been completed, but several major schemes are now underway that could lift delivery closer to target.

City centre regeneration

City centre regeneration has been the most visible. The Copr Bay Arena and bridge opened in 2022 as Phase One of the Swansea Central project. Phase Two is now progressing, with the former St David’s Shopping Centre site earmarked for a new office and learning campus. The council’s flagship 71/72 The Kingsway office scheme is complete, providing space for around 600 jobs in the tech and digital sectors. Alongside this, upper floors of vacant commercial buildings on The Kingsway and High Street are being converted into apartments to bring more residents into the core.

The Civic Centre prize

The Civic Centre site on the seafront is the next big prize. Urban Splash unveiled a “sketchbook vision” in December 2024 to transform the 23‑acre site with 500–600 homes, ground‑floor cafes and bars, a hotel, and even a two‑storey aquarium. The scheme will only move forward once council services relocate to Y Storfa, a new public sector hub in the former BHS store on Oxford Street. Y Storfa is due to open in late 2025, housing the central library, West Glamorgan Archive Service, and a range of council and partner services.

SA1 Waterfront schemes

SA1 Waterfront remains a key housing location. Pobl’s Sidings development added new apartments soon after the LDP was adopted, and further schemes are now in train. Construction began in early 2025 on 43 affordable homes on Langdon Road, due for completion in 2027. In late 2024, Beacon Cymru (formerly Coastal Housing) started work on 104 social rent apartments with ground‑floor commercial space on Kings Road. In May 2025, the Welsh Government agreed to sell two further SA1 plots (D5B and D9B) to Pobl and Beacon Cymru for 69 more social homes.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is also expanding its footprint in SA1. Its Innovation Matrix — a facility to connect business and academia — launched in 2025, with further research and collaboration projects under discussion.

Taken together, these projects show the Central Area / Waterfront is finally beginning to deliver on its promise of a denser, more vibrant urban core. But while the commercial and cultural elements have advanced quickly, the housing element is still catching up. Council officers say the area remains a priority for affordable and mixed‑use growth, with brownfield redevelopment and conversions central to the strategy.

Fabian Way Corridor (planned: 525 homes | delivered: 60)

Drone view of Swansea University’s Bay Campus on Fabian Way, with its seafront setting and landmark academic buildings forming the eastern gateway into the city.

Marketed in the Local Development Plan as Swansea’s “Innovation Corridor,” Fabian Way was supposed to deliver hundreds of homes alongside jobs, research facilities and new commercial space. To date, just 60 homes have been built, leaving the residential element far short of the 525 promised.

Instead, most of the activity has been around infrastructure and employment. Swansea University’s Bay Campus is now firmly established, Amazon’s distribution centre dominates the eastern end, and SA1 continues to grow with new university and residential blocks. But the corridor’s housing allocations remain largely untouched.

Transport first, housing later

Two linked transport schemes are now at the heart of the strategy. The Baldwin’s Bridge replacement would see the existing bridge over Baldwin’s Crescent rebuilt or upgraded, while a new Langdon Road connection would create a spine road through SA1, parallel to Fabian Way. Together, they are designed to ease congestion, improve access to the city centre, and provide safer walking and cycling routes for students and commuters. Swansea Council has already approved land acquisition south of Fabian Way at the docks, and Welsh Government funding is in place for feasibility and design. The project is listed as a priority in the regional transport plan.

Crucially, this is a joint scheme between Swansea Council and Neath Port Talbot Council, because the county boundary runs directly through the middle of the development zone — just west of the Bay Campus. That split jurisdiction has long complicated delivery, but both councils are now working together to unlock the corridor’s potential.

Another missing piece is the long‑promised Southern Access Road to Coed Darcy. Planned for more than a decade, it was intended to link the 4,000‑home “urban village” on the former BP refinery site directly to Fabian Way, relieving pressure on Jersey Marine and providing a dedicated public transport corridor. Sometimes referred to as “Ffordd Amazon Stage 2,” the road was identified in the 2010 Fabian Way Transport Assessment as essential early infrastructure. Yet only a short stub was ever built, ending abruptly. The full link has been repeatedly delayed by the slow pace of Coed Darcy itself and the engineering challenge of crossing the protected Crymlyn Bog. Neath Port Talbot Council now acknowledges the scheme “has not been developed,” and its future depends on whether the re‑scaled Coed Darcy plans finally move forward.

Other works are also reshaping the area. Neath Port Talbot Council has begun major drainage improvements on Fabian Way to tackle persistent flooding, supported by the Welsh Government’s Resilient Roads Fund. Plans are advancing to expand the Fabian Way park‑and‑ride into a “green transport hub”, potentially with hydrogen production and large‑scale EV charging. And within SA1 itself, new planning applications for apartments on Langdon Road show that piecemeal residential growth is still happening.

For now, though, the vision of a thriving mixed‑use corridor remains incomplete. The infrastructure projects may unlock development sites and improve connectivity, but the housing allocations are still waiting to be realised — a decade after they were first promised.

Tawe Riverside / St Thomas (planned: 258 homes | delivered: 0)

Overhead drone view of the former St Thomas railway station site on the east bank of the River Tawe, with Swansea’s waterfront district and city centre beyond. The land is earmarked for a new riverside neighbourhood led by Urban Splash and Lovell.
(Image: Swansea Council)

On the east bank of the River Tawe, the St Thomas allocation was supposed to deliver 258 homes as part of a wider riverside regeneration. To date, not a single dwelling has been built. Instead, the area has become the focus of a broader transformation effort, backed by UK Government Levelling Up funding and a new masterplan led by Urban Splash.

Urban Splash and Lovell’s riverside vision

The St Thomas Riverside site, once home to a railway station and later left as a green corridor, is now the subject of detailed proposals by Urban Splash and Lovell. Their Stage 1 Project Plan sets out around 158 new homes, half of them affordable, alongside a riverside promenade, a new public square, and flexible commercial units. Stirling Prize‑winning architects AHMM are part of the design team, with plans for riverside townhouses, a six‑storey “marker” building, and a central garden street. The scheme promises to reconnect St Thomas with the river for the first time in 150 years, with potential for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge to the city centre.

Levelling Up heritage projects

At the same time, the Tawe Riverside Corridor Action Plan highlights the area’s role as a heritage destination. A £28m Levelling Up programme is funding restoration of the Hafod Morfa Copperworks, new pontoons on the river, and upgrades to Swansea Museum. Together, these projects aim to create jobs, attract visitors, and complete missing links in the riverside walkway and cycle network.

Council depot site in play

The council’s own landholdings are also in play. Swansea Council has confirmed plans to vacate its long‑standing Pipehouse Wharf depot, relocating operations to a new facility at the Enterprise Park. The riverside depot, currently used for waste and recycling vehicles, sits next to the St David’s student accommodation on Morfa Road. Officials say the site is expected to generate “significant interest” from potential purchasers once it is released, adding to the pool of land available for regeneration along the Tawe corridor. Coastal Housing previously explored a 150‑home scheme here, though those plans did not progress. With the depot now earmarked for disposal, the site is once again likely to attract developers as part of the city’s wider riverside transformation.

For residents, the promise is of a greener, better‑connected neighbourhood, with new homes, public spaces and heritage attractions. But as with so many of Swansea’s strategic sites, the vision remains on paper. Delivery will depend on overcoming viability challenges, securing infrastructure funding, and navigating new environmental rules such as nutrient neutrality.

📊 Strategic Sites at a Glance

Parc Mawr, Penllergaer
644 planned | 119 built

Garden Village, Gorseinon
700 planned | 24 built

Pontarddulais
486 planned | 0 built

Morriston, Clasemont Road
490–600 planned | 0 built

Cefn Coed Hospital, Tycoch
371 planned | 73 built (before the LDP, none since)

Waunarlwydd / Fforestfach
716 planned | 0 built

Gowerton, Fairwood Terrace
664 planned | 0 built

Llangyfelach, M4 J46
565 planned (LDP allocation) | 0 built

Central Area / Waterfront
856 planned | 128 built

Fabian Way Corridor
525 planned | 60 built

Tawe Riverside / St Thomas
258 planned | 0 built

Total promised: 6,575–6,685 | Total delivered: fewer than 300

Why Swansea’s big sites stalled

The council points to Covid shutdowns, labour shortages, rising material costs, and new rules on drainage and biodiversity. Developers say large, infrastructure‑heavy sites are harder to make viable quickly. Campaigners argue the allocations were unrealistic, too big, or in the wrong places. And Swansea is not alone: Cardiff, Newport, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot have all reported housing shortfalls.

Evans told councillors the next plan will need to be more selective:

“All of those sites that are identified, whether for housing or employment, are being reviewed as part of the new plan. What we need to do is make sure we’re identifying the most sustainable and deliverable, most appropriate sites for the next 10 to 15 years.”

On top of these challenges, a new environmental constraint has emerged — one that could stall Swansea’s housing pipeline even further.

Environmental rules put housing targets at risk

New nutrient neutrality rules could delay major housing projects across Swansea for months, threatening the city’s ability to meet its housing targets.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has ruled that the Burry Inlet and Carmarthen Bay Estuary Special Area of Conservation is in an “unfavourable condition” due to excess nutrients. That means every new development in the catchment must now prove it will not add to pollution levels.

Ian Davies, the council’s development manager, told the planning committee:

“We have to be sure that the development is not adding to the nutrients that are entering the water course and therefore impacting adversely on water quality.”

He warned that while small schemes such as household extensions can be “screened out”, larger housing projects — from single dwellings to 500‑home estates — will be on hold unless developers can demonstrate nutrient neutrality.

“Some of the larger applications… are going to be on hold. My feeling is that’s likely to be months rather than weeks in resolving this, even longer potentially.”

The change affects some of Swansea’s biggest growth areas, including the Loughor Estuary and north‑west Swansea, where thousands of homes are allocated in the Local Development Plan.

Cllr Peter Black told the committee:

“This area is one of the biggest areas of new house building growth in Swansea… those bigger applications are going to be massively hit by this.”

Knock‑on effects for viability

Developers will be expected to fund mitigation measures, such as reed beds or land set aside for nutrient offsetting, secured for the lifetime of the development. Officers warned this could reduce the scope for Section 106 contributions, meaning fewer affordable homes or lower investment in schools and community facilities.

“You may see reports recommending approval but not at the sort of levels of policy requirements in terms of section 106 contributions,” Davies said.

Regional challenge, national task force

The rules apply equally to council‑led housing schemes, not just private developers. Swansea is now working with Welsh Government, NRW and neighbouring authorities through a new task force to find long‑term solutions.

Tom Evans, the council’s placemaking and strategic planning manager, stressed that Swansea is not being passive:

“We have a seat around the table at the Welsh Government task force… we are very closely involved in trying to find the solutions.”

Officials stressed the requirement is a matter of law under the Habitats Regulations, not optional guidance, and will shape how housing sites are brought forward in the next Local Development Plan.

What it means for people here

For families, it means fewer affordable homes and more bidding wars. For young people, it means being priced out or pushed further afield. For communities, it means the schools, GP surgeries and roads that were supposed to come with the big sites haven’t materialised, leaving existing services under strain. Instead, most of Swansea’s new homes are coming from smaller “windfall” sites like Cwmrhydyceirw Quarry and Hendrefoilan. They’ve delivered hundreds of homes, but without the infrastructure the SDAs were supposed to guarantee.

The road to LDP2

The council is now preparing a new Local Development Plan, known as LDP2, which will run to 2038. Officials say the lessons of the past five years will feed into it: why the strategic sites stalled, how to make development viable, and how to ensure infrastructure arrives alongside homes.

Evans added that continuing to monitor delivery will be important:

“Producing another monitoring report would help us see whether or not delivery has been significantly affected by these new constraints.”

The draft “Preferred Strategy” for LDP2 doesn’t re‑list the stalled strategic sites by name. Instead, all existing allocations are being reviewed — some may be carried forward, others dropped, and new ones added. More than a thousand “candidate sites” have been submitted by landowners and developers, but inclusion on the register doesn’t guarantee allocation. Only those judged sustainable and deliverable will make it into the next plan.

For campaigners in Penllergaer, Pontarddulais and Gowerton, it’s a chance to argue again that their communities cannot absorb the scale of development proposed. For those struggling to find a home, it’s a reminder that Swansea’s housing crisis is far from solved. The next plan will shape where the city grows for the next decade. The question is whether it can succeed where the last one has so clearly stumbled.

Officials have confirmed that nutrient neutrality will be a core test for candidate sites, with only those able to demonstrate mitigation likely to survive into the final plan.

🗂️ What is LDP2?

The new plan:
Swansea is replacing its current Local Development Plan with a new version, known as LDP2, which will run to 2038.

Preferred Strategy:
Published in late 2024, it sets the vision, growth level and broad approach for where new homes and jobs should go.

Candidate sites:
More than 1,000 pieces of land have been put forward by landowners and developers. These are not allocations — they are being assessed for suitability and deliverability.

Strategic sites under review:
The big sites from the current plan are being reassessed. Some may be carried forward, others dropped, and new ones added.

Timeline:
A detailed “Deposit Plan” with confirmed sites is due in 2026. Adoption of LDP2 is expected around 2027/28.

Environmental constraints such as nutrient neutrality will be central to which sites are judged “deliverable” in the new plan.

#AffordableHousing #BarrattHomes #BayCampus #Bellway #Blaenymaes #BurryInlet #Cadle #CefnCoedHospital #ClasemontRoad #CllrPeterBlack #CoedDarcy #construction #FabianWay #FairwoodTerrace #featured #Fforestfach #GardenVillage #Gorseinon #Gowerton #homepage #housingBlueprint #housingCrisis #KeepersLodgeFarm #LDP #LDP2 #Llangyfelach #LlanmoorHomes #LocalDevelopmentPlan #M4Junction46 #Morriston #newHomes #nutrientNeutrality #PantlasauFarm #ParcMawr #PenderiRegeneration #Penllergaer #Penplas #PentrefRhostir #PersimmonHomes #planning #Pontarddulais #Portmead #SA1 #StThomas #StrategicDevelopmentAreas #SwanseaCityCentre #SwanseaCouncil #SwanseaHousing #TaweRiverside #Tycoch #Waterfront #Waunarlwydd

Housing estate under construction. Swansea’s Local Development Plan promised 7,000 homes, but fewer than 300 have been delivered as major sites stall.Drone photography at Bellway's Parc Mawr developmentScreenshot of Persimmon’s Garden Village housing development in Swansea, a 700‑home scheme with school and community facilities now under construction.Persimmon's Pontarddulais Masterplan

Continuous ribbon of housing could stretch from Penllergaer to Gowerton as new 600‑home scheme unveiled

The new scheme

Planning consultants Lichfields have lodged a request for a screening opinion with Swansea Council on behalf of Persimmon. The 45‑hectare site, bisected by Swansea Road (B4560), could deliver:

  • Up to 600 homes (mainly 2–4 bedroom houses, some flats up to four storeys).
  • A local centre with shops and flats above.
  • A community orchard and allotments.
  • An active travel route linking through the site and across the River Llan, connecting into the neighbouring Fairwood Terrace site. This would be a walking and cycling link only – not a vehicular road.
Map showing Persimmon’s proposed housing developments between Fforestfach, Waunarlwydd and Gowerton, including links to the Fairwood Terrace site and their position opposite Parc Mawr in Penllergaer.
(Image: Litchfields)

Opposite Parc Mawr on the A484

The site’s northern boundary fronts the A484, directly opposite the Parc Mawr development in Penllergaer, where Bellway and Barratt are building around 1,000 homes, a school and a new link road to the A483/M4.

If both proceed, the A484 would effectively become the spine of a continuous growth corridor, with large housing estates on both sides of the road.

Fairwood Terrace controversy

Just to the west, Persimmon’s Fairwood Terrace scheme for around 230 homes beside Gowerton railway station was refused by councillors in 2024 on traffic grounds, despite officer support.

That decision followed fierce local opposition, with nearly 900 objection letters and a 300‑signature petition. Residents warned the development would overwhelm already congested junctions. Persimmon has since appealed to the Welsh Government, and the case is now with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales.

The new Fforestfach/Waunarlwydd site is designed to link into Fairwood Terrace via the active travel route, knitting the two schemes together.

Other major schemes nearby

The Fforestfach proposal adds to a cluster of large developments already reshaping north‑west Swansea:

  • Garden Village, Gorseinon (Persimmon): More than 700 homes under construction, with a school, park and community facilities.
  • Parc Mawr, Penllergaer (Bellway/Barratt): Around 850 homes, a school and a new link road between Gorseinon Road and the A483.
  • Pentref Llewelyn, Penllergaer (Barratt): Over 150 homes north of Penllergaer, adjoining Parc Mawr.
  • Fairwood Terrace, Gowerton (Persimmon): 230 homes refused, now under appeal.
  • Chapel Fields, Loughor (Barratt): 115 homes across two phases on land south of Glebe Road, backing onto the A484.

The cumulative picture

If all of these schemes proceed, the corridor from Penllergaer through Gorseinon, Waunarlwydd and Gowerton could see close to 3,000 new homes built.

That scale of growth would amount to a new town the size of Loughor or Pontarddulais, stitched together along the A484. Campaigners argue the cumulative impact on traffic, schools, GP surgeries and green space cannot be ignored.

At a glance: the A484 housing corridor

DevelopmentLocationDeveloperHomesStatusParc MawrPenllergaer – bounded by the A4240 (north), A483 (east) and A484 (south)Bellway850 (184 in first phase)Under construction (phased)Pentref LlewelynOpposite Parc Mawr, PenllergaerBarratt / David Wilson Homes166Approved, partly built outGarden VillageNorth‑west of GorseinonPersimmon705Under constructionFairwood TerraceBeside Gowerton railway stationPersimmon216Refused (2024), now under appealFforestfach / WaunarlwyddSouth of A484, directly opposite Parc MawrPersimmonUp to 600Pre‑planning (screening opinion lodged)Chapel FieldsLand south of Glebe Road, Loughor (backing onto A484)Barratt Homes115 (92 + 23 in second phase)Phase 1 under construction; Phase 2 approved

Total potential homes across corridor: around 2,650

What is a screening opinion?

Under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, large developments may need a full Environmental Impact Assessment if they are likely to have significant environmental effects.

A screening opinion is the council’s formal decision on whether an EIA is required. Developers submit details of the site, the proposal and potential impacts, and the council decides if a full EIA must accompany any future planning application.

In this case, Persimmon argue that impacts can be managed through mitigation measures such as drainage schemes, ecological surveys and construction management plans, so a full EIA is not necessary. Swansea Council will issue its decision within 21 days.

Next steps

If the council rules that no EIA is required, Persimmon can move ahead with a full planning application for the site. If an EIA is required, the process will be longer and more detailed.

Either way, the proposals will eventually go before Swansea Council’s planning committee, where councillors will weigh the scheme against local and national planning policies — and the views of residents.

Related Articles

Correction: This article originally stated that the Pentref Llewelyn development in Penllergaer comprised around 400 homes. The approved planning consent is for 166 homes. No additional phases have been submitted or approved at this stage.

#A4240 #A483 #A484 #construction #FairwoodTerrace #featured #GardenVillage #Gowerton #LDP #newHomes #Penllergaer #PersimmonHomes #planningApplication #screeningOption #StrategicSite #Swansea #Waunarlwydd

Screenshot of Persimmon’s Garden Village housing development in Swansea, a 700‑home scheme with school and community facilities now under construction.Map of Persimmon’s planned 600‑home Fforestfach/Waunarlwydd scheme and nearby sites, highlighting the A484 corridor of major housing developments.

Carjacker sentenced after terrifying robbery of Swansea taxi driver

Threatened with scissors in Waunarlwydd

Swansea Crown Court heard that Nicholas Daniel, 34, of Felindre, was picked up by a Yellow Cabs driver in Waunarlwydd on 29 July 2024. After stopping at a shop on Old Swansea Road, Daniel returned to the vehicle with alcohol, produced scissors from his waistband, and held them close to the driver’s stomach.

“I’m serious. I don’t want to hurt you. You have to get out,” he told the cabbie.

The driver grabbed his phone and money bag but was forced to leave the keys. Daniel slid into the driver’s seat and drove off.

High‑speed chase through Swansea streets

The stolen Skoda Octavia was spotted in Morriston around 7.30pm. Officers described Daniel’s driving as “erratic” — swerving across the road, hitting speeds of 60mph, and narrowly missing other vehicles and a motorcyclist.

Police cars were rammed as they tried to box him in. A stinger device was deployed, but Daniel swerved, hit a traffic island, and crashed into parked and oncoming cars. The taxi was written off, as was a vehicle belonging to a community mental health nurse.

When arrested, Daniel told officers he had planned to drive to Worm’s Head on Gower and end his life by going over the cliffs.

Family’s pleas for help before robbery

The court heard Daniel’s family had tried to get him help in the weeks before the robbery as his mental health deteriorated. Psychiatric reports diagnosed him with schizophrenia and severe personality disorder (schizoaffective disorder).

Judge Catherine Richards said Daniel had been suffering from acute psychosis at the time, including persecutory and command hallucinations.

She told the court that without his mental health condition, Daniel would have faced a “significant” prison sentence.

CPS: ‘Taxi drivers should not face threats of violence’

Abul Hussain, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Cymru‑Wales, said:

“Nicholas Daniel brazenly robbed a taxi driver of his vehicle in broad daylight, then drove dangerously and crashed as he was trying to flee. His actions were reckless and put other people at risk.

Taxi drivers provide a valuable public service and should not have to face threats of violence from customers.”

Hospital order and driving ban

On 1 October 2025, Daniel was made subject to a hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act with a section 41 restriction order without limit of time. He was also disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to take an extended test.

Daniel had pleaded guilty to robbery, dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, and driving without insurance.

The court also heard he had previous convictions, including two robberies in Waunarlwydd shops in 2009 and 2012.

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Two taken to hospital after car leaves road near Llwynhendy
Emergency crews rescued two people after a vehicle left the B4304 and ended up in woodland.

Video shows moment high‑speed Llanelli police chase ends in crash
Dashcam footage captures a pursuit through Felinfoel before a Kia slammed into a lamppost.

Welsh Parliament to consider new drink‑drive and driver test laws
Proposals include lowering the alcohol limit and compulsory eyesight checks for over‑70s.

#carjacking #CPS #CrownProsecutionService #Felindre #mentalHealth #MentalHealthAct #personalityDisorder #psychosis #RoadTrafficAccident #robbery #schizophrenia #Taxi #Waunarlwydd

Carjacker sentenced after threatening a Swansea taxi driver with scissors and stealing his cab before a high‑speed police chase and crash.

Woman jailed after family return home to find her in their kitchen and flat ransacked

Lorraine Merriman, 46, had broken into the flat on St Helen’s Road on the evening of July 20. The family, who had been out with their young child, came back to discover smashed items, food taken from the kitchen, clothes pulled from drawers and toys scattered across the floor.

The damage was so extensive they were unable to stay in the property that night.

After spotting Merriman inside, the family left immediately and called police. Officers arrived and arrested her on suspicion of burglary.

Prosecutor Dean Pulling told Swansea Crown Court that Merriman smelled strongly of alcohol and “had trouble standing up”. During the journey to custody she became “highly abusive” towards the arresting officers, calling one “a dirty, noncey P**”, “a dirty little P***”, and a “black b******”.

Once at the police station, she threatened to bite an officer before spitting on the arm of a female constable.

The court heard Merriman had 16 previous offences, including theft and criminal damage, and was already serving a two-year community order imposed in October 2024 for battery.

In interview, she answered “no comment” to all questions.

Defending, Dan Griffiths said his client “remembers absolutely nothing about what she did, which is probably a good thing given her appalling behaviour”. He added: “She describes herself as disgusted. In the circumstances the only thing she can do is offer an apology to the family concerned and the officers who arrested her, in particular the officer she abused.”

Recorder Simon Stephenson told Merriman her actions were so serious that only an immediate prison sentence was appropriate.

Merriman, of Clas y Bedw, Waunarlwydd, had previously admitted burglary with intent to cause criminal damage, a racially aggravated public order offence, and assaulting a police constable. She was jailed for 27 months.

#burglary #SouthWalesPolice #StHelensRoad #Swansea #Waunarlwydd

Lorraine Merriman

Thousands caught speeding on Swansea and Port Talbot roads — including one driver at 111mph in a 50 zone

More than 96,000 drivers were issued Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs) for speeding in South Wales over the past year — and several of the worst-affected roads are in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Among the most striking figures was a driver clocked at 111mph on the M4 at Junction 41 Pentyla–Seaway Parade Bridge westbound, where the speed limit is just 50mph. The offence, recorded in January 2025, was one of the five worst speeding incidents in the region.

The M4 may be a 50mph zone with average speed cameras at Junction 41 – but one driver was clocked doing an unbelievable 111mph in January 2025.
(Image: Google Maps)

Gors Avenue among South Wales’ top speeding hotspots

In Swansea, Gors Avenue junction Dewi Terrace in Townhill saw 4,340 speeding offences recorded in 2024/25 — placing it third on the list of South Wales’ worst roads for speeding.

The stretch is home to a fixed speed camera and has been the subject of local campaigns to raise the limit back to 30mph. While part of Gors Avenue (between Townhill Road and Carmarthen Road) has since reverted to 30mph, the section where these offences were recorded remains at 20mph.

Other Swansea locations in the top 20 include:

  • B4295 Swansea Road, Waunarlwydd – 3,702 NIPs
  • Llangyfelach Road (junction Parkhill Road) – 3,295 NIPs
  • Mumbles Road, Blackpill (westbound) – 1,174 NIPs

Each of these locations is monitored by fixed speed cameras. Llangyfelach Road, in particular, has seen controversy — with campaigners calling for the 20mph limit to be raised and a previous incident where the speed camera was cut down by vigilantes using an angle grinder. Police later offered a £1,000 reward for information about the attack.

VIDEO: Vigilantes cutting down the Llangyfelach Road speed camera

Top 20 roads for speeding offences in South Wales

RankRoadCountyNIPsFixed Penalties1A410 Swansea Road, Merthyr TydfilMerthyr Tydfil8,7703,3812A48 Western Avenue j/w Excelsior RoadCardiff6,1572,2343Gors Avenue j/w Dewi Terrace, TownhillSwansea4,3401,5124B4295 Swansea Road, WaunarlwyddSwansea3,7021,4845A4061 Bagan Street, TreherbertRhondda Cynon Taf3,4121,2386Llangyfelach Road j/w Parkhill RoadSwansea3,2951,1167Berw Road (SB)Pontypridd2,3398258Circle Way West j/w Ael-y-BrynCardiff2,3327949Cemetery Road, PorthRhondda Cynon Taf1,96681710A470 Manor Way j/w Caegwyn RoadCardiff1,87866811A470 Northern AvenueCardiff1,87668812A473 Cowbridge Road j/w Coychurch Road (SB)Bridgend1,74958013Newport Road j/w Claremont AvenueCardiff1,73060014M4 Port Talbot (WB)Neath Port Talbot1,52680415Cowbridge Road, Talbot Green (SB)Rhondda Cynon Taf1,36452516Berw Road (NB)Pontypridd1,33048317M4 Overbridge nr Groesfaen J33–J34Rhondda Cynon Taf1,26455818Hirwaun Road j/w Cemetery Road (NB)Rhondda Cynon Taf1,20843719A48 Newport Road nr Cardiff Garden CentreCardiff1,20470620Mumbles Road, Blackpill (WB)Swansea1,174329

M4 Port Talbot also among worst for speeding

The M4 westbound at Port Talbot recorded 1,526 speeding offences last year, placing it in the top 20. The stretch is monitored by a fixed camera and has long been a focus for enforcement due to high traffic volumes and safety concerns.

The data, compiled by Legal Expert using South Wales Police figures, shows a 57% increase in speeding notices compared to the previous year. In 2023/24, the force issued 61,390 NIPs. That figure rose to 96,368 in 2024/25 — equating to over £9.6 million in potential fines.

The worst speeding offence overall was 121mph on the A48 at Stormy Down, Bridgend — more than double the 50mph limit.

Worst recorded speeds in South Wales

RankSpeedLocationCountyLimitDate1121 mphA48 Stormy Down (EB)Bridgend50 mphJul 20242112 mphA470 Upper Boat (NB)Rhondda Cynon Taf50 mphAug 20243111 mphM4 J41 Pentyla–Seaway Parade Bridge (WB)Neath Port Talbot50 mphJan 2025=4107 mphM4 Overbridge nr Groesfaen J33–J34Rhondda Cynon Taf70 mphOct 2024=4107 mphM4 Overbridge nr Groesfaen J33–J34Rhondda Cynon Taf70 mphFeb 2024=4107 mphM4 Overbridge nr Groesfaen J33–J34Rhondda Cynon Taf70 mphNov 20245106 mphM4 Overbridge nr Groesfaen J33–J34Rhondda Cynon Taf70 mphOct 2024

#20mph #30mph #Blackpill #GorsAvenue #Junction41 #LlangyfelachRoad #M4 #Mumbles #MumblesRoad #NeathPortTalbot #NIP #NoticeOfIntendedProsecution #PortTalbot #SpeedCamera #speeding #speedingOffences #Swansea #SwanseaRoad #Townhill #Waunarlwydd

A speed camera on Gors Avenue in a 20mph zone has seen over 4,300 drivers prosecuted for speedingThe M4 may be a 50mph zone with average speed cameras at Junction 41 - but one driver was clocked doing an unbelievable 111mph in January 2025.

Parts of Swansea to get electric ‘safety inspection’ visits

The checks, which affect properties in Fforestfach, Manselton, Penlan, Treboeth, and Waunarlwydd will take place from this week.

National Grid say that domestic and small business customers in the SA5 postcode will receive visits from approved contractors to check that service termination points inside properties are working as they should.

The service termination point, also known as a cut-out, is the indoor location where the main incoming electricity service cable and fuse is situated, in most cases close to the electricity meter. The cut-out is situated in a meter cabinet on the outside of most modern properties built since the 1980s, though it could be located within the property adjacent to the electricity meter or the customer’s consumer unit.

Inspectors will visually inspect National Grid and energy suppliers’ equipment and record basic details. No disassembly work will be carried out and customers’ power supplies will not be interrupted while inspections occur.

National Grid say they are aiming to complete 400,000 inspections of cut-outs in homes and small businesses across the Midlands, South West and South Wales every year in a rolling programme over the next 20 years.

It has an Ofgem licence obligation to carry out asset inspections to ensure cut-outs at low voltage metered properties are operating safely.

Richard Brady, National Grid’s Policy Engineer heading the inspection programme, said: “The UK is recognised internationally as having one of the most resilient and safe energy systems and this inspection programme underlines our commitment to the highest safety standards.

“Inspectors will visually examine cut-outs to check they are working as they should, taking photos and notes for our records. In the unlikely event of a defective cut-out being found, NGED engineers will be sent to carry out repairs at no cost to the customer.

“Visits will also be an opportunity to confirm what types of low-carbon technologies (LCT) are connected to our network, for example electric vehicle chargers and solar panels, to help our planning for future load growth on the network, and enable LCT items to be connected quicker in the future as we will have records of the cut-out asset on site and its condition.

“These are important safety visits but we understand they could be inconvenient for customers and apologise in advance if this is the case.”

Inspectors will be from a company called Calisen and will be clearly identifiable as working for NGED. They will be able to present ID and authorisation to enter properties.

Customers will have the option of taking their own photographs of their cut-out and meter and sending them to National Grid who will decide if a follow-up visit is needed.

#electricity #Fforestfach #Manselton #NationalGrid #Penlan #Treboeth #Waunarlwydd

National Grid

Waunarlwydd man jailed after knifepoint burglary

38-year-old Larry Black was one of two masked men who entered a property on Heol Pentyla in Llansamlet, brandishing a hammer and knives.

The men bound their victims with cable ties and demanded gold and money in the terrifying ordeal, but only got away with a set of keys and £500 after Black was bitten on the leg by one of the family’s dogs.

During interview following Black’s arrest later in March, he admitted his involvement in the incident, and he pleaded guilty to robbery in April.

Black has previous convictions for battery, shoplifting, drugs, and twelve separate house burglaries. He had been out of prison for a matter of weeks when he committed the Llansamlet robbery.

Black was handed an extended 13-year prison sentence at Swansea Crown Court. He has yet to reveal the identity of his accomplice.

Detective Sergeant Jonathan Holding from South Wales Police said: “Larry Black is a dangerous criminal who is all too happy to brandish knives and other weapons as a means of intimidating his victims.

“The thuggish behaviour of Black and his accomplice left a family terrified for their safety inside their own home. By not providing the name of his associate, Larry has proven that he is incapable of doing the right thing.

“There has been no remorse shown for his actions. Therefore, Larry Black will lose years of his life in prison.”

#burglary #knifeCrime #Llansamlet #SouthWalesPolice #Swansea #Waunarlwydd

Larry Black

Local volunteers to be honoured at Eisteddfod yr Urdd after decades of work for the youth organisation

Each year, individuals who have made a special contribution to Wales’ largest youth organisation are honoured by the Urdd. This year, attention turns to West Glamorgan, and four volunteers will be named Honorary Presidents of Eisteddfod yr Urdd 2025 in a special ceremony on the Maes (the festival ground).

The four Honorary Presidents of Eisteddfod yr Urdd Dur a Môr 2025 are Davida Lewis, Janet Jones, Menna Bennett Joynson and Wayne Pedrick.

Llio Maddocks, Director of the Arts, Urdd Gobaith Cymru said: “The four who are being honoured this year have given over 160 years of support to the movement. Volunteers play a vital role in the work and reach of the Urdd, and we’re delighted to recognise the dedication of these particular four volunteers at a special ceremony at the Eisteddfod on Monday, 26 May.”

Davida Lewis

Brought up in Swansea, Davida Lewis has spent her life in the Eisteddfod’s local area. She established two local choirs: ‘Côr Plant Waunarlwydd’ in 1965 and ‘Côr Waunarlwydd’ in 1970. The choirs have had considerable success locally and internationally for 60 years. The choirs still exist, and even though Davida has transferred the reigns to a new conductor, she still enjoys participating as a member. Being awarded the title of Honorary President at the Eisteddfod in her own area will be a crowning achievement, after her wealth of experiences and successes in Eisteddfodau over the decades.

Janet Jones

Brought up in Loughor, Janet has lived in Neath for over 40 years. Music is in her blood and over the years she has competed regularly on stages, winning several major prizes at Eisteddfod yr Urdd and at the National Eisteddfod.

Janet is the conductor of ‘Parti Llwchwr’. She has shared her musical talents by teaching children to sing and perform at Eisteddfodau and numerous events over the years. She established ‘Adran Nedd’ in 1993 to offer cultural and Welsh experiences to the youth of the area. Following the success of the group, she established ‘Uwch Adran Nedd’ to continue to provide experiences to older children.

She has also been an active member of the Neath and Afan Local Committee, as well as Chair of the Regional Committee. Janet is one of the Vice-Chairs of the Executive Committee for this year’s Eisteddfod yr Urdd.

Menna Bennett Joynson

Menna was born in Llanidloes before her family moved to Llanuwchllyn and then to Aberystwyth. She grew up in a musical and cultured household and was familiar with singing and participating in Eisteddfodau from an early age. At Eisteddfod yr Urdd, she has had considerable success in the field of ‘cerdd dant’, while she also coached pupils to sing and compete in her role as a music teacher at Ysgol Rhydfelen.

In 1976 she moved to Swansea with her husband and raised three children locally. Menna established ‘Adran Sgeti’ in 1978 which later developed into ‘Aelwyd yr Urdd Sgeti’. Over the years, they went on to have considerable success at Eisteddfod yr Urdd. Menna was appointed music teacher at Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr and a peripatetic harp teacher in the area. She talks of her gratitude to the Urdd, adding that all the experiences she and her pupils have had have greatly enriched her life.

Wayne Pedrick

Wayne’s first experience of Eisteddfod yr Urdd was through his children, Lisa and Aled, when they were pupils at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Gwaun Cae Gurwen and Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera. Both loved to compete, with Aled winning the 2003 Bryn Terfel Scholarship at the Tawe, Neath and Afan Eisteddfod.

Wayne worked at the local coal plant, and in 1998 he got a job as a peripatetic brass teacher. In that role, he encouraged and supported his pupils to compete at Eisteddfod yr Urdd, both as soloists and as an ensemble.

He was appointed Head of the Peripatetic Music Service in Neath Port Talbot in 2016 and helps run three youth and junior orchestras, three youth and junior brass bands and a Youth Choir and Big Band. Wayne also regularly adjudicates instrumental competitions at regional and national Eisteddfodau.

Eisteddfod yr Urdd Dur a Môr will be held at Margam Park between 26 and 31 May. Tickets for Eisteddfod yr Urdd, including for the Triban Festival which will be held on the festival ground, are available at www.urdd.cymru/en/eisteddfod/ 

#choir #Eisteddfod #Loughor #Margam #Music #Neath #Urdd #Waunarlwydd #WelshLanguage

Urdd presentation

Waunarlwydd woman jailed after city centre assault

Police say that 32-year-old Sarah Giffard was in an intoxicated state when she attacked the victim, with the incident taking place on Plymouth Street, Swansea on 1 November last year.

A PCSO arrived on the scene within thirty seconds of the assault, with the victim having become unconscious.

The victim was taken to hospital, but his injuries, which included fractures to the skull, cheekbone and collarbone, fractures to two ribs and a bleed on the brain, were found not to be life threatening.

She has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Sergeant Craig Evans from South Wales Police said: “Sarah Gifford launched a violent, unprovoked attack on an unsuspecting victim in broad daylight while she was under the effects of alcohol. She is now about to pay the price for her actions, which were completely unacceptable.

“Those who cause criminality in the city will be dealt with robustly.

“High visibility patrols will continue throughout the summer as part of Op Sentinel.”

#assault #PlymouthStreet #SouthWalesPolice #Swansea #Waunarlwydd

Sarah Giffard

Fighting cancer together: Waunarlwydd Carnival team makes another donation to the South West Wales Cancer Centre

Waunarlwydd Carnival was resurrected in 2015 after a long absence and is now a week-long community festival.

Based around Waunarlwydd RFC, highlights include an outdoor music concert, a quiz and a carnival day parade along with a prize raffle and The Great Waunarlwydd Bake Off competition.

The carnival supports a range of charities – among them the South West Wales Cancer Centre, SWWCC, based in Singleton Hospital, to which it donates £1,000 every year.

The SWWCC is run by Swansea Bay University Health Board and provides a range of lifesaving NHS treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.

It celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and a fundraising appeal has been launched by Swansea Bay Health Charity, the health board’s official charity, to commemorate the landmark.

The appeal, Going the Extra Mile for Cancer, will support the thousands of patients from the Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda areas who are cared for there every year, as well as relatives and staff.

Among those who have been cared for there is carnival committee chair, Peter Guy, he said:

“We started the carnival back up in 2015 after a gap of about 20 years,” he said. “We aimed to raise money to give to different charities. I then was diagnosed with cancer.

“I was lucky enough to have treatment here. I’m now clear of cancer, so we’ve given £1,000 every year since. It was Golau at the time but now the name has changed to the South West Wales Cancer Fund.

“It’s not the only charity we raise money for – the Wales, Air Ambulance, Stroke Association, the British Heart Foundation, and a couple of local charities.

“We have donated more than £30,000 to around 20 or so different charities and worthy causes since we restarted the carnival.”

The carnival week starts with a Proms on the Pitch event with choirs and bands, followed later in the week by a horse racing night, treasure hunt, a football match and a quiz night, all leading up to carnival day itself.

Following this year’s event, Peter, along with carnival committee colleagues Arwyn Taylor, Andrea Jones and Alison Sandy, attended the radiotherapy department to present the £1,000 cheque.

“The quality of care in the cancer centre is brilliant,” said Peter. “I could not have wished for any better.”

Head of Radiotherapy Nicki Davies added:

“We are extremely grateful for the continued support from Waunarlwydd Carnival.

“The donations provide additional facilities and support for patients using the centre. Funds have also previously allowed us to invest in research into new techniques, giving the patients of South West Wales and their families the highest level of holistic care.”

To support the Going the Extra Mile for Cancer appeal, click on this link.

To find out more about the appeal, click here. 

[Lead image Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#SouthWalesCancerCentre #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard #Waunarlwydd

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