Porthcawl Regeneration - a letter from Sustainable Wales

The Regeneration of Porthcawl, Sustainability, and Community Involvement - letter from Sustainable Wales to Bridgend Bouroughs LDP Inspector, Auditor General Wales & Wellbeing of Future generations Commissioner.

Download the full document with additional notes (PDF) here

The main text reads:

Monday, 17 April 2023

FAO

1.Inspector, Nicola Gulley Bridgend Boroughs Revised LDP c/o LDPProgrammeOfficer@bridgend.gov.uk

2. Auditor General. Audit Wales, 1 Capital Quarter, Cardiff, CF104BZ Email info@audit.wales

3c.c. Well-being of Future Generations Commissioner, Derek Walker

Is this as good as it gets?

The Regeneration of Porthcawl, Sustainability, and Community Involvement

Like many organisations based in Porthcawl, Sustainable Wales (SW) has tried to engage with Bridgend Borough Council Planning Department over many years, as plans emerge for the regeneration of the town’s waterfront. (see below, where we mention some SW contributions.)

The community consultation over the years, offered by BCBC to new planning developments, we feel, has been old style and limiting. This has caused a degree of alienation, definitely more so now with the growth of social media.

Thus, many people feel disengaged from politics, even though many of their ideas are sensible and exciting. There is a lack of trust in the process.

Because of the climate and ecological emergency, generally agreed to exist, we need to move forward. Sustainable development requires informed participation - this we have known for years. Futures will be different and we need to share a vision and start the transition now. The planning process we have is not fit for purpose. It is also imposed upon us.

Requiring urgent discussion is what sort of town might Porthcawl become? How do we plan with consideration of the past, the present and future, in a fair and just way, for people and planet? Residents have had no chance to establish a vision together.

Indeed, there are many participatory techniques available to replicate, which have been tried and tested across the UK and further afield.

The Well Being of Future Generations Act, Planning Policy Wales, and the Local Government Association Gunning Principles all state the need for deeper consultation (see below).

Thus, the question is how do we implement these requirements? Other countries administrations laud the Wales Future Generation’s Act. Yet it does not seem to being implemented in its country of origin!. People believe this is now a pressing issue.

For all our Future Generations Yours sincerely

Margaret Minhinnick Director, Sustainable Wales.

James Roberts at the Green Room 21 April 2023

Click to enlarge

The Green Room returns a week earlier than usual in April on Friday 21st April 2023. We are delighted to welcome James Roberts.

Robert Minhinnick will host and be reading from a translation by Iwan Llwyd about the (infamous) Buccaneer Pub in Trecco, Porthcawl.

Here’s an image of the Buccaneer taken by Laura Wainwright, a Green Room regular and author of A Newport Journal

Image by Laura Wainwright

The Buccaneer in summer by Peter Morgan

Image by Peter Morgan


Community Meet up Porthcawl 7th March - Regeneration Plans

Join us on Tuesday, the 7th of March from 3.30pm until 4.40pm at the Newton Primary entrance to Sandy bowl bring your bike, scooter, unicycle, dogs, cats, hamsters (everyone!) and check out the maps of the proposed open spaces in the councils plans. We can tell you all we have learnt from the council and have a chat about the exciting plans! We will get a few after school snacks to share round too!

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Fairtrade Fortnight

Fairtrade Fortnight
Sustainable Wales and SUSSED are holding several fun events for Fairtrade Fortnight 2023. Free Fairtrade chocolate samples are available at SUSSED throughout the fortnight…

Fairtrade Fortnight this year will highlight the urgent threat to the  future of the foods we love and the livelihoods of the people who grow  them, as they face the worst effects of the  climate crisis. Without our support for fairer prices today,   farmers will find it even harder to tackle the climate and economic  challenges of the future.

At our community run ethical shop, SUSSED in James St. Porthcawl; in the afternoon of Saturday March 11th, Sustainable Wales new Young people’s climate group are presenting stalls and activities at the bandstand.

Also on Saturday 11th, we will be running a  Fairtrade coffee, tea and cake cafe, above SUSSED
Teas & Coffees with Homemade Cakes using Fairtrade ingredients - pay what you can afford or support with a donation towards Fairtrade activity.

More about Fairtrade

Donate to the Turkey Syria Earthquake appeal

We have raised £420 in the first weekend - please consider donating to the DEC Appeal.

The DEC Appeal Page

  • £10 could provide blankets to keep two people warm

  • £25 could provide emergency food for a family for ten days 

  • £50 could provide emergency shelter for two families 

Donation collection tins are available SUSSED and at Porthcawl high street businesses.

DEC Turkey Syria earthquake appeal 2023

DEC Turkey Syria earthquake appeal 2023

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