Landscapes Working for Bridgend County Borough Volume 3 - Action Programme March 2008 _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ LANDSCAPES WORKING FOR BRIDGEND COUNTY BOROUGH ACTION PROGRAMME 2008 1. Introduction 1.1 The Action Programme forms the fourth phase of the review of the Landscapes Working for Bridgend County Borough Action Plan Document. The phases comprise of: Phase I – Compilation of Short List of sites Phase II – Prioritisation Phase III - WAG Sustainability Check Phase IV – Preparation of Action Programme. Table 1 lists those sites short-listed for inclusion in the action plan. Their location is identified in Figure 1 below. Figure 1 Site Locations 2. Background 2.1 The document Landscapes Working for Bridgend County Borough was originally published in 1997 by Opus Environmental Design. However the Action Programme that formed Volume 3 of the study is now considered outdated and has required updating. The list of priority projects has evolved from the original LW for B document with additional sites being included that have originated from meetings held between Groundwork, officers of Bridgend County Borough Council and Welsh Assembly Government during the year 2006. The prioritisation exercise formed phases 1 and 2 of the Landscapes Working for Bridgend project. This report forms part of the WAG (DEIN) funded Bridgend Environment Programme. 3. Objectives 3.1 The Action Programme details the key proposals with priority and feasibility ratings, outline cost estimates and yearly expenditure profiles. 3.2 The Action Programme is to be used to inform the Local Authority’s Environmental Improvement Programme and has therefore been prepared with regard to the Local Authority’s existing policies and ongoing schemes. 3.3 The report has been developed with guidance provided by the Welsh Assembly’s ‘Creating Sustainable Places’ document, in order to promote sustainable development. 3.4 The Action Programme provides a comprehensive range of environmental improvement schemes that, when implemented, will have a considerable beneficial impact on the County Borough. In addition to increasing bio-diversity, the schemes will also contribute to providing a safe and pleasant environment that promotes cycling, walking and other recreational activities within the County Borough. 3.5 The Action Programme provides proposals that will address: • The visual and material quality of improvement projects, accentuating a distinctive identity for the County Borough. The proposals reflect the importance of telling the story of the landscape, people, places, attractions, facilities within the landscape of the study area. • Opportunities for public art are integral to the Action Programme as they provide a means by which local people can be engaged in the project and reflect the history and aspirations of the community. • The Action Programme provides opportunities for large scale habitat/species projects that benefit in the delivery of TREBAP and LBAP targets. • Accessibility issues for all users of the highway including pedestrians, cyclists, disabled users and motor vehicles are addressed within the proposals. Opportunities for sustainable modes of transport are incorporated into the proposals. • The Action Programme identifies opportunities for improving access to the landscape and in promoting healthy living for people living in the Borough. 2.0 ACTION PROGRAMME SUMMARY General The sites are listed in Table 1 with their locations shown on Figure 1. The Action Programme makes an assessment of each site which is summarised in Table 1. The sites are assessed under the following categories: Priority The sites are prioritised in order of those that will have the most impact in upgrading the image of the borough combined with community value. A: first priority to C: low priority. Ease of implementation Those sites that are least likely to encounter difficulty due to ownership, permissions, funding etc are graded 1 through to the most difficult, graded 3. Type of scheme The following types are: A Access e.g. Community route E Employment Site EI Environmental interpretation/tourism/recreation H Housing MR Major Roads O Open Spaces RE Reclamation RA Rail RI Rivers SR Secondary Roads Implementation Partners: Bodies who may be involved in designing, implementing, owning or funding a scheme are included. These are: BCB Bridgend County Borough Council CCW Countryside Council for Wales FC Forestry Commission GW Groundwork Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot EA Environment Agency PB Private Body WAG Welsh Assembly Government CD Cadw Capital Cost: The capital cost shown is based on site area and on a unit area cost. It does not comprise a detailed estimate. Three years maintenance is included within the cost. Maintenance Cost: Annual maintenance estimate after initial three year establishment period. Table 1 LANDSCAPE ACTION PROGRAMME SITES 2008 - SUMMARY Site No Ease of Priority Partners Location (£1,000's) Capital Cost Maintenance Cost (£1,000's) Implementation Implementation Type of SchemeType of 1 A473 Waterton Cross Roundabout B 1 MR/EI BCB/WAG 100 12.1 2 A48 Western Approaches at Pyle A 1 MR/EI BCB/WAG 103 6.6 3 A473 Bryntirion Roadside B 1 MR/EI BCB/WAG 42 6 4 Bryngarw Country Park A 1 A/EI BCB/PB 110 8 5 Garw Fechan A 2 O/EI BCB/FC 18O 10 6 Bwlch y Clawdd A 1 MR/EI BCB/FC 80 6 7 Blackmill Centre B 2-3 MR/EI BCB/PB 120 10 8 Pant-yr-Awel B 1 MR/EI BCB/PB 65 7.5 9 Ogmore Vale Community Route Crossing A 1 A/EI BCB 45 4.5 10 Porthcawl Approaches A 1 MR/EI BCB/WAG 300 15 11 Brynmenyn & Abergarw Industrial Estates A 1 E BCB/WAG 550 30 12 Penllwyngwent Industrial Estate, Ogmore Valley A 1 E BCB/WAG 400 25 13 Ffaldau Industrial Estate, Garw Valley B 1-2 E BCB/WAG 300 20 14 Locks Lane, Porthcawl A 2 A BCB 60 5 15 North Cornelly A 2 A BCB/PR 160 8 16 Locks Common, Porthcawl A 1 A BCB/PB 300 15 17 A4061 Northern Approaches A 1 MR/EI BCB/WAG 200 7.5 18 A473 Eastern Approach, Bridgend A 1 MR/EI BCB/WAG 738.5 82 19 Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore Valley Road Corridors A 1 MR/EI BCB/WAG 250 15 20 Village Gateway Signage A 1 MR/EI/SR BCB 55 15 21 Llangynwydd Historic Village B 2 EI BCB/PB 45 10 22 Merthyr Mawr Historic Village B 2 EI BCB/PB 45 10 23 Glamorgan Heritage Coast A 1 A/EI BCB/EA 150 10 24 Maesteg Approaches A 1 MR/EI BCB/WAG 210 15 25 Historical/Ancient Monument Interpretation B 1 EI BCB/CD/PB 15 N/A 26 Heritage on the Celtic Trail B 1 A/EI BCB/CD/PB 20 N/A 27 The Hub C 2 EI/A GW 15 N/A 28 The Events Amphitheatre, Parc Tondu B 1 EI BCB/GW 20 N/A 29 Bridgend Walks & Bridleways A 1 A/EI BCB/GW 25 N/A 30 BCBC Community Route Strategy A 1 A/EI BCB 15 N/A 31 Cefn Cribwr Ways & Wells B 2 A/EI BCB/PB 170 7.7 32 Celtic Trail Missing Links A 2-3 A/EI BCB 500 N/A 33 Footprints Project A 1 A/EI BCB/GW 760 N/A 34 Dyffryn, Lynfi and Porthcawl Railway A 1 A/EI N/A 2.5 N/A Landscapes Working for Bridgend County Borough Site 1 Site location: A473 - Waterton Cross Roundabout to Railway Bridge Environmental improvements to the Eastern Approaches of the A473 Grid reference: 914787 Capital cost: £100,000 Priority: B Maintenance cost: £12,180 Land ownership: BCBC Ease of achievement: 1 Site appraisal The A473 forms the eastern approach road to Bridgend town centre. The dual carriage way is flanked by close mown verges and a grassed central reservation. There is no visual separation of the carriageway from the surrounding landscape. The frontage of the Police Headquarters comprises of a visually poor boundary treatment with planting limited to shrubs and trees to the rear car park. Native tree and shrub planting to the frontage of the Superstore car park and petrol station reduces the visual impact of these buildings. A recent native planting scheme fronts the Adult Training Centre and Council Offices on the south side of the bypass. Proposals Landscape improvements to the A473 road corridor need to be bold in their approach to integrate the road with the surrounding landscape. The hard landscape of the road corridor requires softening through tree and shrub planting that separates the east bound and west bound carriageway. This approach should include: • Planting of native species hedgerow along the central reservation, incorporating bare-stemmed avenue trees to provide a visual barrier but allowing views through. • Block planting of native trees and shrubs to the larger grass verges, to soften and frame views and increase biodiversity. • Alter mowing regime to promote the growth of wild flowers thereby increasing biodiversity and reducing maintenance. • Landscape improvements scheme to Police Head Quarters to enhance roadside frontage and soften car park through native tree and shrub planting. • Retain existing areas of native planting in new planting proposals, incorporating these areas into a management regime. Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot Landscapes Working for Bridgend County Borough Site 2 Site location: A48 Western Approaches, Pyle Environmental Improvements to the lay by at Pyle Environmental Improvements to the lay by at Pyle Grid reference: 831817 Priority: A Land ownership: BCBC Ease of achievement: 1 Capital cost: £103,500 Maintenance cost: £6,500 Site appraisal Two lay bys form the western gateway to Bridgend at the roundabout exit of the A48. Their poor appearance creates a negative impression for visitors to Bridgend. The first lay by is separated from the main carriageway by a long grass verge.