Hirwaun Village Study
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HIRWAUN VILLAGE STUDY Prepared on behalf of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council April 2008 Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Ltd 1st Floor, Westville House Fitzalan Court Cardiff CF24 0EL Offices also in: T 029 2043 5880 Manchester F 029 2049 4081 London E [email protected] Newcastle-upon-Tyne www.nlpplanning.com CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........................................................................................................3 Introduction...................................................................................................................3 Current supply of public facilities ..................................................................................3 The Vision for Hirwaun .................................................................................................4 Future Elements within Hirwaun ...................................................................................4 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................5 1.0 INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................6 Aims and objectives of the study ..................................................................................6 Overview of methodology .............................................................................................8 Structure of study..........................................................................................................9 2.0 HIRWAUN VILLAGE PROFILE .................................................................................11 Location ......................................................................................................................11 History.........................................................................................................................11 Village profile ..............................................................................................................12 ‘SWOT’ Analysis .........................................................................................................19 Village development ...................................................................................................24 Surrounding area........................................................................................................26 3.0 CURRENT SUPPLY OF PUBLIC FACILITIES IN HIRWAUN...................................27 Introduction.................................................................................................................27 Retail...........................................................................................................................27 Community Facilities...................................................................................................29 Access to information .................................................................................................32 Education....................................................................................................................33 Health .........................................................................................................................33 Leisure........................................................................................................................34 Outdoor Sport .............................................................................................................34 Indoor Sport................................................................................................................38 Tourism.......................................................................................................................38 Sustainable Access to employment............................................................................38 Public Transport and Infrastructure ............................................................................39 4.0 LOOKING FORWARD – THE FUTURE ROLE OF HIRWAUN .................................42 5.0 FUTURE ELEMENTS WITHIN HIRWAUN ................................................................45 Introduction.................................................................................................................45 Retail...........................................................................................................................45 Community facilities....................................................................................................46 Access to Information .................................................................................................47 Education....................................................................................................................48 Health .........................................................................................................................49 Leisure........................................................................................................................50 Indoor Sports ..............................................................................................................52 Tourism.......................................................................................................................53 Sustainable Access to employment............................................................................54 Public transport and Infrastructure..............................................................................55 Capacity for future growth...........................................................................................56 6.0 CONCLUSIONS .........................................................................................................58 Regain the equilibrium of provision.............................................................................59 Enhancement of facilities and the village offer ...........................................................59 CAR\Hirwaun Village Study 1 Ensure that future development trends do not replicate those of the past .................60 Concentrate upon the ability to share spaces.............................................................63 Focus on quality..........................................................................................................64 Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. .................................................................65 Aspiration to become an exemplar of sustainable development ................................65 All about the community…places for people ..............................................................65 Summary of recommendations...................................................................................66 7.0 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................69 Appendix 1: Policy context..........................................................................................69 Appendix 2: List of Consultees ...................................................................................84 Appendix 3: Sustainable Settlement Diagram ............................................................85 Appendix 4: Major planning applications in Hirwaun Ward.........................................86 Appendix 5: Approved Development Sites Across Hirwaun Area ..............................87 Appendix 6: Strategic and Non-Strategic Sites Across Hirwaun Area.......................88 Appendix 7: Hirwaun Area Public Facilities Plan ........................................................89 Appendix 8: Distance Rings Map................................................................................90 Appendix 9: Abbreviations ..........................................................................................91 CAR\Hirwaun Village Study 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction • This report provides detailed information about Hirwaun and makes recommendations on the sustainable enhancement of this key village. • It considers the supply, nature and quality of local facilities and the extent to which they are presently serving the needs of the local community. On-site research was supplemented by consultation with various stakeholders. • This approach has enabled us to make recommendations on the need for improvement and development in respect of key sectors such as retail, leisure, community facilities, information facilities, education, health and connections including pedestrian, public and private transport routes and facilities. • Hirwaun has accommodated a relatively large amount of residential development in recent years in relation to its modest size but this has not been replicated in an increased provision of local services and facilities. The result has been an inability to adequately serve the needs of the community and the surrounding villages. Current supply of public facilities • Retail provision in the village is limited, dispersed, of a small-scale and is mainly used for ‘top up’ shopping purposes. The shopping area within Hirwaun contains a high proportion of vacant shop units. • The two main community facilities in Hirwaun are the YMCA Youth and Community Centre and the Village Hall. Whilst the YMCA is a well used community facility the village hall is less so. • The library and the YMCA are currently very popular and are considered to be the main contributors in providing access to information within HIrwaun village. However, both facilities are full to