N E W S L E T T E R Cymdeithas Ddinesig Bro Porthaethwy

Menai Bridge and District Civic Society C Y L C H L Y T H Y R

Dates for your diary: Spring/Gwanwyn 2013 Page/Tudalen 1 More details on page 3

January 25th Mr. John 40th Anniversary - what did we look like then? Vernon Jones, Trefor Isaf Farm, 2012 Chairman Angle- Foreshore, cot- sey Show. History of the tages and the old Show. bridge at Cadnant February 28th THURS- ((1960s) DAY 7.30pm Annual Below - new Dinner Mrs. Wendy Cadnant Bridge Rees, Director BBC North and close up of . The BBC Opera- tions in . the old bridge. March 23rd Ian Haw- kins, RSPB. Malltraeth Marsh: Developing a wetland April 26th 7pm Menai Bridge Band. Mr. Gwilym Below - close up of Roberts (senior band mem- ber) History, old instru- the old bridge. ments and quartet entertain- ment. May 24th AGM Mrs Julie Stone, ‘Building the Bri- tannia Bridge—some family stories’ Lectures start at 7.30pm (unless otherwise stated) and are held in the Community Centre, Water Street, Menai Bridge. Our Civic Society was founded 40 years ago this year. We were not amongst the first in Wales; Conwy Valley Inside this issue: was founded in 1969, Ruthin and District in 1988, Car-

marthen 1968, Llandaff 1977 and The Gower Society 40th Anniversary 1 (which also operates as a civic society) began in 1947). The founders of our Society were active advocates of Civic Trust—national 2 conserving the best of our heritage long before the news 1970s but perhaps the additional pressures of ‗development‘ such as the new bridge and the flats at Programme notes 2 Glyn Garth Court encouraged a more formal approach. The new bridge is an improvement from the point of view of traffic flow but would you wish Award Nomina- 2 to see similar ‗improvements‘ all along the road to Beaumaris? The road is difficult for tions coaches on their way to Beaumaris and I would imagine the High Street in Beaumaris is awk- Future Events 3 ward too. . . . We will be celebrating our Birthday later in the year and would like you to join in by letting News from our 3 us have your photos, memories of life in the town in the 1960s and 1970s and especially of the County Councillors activities and events organised by the Society and other local groups and clubs. Planning , Local 4 News, Public Meeting Memories of Menai Bridge - Mair Jones, 12 Rhyd Menai, Menai Bridge. The late Mair Jones, youngest of three sisters, was born in 1913 at 31 Cadnant Road, Menai Bridge. The Contacts 4 property, one of a row of cottages, was demolished in 1972 to make way for the ‗new‘ Cad- nant bridge......

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CIVIC TRUST and NATIONAL NEWS Historic waterfronts – the products of time and chance ―For thirty years or more, the idea rather than urban design. Is it familiarity that makes us see that people‘s fascination with artfulness in places such as Conwy or Aberaeron? By and water can provide the motor for large our interventions have been careful – at Llangollen urban regeneration has had an for instance, or at Bridgend, where an unashamedly mod- hypnotic influence over develop- ern approach has created a riverside walkway on the edge ers, planners, designers and politi- of the historic town centre.‖ Thanks to the Welsh Civic cians. The Welsh quest for this Society for this extract from their Newsletter. talisman began in Swansea in the And also timely reminder that our own waterfront - in a early 1980s. Since then redevelopment of industrial or his- conservation area - has become a hotch potch of build- toric (or both) waterfronts has touched towns and cities in ings where new buildings should complement the old. north, south and west Wales. It has inspired more modest No one could say the old timberyard buildings should be schemes in inland towns with a canal or river frontage handy. preserved for posterity but what a sad state of affairs that Some features of traditional waterfronts have been well we are replacing them with concrete slabs. received , such as Swansea or Penarth; others have had a mixed response (? Newport? Caernarfon?). Liz Moyle

AUTUMN PROGRAMME NOTES Nov. 23rd What is our local environment? An Sept. 20th Thursday Visit to Plas Cadnant. environmental forensic introduction to Anglesey by Many thanks to all at Plas Cadnant for making us so wel- Dr. Stephen Mudge proved an exciting introduction to come. The new Information Centre is splendid and so are environmental detective work by an acknowledged na- the home made refreshments in the tea room! It‘s a con- tional expert. His skills are in great demand and we hope stant delight to see how the gardens and facilities for visitors he will return next year with more information of his develop. work locally and internationally. Sept. 28th The rivalry of Plas Newydd and Baron Dec. 14th Menai Bridge’s Conservation Area-how Hill. Rev. Neil Fairlamb provided an enthralling and au- it works. Thanks to Dave Jump, I of ACC Planning Office thoritative description of the relationship between these two for providing more information about the new families over the years. ‗Supplementary Planning Guidance‘. The detailed informa- Oct. 26th Fish Weirs in North Wales. David Hope- tion given in the Character Appraisal is worthwhile well, Gwynedd Archaeological Trust showed us just how reading it its own right. We have copies you can borrow many there are in North Wales and of their importance to or it should be available on the Council‘s website shortly. the local economy for the past 100 years (or more) up until Concern was expressed that the Council lacks resources the 1920s. Now we know what those strange remains/ to ensure the Guidance is implemented. structures are on the foreshore.

Menai Bridge and District Civic Society 40th Anniversary Awards Nominations invited. Our second Award continues - to recognise good design and celebrate excellence in local endeavour, that makes a contribution to the quality and appearance of the built environment, in Menai Bridge and District A further prize will recognise the contribution by an individual or group towards improving community life. The Competition rules are quite simple : 1. The building work or activity must have taken place in Menai Bridge and District within the year i.e. January 2013 to January 2014 2. You cannot nominate yourself or a family member. 3. Send details to the Hon Secretary by 30th June 2013. There is no form to complete; just explain the reason for John Hemingway portrait restored. John He- your choice in not more than 50 words and add details of mingway (1795-1872) was the contractor responsible for the location/site and name(s) of those nominated. Decision by the Committee is final and results will be announced in construction of the masonry towers and abutments at Bri- the Autumn Newsletter. tannia Bridge. Portrait on its arrival at Menai Bridge with (l This year we would like to emphasise the contribution of gardens to r) Julie Stone, historian; Bob Daimond, Chair MBCHT; to town life— these can be public gardens or the garden of a Mark Johnson and Stuart Phillips - great great grandsons of house, but should be open to or visible to visitors or passers by. John Hemingway. Born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, John He- Gardens by their very nature are seasonal so if you want ‗your‘ mingway moved to Menai Bridge to supervise the work at garden to be seen at its best take photos and ask a member of the Britannia and remained living in Craig Owen (now Oriel Committee to come and have a look. Tegfryn Art Gallery) in the town for the rest of his life. He is buried on Church Island. Autumn/Hydref 2012 Page/Tudalen 3

FUTURE EVENTS Mrs R Hufton, Treasurer, 2 Beach Rd. Menai Regular meetings are held in the Menai Bridge War Me- Bridge, LL59 5HB. , 14th February 2013 at the morial Community Centre and start at 7.30 p.m. unless latest. stated otherwise If anyone doesn’t have transport or is willing to January 25th Mr. John Vernon Jones, Trefor Isaf Farm, 2012 share transport please contact Jane Cherrett now Chairman Anglesey Show. History of the Anglesey Show. on 01248 713440 February 28th THURSDAY 7.30pm Annual Dinner March 23rd Ian Hawkins, RSPB. Malltraeth Marsh: Mrs. Wendy Rees, Director BBC North Wales. The BBC Developing a wetland

Operations in North Wales. April 26th 7pm Menai Bridge Band. Mr. Gwilym Our Annual Dinner will be held at the Carreg Mon Roberts (senior band member) History, old instruments Hotel (formerly Carreg Bran), Llanfair PG. and quartet entertainment. Meet at 7.00 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. Completed booking May 24th AGM Mrs Julie Stone, ‘Building the Britannia forms and cheques made out to the Menai Bridge and Bridge—some family stories’ Jane Cherrett District Civic Society should be sent to

NEWS FROM OUR COUNTY COUNCILLORS News from Councillor Keith Evans, Local Member for the Cadnant Ward. Council Elections . . . across Anglesey, at the County Council and Town/Community Council levels, are planned for early May and major changes will happen this time, at least on the County Council scene. Eleven new multi-member wards will be introduced, to return 30 Councillors, instead of the traditional single-member format of 40 Councillors, and this means that in Menai Bridge the Cadnant and Tysilio wards have been scrapped. The Welsh Assembly Local Government Minister's dictat is for Menai Bridge, Llanfairpwll and Penmynydd to be merged, forming an electorate estimated at 5,035, and to retum three Councillors, one less than at present. The political parties seem likely to be involved, along with the existing Independents, who will canvass for a new mandate. Menai Bridge Town Council will retain the Cadnant and Tysilio wards' set up, returning seven and eight Councillors respectively. So, the advice is: keep abreast of the information, which will be issued by the Councils and the candidates, and use your vote to ensure you have the representation you want. Other topics of interest...... A new finger post has been offered by the County Council Highways Department to the Town Council for positioning at the Coed Cyrnol Car Park. Mount Street, half of which was resurfaced by the Highways Department in the autumn - from the Hill Street junction to the Druid Road junction is listed for more tarmac, to the end of Bron Fedw, in the next financial year. Rugby Club's two phase improvements, to erect new training lights and resolve pitch problems at Llyn-y-Felin, have been completed, with a grant award from the Dale Street Trust. Community Centre in Water Street is about to have a new disabled-friendly entrance, again with financial support from the Dale Street Trust. The Anglesey Half Marathon, such a success first time around last May, will again start and finish in Menai Bridge, on Sun- day, March 3. Around 20 traffic order amendments will come into force shortly around the town. News from Councillor Selwyn Williams, Local Member for the Tysilio Ward. Lon Y Gamfa Planning Application. I held a public meeting in the Menai Bridge War Memorial Community Centre recently and over 30 residents attended. They were able to see the plans of the developers and to look at the new Candi- date Plans for the Local Development Board. The Planning Application has been coming before Anglesey Planning for more than 15 years; many years ago the developers promised that the site would be for community use for local resi- dents. Now the developers are hoping to build 17 dwellings, I called the application in to be debated by the planning com- mittee two years ago and in December planning committee councillors came on a site visit. At the time of going to press the application has been deferred by planning officers on environmental issues. I‘ll keep you posted! Mount Street Tarmacadam new surface. Many of the vehicle users and residents of lower Mount Street have re- cently had their road covered in new tarmac; the whole of the road from Hill Street to the junction of Druid Road was re- covered. Anglesey Highway Engineers have promised to complete the rest of Mount Street this year. Mount Street Turning Circle Many of the residents surrounding the end of Mount Street will be aware that Anglesey Highway con- tractors will be putting down yellow lines around the circle to stop people from parking there; there will be ancillary works being carried out there too, such as tidying up the area at the end of Bron Fedw Council houses with a new wall. Public Footpath between Druid Road and Mount Street. I of A CC contractors have been laying new water retain- ing pipes below the level of the footpath, to clear away flooding which has been plaguing residents and walkers for years. Water had been cascading down the footpaths from the many springs in the area and running out into the Mount Street Turning Circle area, causing damage to the highway surface. A new footpath surface has now been laid. I‘ve campaigned for Anglesey Council to carry out this work for some considerable time, and I am very glad that the Council has found the funding to carry it out. The Public Footpath between the Moorings and Mount Street. After many complaints from local residents about the existing footpath surface, I of A CC contractors have re-laid the surface. Trem Ervri Estate. I‘ve had a series of meetings with Anglesey County Council Highways Senior engineers over the years to try and sort out the traffic movements of this estate. Residents have been complaining about the refuse lorries and wide bodied buses churning up the verges of The Green. Many years ago residents who parked their vehicles on the Green were asked to remove them or would be charged for the damage. Now after all my campaigning Anglesey County Council has found the funding and contractors have reduced the size of The Green and created 28 parking spaces. I would like to express my sincere New Year Greetings to all the residents of Menai Bridge and District, and to thank them for all their support. I can be contacted on the following: email [email protected] or [email protected] or telephone 01248714 429 or 07757011843

Mynedfa Ynys Môn - Gateway to Anglesey Page/Tudalen 4

PLANNING AND LOCAL NEWS

Wind Turbines There is strong controversy on Anglesey Lady Anglesey over the construction of wind turbines Llywydd/ President ‗on shore‘. The A.A.W.T. (Anglesey Against Wind Turbines) have waged a Liz Moyle very active opposition to the siting of Cadeirydd/Chair these structures on the island where they upright vertical tip height of 62m at Ty Maureen Parry-Williams are visually obtrusive and dominant, Gwyn, Penmynydd was refused. This Ysgrifennydd/Secretary changing the character of the area and causing a number of problems for near followed extensive consultation with lo- Jane Cherrett neighbours and wildlife. cal groups and organisations and the final Ysgifennydd Cymdeithasol/ The main attraction seems to be the sub- conclusion was that the proposed devel- Social Secretary stantial subsidies that are on offer. There opment was unacceptable as there would is now a strong feeling among a number be a ‗significant adverse local visual im- Renata Hufton of farmers and landowners that they pact; a cumulative landscape and visual Trysorydd/Treasurer should be allowed to benefit from these impact including a significant impact on the AONB at Pentraeth Forest and the Iola Prytherch offers, irrespective of the effect on the introduction of a significant change to Deputy Treasurer/Trysorydd surrounding area. A few County Council- Cynorthwyol lors support this view with their vote, Landscape Character Area 12.‘ even if it is contrary to the general opin- The second application was at Tre Ifan, Liz Moyle ion of their constituents and their Com- Brynsiencyn where the maximum vertical Newsletter Editor/Golygydd munity Council. There is no real objec- tip height would be 46.1m. The reasons Cylchlythyr tion to erecting domestic size wind tur- for refusing this application were very bines to supply the requirements of their similar to the previous one but ,in addi- Norman Neale homes and farms (usually up to 20 m in tion, there was the possibility that the Photos/Ffotograffau height) but applications for industrial size proposal would adversely affect the set- ting of scheduled ancient monuments. turbines of 72m are now being proposed. CONTACT LIST The Joint Supplementary Planning Guid- It would seem that being surrounded by ance for Wind Turbines is still at the con- wind farms ‗off shore‘ is not taken into Newsletter contributions - sultation stage and it would appear that consideration as our contribution to re- Maureen Parry Williams some applicants wish to submit their pro- newable energy. Neither is the fact that Tel. 01248 440668 posals in advance of any new guidelines this energy will be transported across which will limit their plans. our island, to no benefit to ourselves, by Jane Cherrett - A number of County Councillors are far another line of very large pylons which Booking activities for events more aware of their responsibilities to will be detrimental to the landscape. Al- and outings Tel 01248 713440 bert Owen, MP has been in discussions their constituents and their Community County Councillors : Councils and are speaking out against the with the National Grid, in an attempt to desecration of their area and the effect persuade them that the cost of trans- Keith Evans Selwyn Williams that such dominant structures will have porting the electricity by undersea cables on the character of the countryside and should be morally obligatory. Our island Town Council : the attraction of the environment to the is being used as a ‗stepping stone‘ and its Canolfan Tysilio, Menai Bridge substantial, lucrative tourist trade. In the landscape is being dominated by these January Planning Committee Meeting, the unnecessary structures- as objectionable For all correspondence please to our important tourist industry as the contact the Secretary, full application for the erection of one Mrs Maureen Parry-Williams, wind turbine with a maximum wind turbines. Maureen Parry– Williams Tyn y Coed, Newborough, LL61 6PY E-mail - maureen@parry- Latest News. Dr Tom Parry Jones: Breathalyser inventor dies, aged 77 williams.fsbusiness.co.uk Dr Tom Parry Jones, a graduate of Bangor University and inventor of the electronic

breathalyser which has been used to catch drink-drivers around the world has died, aged 77. Dr Tom Parry Jones, of Menai Bridge, Anglesey, had a worldwide reputation. He set up Dr Tom Parry Jones Fund to encourage young people into careers in sci- ence and technology. We send our sympathies to his wife, Raj, son Gareth and See our Website at daughters, Diane and Sara, and mother, Grace Jones. www.menaibridge E-mail - if you would like to receive your Newsletter by e- civicsociety.org.uk mail please send your details to: [email protected]