The new plans include an increased number of bars and restaurants compared to the original scheme submitted in August last year, as well as the addition of a new community facility, the use of which will be decided in dialogue with the Council.

The district centre, situated adjacent to the end of  The Mole, has been remodelled to create a square that will be surrounded on three sides by bars, cafes and restaurants, with the fourth side open to the waterfront and park. 

Richard Keogh, speaking on behalf of the Barry Waterfront Consortium said: “Our ongoing public consultation has revealed a real appetite for an expanded commercial quarter within the scheme and we have shown our commitment by continuing to make improvements to the plans as the proposals progress through the planning process.  The new-look waterside square, community facility and café quarter will create a vibrant heart for the new waterside development with a continental feel.

“Despite some delays in the planning progress, we are in regular contact with the Council, and are hopeful that the outline plans will go before a planning committee in early Spring. If this timescale can be met and the scheme is given the go ahead, we are still on track for work to commence in September this year.”

The final proposals for the £250 million regeneration scheme include a new link road to Barry Island within the early phases of development, a waterfront café quarter, significant waterside open space and park areas, retail space, and approximately 2,000 new homes comprising a mix of private and affordable housing.

Richard Keogh added: “The sooner we are able to start work on site the sooner local people will start to reap the benefits of this major regeneration scheme.  For example, the site will immediately create construction jobs, requiring up to 1,990 temporary employees over a nine-year period. 

“Long-term, as a result of the establishment of a stronger and more attractive retail centre and the creation of a waterside leisure destination, the scheme will create 700 permanent jobs based on the site, as well as a further 800 additional jobs across the local area generated as a direct or indirect result of the development.”

Developers behind the proposed £250million regeneration of Barry have set out a ‘green charter’ to explain how the plans could see Barry lead the way to a greener Wales.

The planning application, due to be heard by the Council’s planning committee in the new year, was submitted in August by a Consortium of housebuilders, comprising Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes, and includes a variety of innovative eco-friendly initiatives.

Developers intend to use some of the latest bioremediation techniques to prepare the site, a more natural way to improve soil quality that involves adding microorganisms, such as bacteria, to the land in order to break down any contamination.

The planning application also outlines protection for some key habitats, including the cliff at the island side of the development and its base, and protection for key species such as slow-worms and rare plants, which will be moved to more suitable sites where it is appropriate.

The plans also include several eco-friendly development features, such as more than 1,000 new trees, ‘brown roofs’ on key commercial buildings that wildlife can live on, new ‘wildflower meadows’, a new 360m long wetland habitat complete with bird boxes and large areas of green public open space.

Richard Keogh, commenting on behalf of the Barry Waterfront Consortium, says: “These initiatives will ensure that the redevelopment of Barry Waterfront improves the current quality of the land and protects any existing wildlife habitats, while providing plenty of green areas for Barry residents to enjoy.

“We have worked hard with our consultants and advisers to look at a range of opportunities to enhance the environmental benefits of the scheme, both in terms of the construction process and the legacy that will be created when the plans come to fruition.”

The layout of the redevelopment is another important green feature in the plans as it encourages sustainable forms of travel, with cycle paths and good public transport links, including the enhancement of connections to the three local railway stations and a new bus service through the site.

Energy use and expenditure is also a key element considered through the plans. The buildings within the development will be fully-insulated and constructed to require less energy than the current 2006 building regulations. Many will be south facing, to ensure that as much warmth as possible will be gained through the sun, and will have low energy lighting throughout, to reduce energy consumption from lighting and heating, which will reduce bills and minimise the impact on the environment.

The pupils are currently working on a project to come up with their own ideas and designs for the regeneration of Barry Waterfront, exploring factors such as the environment, movement around the site, local character and land-use.

Barry Island Primary School, which was this year awarded the Primary School of the Year at the Keep Wales Tidy Eco Schools Awards, actively encourages its pupils to take a strong interest in their environment and surroundings. The School has also recently been awarded the Geography Quality Mark, Gold status for embedding excellence and innovation in the subject.

The pupils are working one day a week with volunteer Jess Richmond, a professional urban designer and town planner. Jess has been encouraging pupils to be creative in their approach to urban design and is teaching pupils about regeneration by using the local example of Barry Waterfront.

The £250 million regeneration plans for Barry Waterfront were submitted to the Vale of Glamorgan Council in August, and include a new link road to Barry Island, a waterfront café quarter, a significant waterside open space and park areas, retail space and approximately 2,000 new homes.

Richard Keogh from the Barry Waterfront Consortium this week went along to Barry Island School to hear the pupils’ initial ideas for the site, and to talk about the plans.

Talking about the project, Monique Heffernan, year five pupil said: “We get to look at things as they are now and think about what needs to be done. We went to look at the site and saw lots of wildlife – including rabbits and dragonflies. However there are lots of things in the area that aren’t very nice like graffiti and rubbish. It would be good if there could be a nature area as part of the plans.”

Classmate Demi McCafferty, added: “We have been thinking of ideas for the area that could make Barry better and more popular. It would definitely be good if it was easier to get to Barry Island where me and my friends live, especially for people who don’t have cars.”

Lacy Sjodin, commenting on what she would ideally like to see at the Waterfront, said: “When I look out of the window over Barry there is a load of empty land. I’d really like to see a waterpark built on the Waterfront – that would be really fun.”

Headteacher of Barry Island Primary School, Janet Hayward, said: “We are very excited about the prospect of the existing wasteland being redeveloped for the people of Barry Town and Barry Island. We are especially pleased that the children of the school are having an opportunity to engage with the developers
and learn about the future of their town.”

Mr Keogh commented: “This is a really impressive school initiative and it was great to see the class really engaging with the plans and thinking about the future of their town. I was very impressed by the creativity of some of the ideas that the children came up with and look forward to coming back in a few weeks to see how these have progressed.”

The Barry Waterfront Consortium, comprising Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes, is currently waiting for the Council to decide whether to grant planning permission to enable the Consortium to push forward with the scheme and begin site preparation works next year.

The Barry Waterfront Tall Ship Festival
Location: Barry Waterfront
Date: Saturday 5 September (12pm-5pm) – Sunday 6 September (12pm-5pm)

Following the detailed public consultation exercise that took place earlier this summer, the Consortium acknowledged the comments of local people and made changes to the scheme prior to the application being submitted to the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

The Council will now consider the final proposals before deciding whether to grant planning permission to enable this significant project to go ahead and open up 100 acres of land within the town for public use.

For further details or if you have any queries then please email
barrywaterfront@freshwater-uk.com