Town centre improvements for two outdoor spaces in Barry

Drawing of Central Park improvements, Vale of Glamorgan Council

Jointly-funded by Transforming Towns, the Welsh Government’s town centre regeneration programme and the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Barry Regeneration Fund, Central Park and Gladstone Road Interchange are the latest outdoor spaces to benefit from green infrastructure improvements and town centre enhancements in Barry.

Located behind Barry Library, Central Park is now home to a host of new outdoor family-friendly facilities, including modern table-top games, an outdoor chess board and picnic benches.

A five-by-ten-metre paved stage and secure power-point have also been installed at the centre of the Park — allowing the venue to host future outdoor events and entertainment activities for local residents and visitors to the town.

The improvement works are part of a longer-term project for the Park, which will include a complete upgrade of the existing children’s play area at the end of this year.

At Gladstone Road Interchange, work is underway to revitalise the street aesthetic through multiple green space enhancements and environmental improvements.

Supported by £192,000 of Transforming Towns funding, the Barry Town Centre Green Infrastructure project will see the removal of large areas of hard surfacing at Gladstone Road / Court Road roundabout and the introduction of soft landscape features.

These include the introduction of 421 trees and shrubs along Gladstone Road, the installation of rain gardens and planting of more than 1,400 square metres of wildflower meadows to help promote wildlife in the area and reduce the severity of flooding and surface water in the area.

It is hoped that the green infrastructure works at Gladstone Road will be complete by the end of March.

To date, the Welsh Government has allocated £3.5 million in Transforming Towns funding to the Vale of Glamorgan Council for Barry specific regeneration projects, including everything from the repurposing of empty properties and improvement of town centre facilities, to green infrastructure enhancements across the town.

Councillor Lis Burnett, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration of Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “The recent and ongoing regeneration projects at Central Park and Gladstone Road Interchange are just the latest set of works to take place as part of our overarching goal to improve the environmental landscape in Barry.

“We care deeply about protecting our local environment, promoting sustainable living and helping to tackle climate change, so we hope that the steps we are taking to protect and enhance our streets and green spaces will offer long-term benefits for the wider community.

“More than ever before, the outdoor environment is so important for health and wellbeing, so it is vital that we continue to look after and offer more ways for the people of Barry to enjoy it.

Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, Hannah Blythyn, said: The Transforming Towns initiative brings a vital boost to the town centres of Wales, while supporting communities and businesses to develop and thrive.

“The green infrastructure developments in Barry play such an important role in the revitalisation of the town, not only for the benefit of local residents, but for the benefit of the environment.

“Under the guidance of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, I look forward to seeing the wide scale benefits that these projects will no doubt bring to Barry during 2021 — and beyond”.