Community celebrates spring at Coed Darcy and Glan Llyn

Over 130 residents gathered at St. Modwen sites across Wales last weekend (19th-20th March) to welcome in spring, as the communities at Glan Llyn in Newport and Coed Darcy in Neath Port Talbot took part in an exciting line up of nature-themed events to mark the arrival of the new season.

Residents of Coed Darcy came together on Sunday (20 March) to plant trees for the Queen’s Green Canopy, part of a nationwide event to mark the Platinum Jubilee.

Families at St. Modwen sites across Wales took part, including Glan Llyn in Newport, with 26 trees planted in total across the two sites.

Coed Darcy is located on the site of the former Llandarcy Oil Refinery, and developer St. Modwen has brought forward a new masterplan for the site, which would deliver up to 2,000 additional sustainable and low-carbon homes, as well as extensive green spaces, a school and community facilities.

An application for outline planning permission to build 1,800 new homes at the Coed Darcy development near Neath was recently submitted to Neath Port Talbot Council by St. Modwen Developments.

At Glan Llyn in Newport, residents celebrated the launch of the development’s nature trail, with Gwent Wildlife Trust on hand to provide insight on local flora and fauna.

Junior nature enthusiasts were challenged to guide themselves through the trail from the development’s Western Pools to Western Park, using an activity sheet to identify some of the diverse wildlife on their doorstep. With the wildlife-rich pond area at Glan Llyn designated a Site of Interest for Nature Conservation (SINC), the environment provides a range of habitats for plenty of wildfowl and wetland critters.

Children enjoyed interacting with an expert from the Gwent Wildlife Trust, whose bird books were a particular hit. They were then able to put their new-found knowledge into action at a wildlife-themed craft table, with a bird-drawing activity producing plenty of creative and colourful images.

Families at Glan Llyn also took part in the planting of the development’s new sensory garden, under the guidance of a landscape gardener provided by Glan Llyn Estate Management Company. Designed to stimulate residents’ senses with objects and plants drawing on touch, sight, scent, and hearing, the garden will be a calming space for the community to enjoy for years to come.

St. Modwen, the UK’s leading developer of new communities and high-quality homes, is the master developer behind Glan Llyn, which is transforming the former Llanwern Steelworks into a high quality and sustainable community development set within a landscape brimming with nature. The development will deliver three new lakes, as well as extensive parkland across more than 80 acres, providing vital habitats for species native to the nearby Wentlooge Levels, including waterfowl, reed-bed nesters and woodland animals.

Over 850 homes have been delivered to date at the development, alongside community facilities including a primary school, pub, and a park. There are also footpaths and cycle routes throughout the development, enabling schoolchildren and residents to enjoy the nature on their doorstep.

As part of wider spring events taking place across the UK, green-fingered residents at Glan Llyn and Coed Darcy in Neath Port Talbot took part in a tree planting for the Queen’s Green Canopy, a nationwide initiative to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. Supported by St. Modwen, the communities at both developments were encouraged to play their part in enhancing the environment in their local area, with 26 trees planted in total at Glan Llyn and Coed Darcy.

Coed Darcy is also a former industrial site being transformed by St. Modwen into a thriving new community, with 300 homes and extensive green spaces delivered to date. This year, St. Modwen has brought forward a new masterplan for the site, which would deliver up to 2,000 new sustainable and low-carbon homes, extensive green spaces, a primary school, community facilities and active travel networks across the development.

Lucinda Clason-Thomas, resident portfolio manager at St. Modwen, said: “It’s been great to see residents at St. Modwen sites across Wales come together to celebrate the flourishing nature in their local communities. Protecting and supporting ecology at Glan Llyn and Coed Darcy will be vital for creating sustainable new places, and we want to continue adding to the local biodiversity of these brilliant areas. We’re glad that residents have been able to create a new piece of the landscape that they’ll be able to enjoy for many years to come.”

Rob Magee, youth engagement officer at Gwent Wildlife Trust, said: “Gwent Wildlife Trust was pleased to be a part of this event and to provide insight on the wildlife and habitats at Glan Llyn to the local community. Wildlife rich, accessible green space is essential to our health and wellbeing and to enhancing biodiversity in new development. It’s great to see St. Modwen delivering green spaces for the benefit of people and ecology.”