Masterplan launched to transform a Swansea community

Plans to transform a community in the north of Swansea have been revealed.

The Penderi Regeneration Scheme will see a large and long-term investment into the area, four miles from Swansea city centre, with the plans shaped by the community itself.

Over 350 households in the area proactively participated in the consultation process. Active and influential community groups and organisations have also given their views and feedback, such as Blaenymaes Drop-in Centre Ty Fforest Hub and Swansea Community Farm.

Penderi is the council ward for the neighbourhoods of Blaenymaes, Cadle, Penplas and Portmead.

The Masterplan sets out the direction of travel for the future of Penderi, offering a long-term and co-ordinated approach to tackling the issues faced by the community today and in the future.

Pobl Group and Swansea Council, the two largest landlords in the area, managing almost 2,000 homes, are working collaboratively to bring the vision for Penderi to life with a wide range of partner organisations.

The 7 core ambitions for Penderi

1 – Integrated Blue Green Infrastructure
Penderi will be based within a rich and varied landscape which will support the growing communities who will live alongside habitats for flora and fauna as part of a wider landscape which benefits not only residents and local ecology, but the whole of Swansea

2 – Connected and accessible neighbourhood
Penderi will be well connected. Better connectivity will include high quality walking, cycling, public transport while also providing options for residents to have a variety of options for private car use (e.g., car clubs with electric/hybrid vehicles). The area should also have exceptional digital connectivity and digital inclusion/engagement.

3 – High quality building stock
The housing stock in area should provide a range of properties that people are happy to live in and which provides the communities with choice and options that enable them to stay in the area as their needs and circumstances change.

4 – Community facilities and provisions
The communities of Penderi will become healthier, both physically and mentally. Residents will have lifestyles which support long term wellness and reduce the need to treat ill health.

5 – Active and involved community
Active citizenship will be the norm for the communities of Penderi. Residents will oversee the transformation of the neighbourhood and allow them to become long-term stewards and custodians of the area. The facilities which support community life (schools, shops, surgeries, etc) will be inspiring places that motivates people and promotes happiness.

6 – Energy efficient
Penderi will be a place where energy usage is minimisedand where there is a priority upon the use of renewable sources of energy.

7 – Economically resilient neighbourhood
The community of Penderi will be economically resilient where households are at the very least financially stable and ideally prosperous. People will have opportunities to find employment in a diverse range of employment opportunities which range from the Foundational Economy through to the Digital Economy.

Work is already underway on the UK’s largest ever energy retrofit project of its kind, that will see Pobl’s homes in the area benefiting from the installation of state-of-the art renewable energy generation, energy storage and smart energy management technology.

Central to the wider regeneration plan, the innovative scheme, supported by £3.5m EU funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Welsh Government, will see the community generate as much as 60 per cent of their total electricity requirements, reducing bills as well as carbon emissions by as much 350 tonnes per year.  

Amanda Davies, Group CEO, Pobl Group, explained: “At Pobl, we are absolutely committed to building and investing in communities where people thrive, designing and regenerating to create homes and spaces where people can live, work and play. We have a long and proud history in the Penderi area, and this regeneration plan is about giving power back to local people to strengthen their community and build on what already exists.

“Partnering with Swansea Council on this scheme means we have a real opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives, creating an extended community that residents can be proud of, one that they themselves have helped transform and which makes the most of its undoubted potential.”

Cllr Andrea Lewis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Service Transformation, said: “The Penderi Regeneration Scheme aims to transform lives in Penderi, benefiting householders and the community for years to come. It’s really pleasing residents have been at the heart of consultations and the development of this vital project. It was important to us that they feel it’s their community and a project they can take pride in.

“Swansea Council has been leading the way in Wales in using the latest technology to build a new generation of homes with extremely high levels of energy efficiency – which is good for household bills and good for the environment too. That’s why we’re delighted to be partners with Pobl building a better future for Penderi.”

Welsh Government, Swansea Bay University Health Board, South Wales Police, Natural Resources Wales, Keep Wales Tidy and Llanmoor Homes are among those contributing to the Penderi Regeneration Board.

Details on the scheme are available at www.penderi.co.uk.