[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It wasn’t quite ‘planes, trains and automobiles’ for Joyce Watson AM, as she talked planes, buses and mobile homes in Gwynedd.
In a series of meetings last week (7 – 8 July), the Labour Mid and West Wales regional member visited a local park home site, discussed the future of Snowdonia’s airfield and welcomed the launch of a free bus travel scheme. She also met with Gwynedd councillors and officers in Harlech to catch up on town planning developments.
Funded by Welsh Government, as of last Saturday (8 July), people can travel for free on the weekend on all TrawsCymru buses. The extensive network includes the T2 (Aberystwyth – Dolgellau – Bangor) and T3 (Wrexham – Llangollen – Dolgellau – Barmouth) services. The pilot project will run until at least May 2018. It is hoped the scheme will act as a catalyst for bus travel across Wales.
Neil Collis, owner of Harlech’s Pant Mawr Residential Park, invited Mrs Watson to meet him to talk about proposed changes to fees on the sale of park homes. Welsh Government is consulting on whether the maximum commission rate of 10%, currently chargeable on the sale of park homes, should be retained, changed or abolished. The consultation is open until 17 August 2017, available via the Welsh Government website.
At Llanbedr airfield, Joyce discussed with site manager Jason Coleman, Gwynedd Council’s Nia Swann Bowden and Rob Walter of QinetiQ the development of the facility, including plans to improve site access from the A496. She also caught up on Llanbedr’s ambitious bid to host the UK’s first spaceport.
Mrs Watson, who chairs the Assembly’s construction industry cross-party group, also organised a meeting with newly-elected Harlech councillor Freya Bentham and council officers to discuss ongoing town planning matters, centring on the future of Coleg Harlech’s Wern Fawr site and the dilapidated St David’s Hotel.
Earlier this month, in the Senedd, Joyce question economy minister Ken Skates about the town’s development. Here is a transcript of the 4 July exchange:
Joyce Watson AM:
“At the end of this week, Cabinet Secretary, I will be travelling to the north of my constituency, to Harlech. When it comes to arranging meetings or any other events in Harlech, there is a natural place where we settle upon that is mutually convenient and extremely important to the area, and of course I’m talking about Harlech castle. I know that the community, like myself, are hugely grateful for the Welsh Government’s recent £6 million investment in the castle and consequently actually putting it back in good shape, now attracting more than 100,000 visitors last year, which was a 35 per cent increase. So, the extra protection afforded to places like that—historic monuments—is hugely important. It’s not only important to the preservation of the physical structure, but to the well-being of the local area.
“So, the question that I have is: whilst we look after and preserve and put forward Acts that protect those buildings and those areas, you will know that within virtually the same footprint of that site we have the St David’s hotel, which is practically falling down. Some would like it to fall down very soon. I suppose my question is this: whilst we’re putting all the investment into the area, and whilst we’re putting lots of protection into the castle, it is marred by overlooking what is now a derelict building. On top of that, of course, there’s the uncertainty of the college site and also the theatre. But I know, Cabinet Secretary, that you’ve put some money into co-funding some regeneration work, and I wonder whether you’ll be able to tell me how much that investment was. I understand and appreciate that you’re in conversation with Gwynedd Council in trying to solve some of the problems, as well as Snowdonia National Park. But I also wonder whether you’re able to confirm, Cabinet Secretary, if you’re speaking with your colleague the Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language regarding the future of the college, the theatre and the site, so that when we do put in protection and we do put in some investment that actually does deliver positive change, it isn’t spoiled by those things that it overlooks.”
Ken Skates AM:
“Can I thank the Member for her contribution and for her questions? Joyce Watson is a great promoter of Harlech castle, a great promoter of the region, of the town itself, and also a great champion of the natural environment and wildlife tourism, which we also know is a huge contributor to the Welsh economy. I’d also like to pay tribute to the keen interest that Joyce Watson has shown in the regeneration of Harlech, which has been sparked by our considerable investment in the castle.
“The Member rightly noted that we have recently approved a not insignificant sum of money to support further regeneration in Harlech. It’s my hope that the local authority will be able to work with local stakeholders, shopkeepers and community leaders and action groups in ensuring that the right projects are identified for priority work, and that, together, some of the big challenges concerning other assets—some might say ‘eyesores’—in the area are actually dealt with speedily, because I do share the Member’s frustration at some of the decay that is apparent not far from the castle into which we’ve pumped millions of pounds.
“As a result of the investment that we’ve made in Harlech castle, we’ve seen a huge increase in visitor figures. Visitor numbers last year grew by 11.2 per cent, and the Member is right; they now exceed 100,000 visitors in total. That’s an additional 8,000 paying visitors, which, in turn, is driving investment back into the Cadw site. And it’s worth noting, as well, that the new bridge that was installed at the castle has been recognised—it’s an award-winning bridge, and it’s become something of an iconic feature locally. The Harlech castle improvement project has been successful in receiving the RICS culture and heritage award.
“It’s my view that we need to ensure that we reflect on the fact that the castle is part of an incredible natural environment. The Member identified the world heritage site and the national park as being complementary components. We have developed guidance on maintaining and managing world heritage sites in order to contribute to the work of other groups that are preserving and promoting the historic environment, but I do believe that, with specific regard to Harlech, it’s essential that all parties at a very local level and at a local authority level work together, overcome domestic frustrations that may exist, and focus on the single purpose of identifying the challenges, overcoming them, and ensuring that regeneration can be delivered. And Welsh Government is very happy to lend a hand where possible.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
