Spotlight falls on Trevor Basin tourist scheme

* An artist’s impression of how the finished scheme would look.

* Panels outlining the Trevor Basin scheme were set up in the foyer
at Llangollen Library. 

ORGANISERS of an exhibition showcasing a £100,000 scheme to enhance the visitor experience around Trevor Basin say it was given a warm reception in Llangollen last Friday.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Steering Group are currently carrying out a public consultation exercise into its ambitious scheme to develop a new visitor centre at the canal basin to encourage visitors to explore further into the surrounding World Heritage Site.

It says it is envisaged that a visitor centre would become the “central anchor” for the site, which over the summer hit the international headlines when the Olympic torch passed over the aqueduct aboard a narrow boat.

It says a number of sites have been considered and one has now been identified as being the most able to provide the visitor “offer” envisaged.

The group is also looking into the feasibility of re-opening part or all of the Plas Kynaston Canal from Trevor, possibly as far as Cefn Mawr.

However, the group stresses all the proposals are long term and depend on the development of the former Flexsys site nearby.

The exhibition which came to Llangollen Library last Friday aimed to gauge public opinion on the scheme and has already toured other venues in the 11-mile World Heritage Site Corridor, including Chirk and Cefn Mawr.

Panels containing a wide range of information on the scheme, including plans and artist’s impressions, were set up in the library foyer and copies of documents and a CD explaining the whole project were available to pick up.

Interested members of the public were able to write their comments on post-it notes which could be stuck on a map of the World Heritage Site, or fill in questionnaires which can be handed in at Tourist Information Centres in Llangollen or Wrexham before the consultation closing date of November 16.

A spokesman for the group said: “We had tremendous support for the exhibition from the people visiting Llangollen Library and there were some very positive comments.”

A separate consultation event is planned for the local community of Chirk Bank and Western Rhyn on Monday, November 12.


 

Band delights festival crowds

* The band in action at the festival.

Llangollen Band had a warm reception from the crowd when it played at last weekend's food festival at the International Pavilion.
 
A band spokeswoman said: "The sun shone brightly at the end of a week of summer mysteriously out of place in October, and cherished all the more for that. 

"Conductor Trevor Williams was so delighted with the weather that he requested the organisers to arrange his holidays for next year..! 

"The festival was packed with visitors and the band played in front of the pavilion to an enthusiastic crowd making the most of the warmth, the food and the music.   

"A little bit of heaven for all the senses!"

Appeal for witnesses to fatal crash

Shortly after 7.00pm last night, Monday 22^nd October 2012 emergency services were called to the scene of a two vehicle road traffic collision on the A541 Wrexham to Mold Road close to the end of the dual carriageway adjacent to the Plas Teg Estate. The collision involved a silver BMW series 3 motor vehicle travelling in the direction of Mold and a silver Ford Ka travelling in the opposite direction.

As a result of the collision the driver of the Ford Ka, a local woman in her 30’s received fatal injuries and passed away a short time later at Wrexham hospital. Tragically the woman was pregnant and despite efforts made at the scene her unborn child could not be saved.

The driver of the BMW, who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving has since been released on bail whilst the investigation continues.

The officer leading the Investigation Sergeant Jane Thomas of the Roads Policing Unit said “I’d like to hear from anyone who was travelling along the A541 Road in Pontbyddyn yesterday evening and may have witnessed the collision to contact the Police. At this time the lady’s family are being supported by a specialist family liaison officer. As you can imagine they are devastated. This is a tragic incident which will have shaken the local community and I would ask that if you have any information that may assist our investigation that you contact Police immediately.

If you have any information about the collision North Wales Police can be contacted on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and quote incident N175772.

New health centre could cost millions more than planned claim campaigners

* Accessing the River Lodge site could add millions to the cost of building a new health centre, claim campaigners. 

Providing a new health centre to replace closure-threatened Llangollen Cottage Hospital will cost millions of pounds more than the health board’s current estimate.

That is the claim of the campaign group battling to keep health services in the town if the hospital shuts down as proposed by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB).

Last Saturday members of the group Keep Llangollen Health Services lobbied politicians going into the annual food festival at the Pavilion and claimed to have gained support from all the area’s four Assembly Members for their aim of keeping the hospital open until its replacement is up and running.

Other protests are now planned, says the group.

Most likely location for the new health centre is the site of the derelict River Lodge in Mill Street.

A researcher from the group who has been checking into concerns about its access off the busy A539 road said: “We know that Mill Street, where the A road from Trefor is too narrow to be an A road and becomes a B road for a short distance, will have to be widened to comply with planning law for the River Lodge redevelopment as a new Health Centre, and that will involve compulsory purchase of a number of large building such as the Upper Dee Mill, adding around £2m-£3m to the estimated £5.5m cost of building the Hospital’s replacement.

“This does not look like value for money, and represents a downgrading – or elimination – of vital local health services.”

Using a Land Registry search, the group has also been trying to clear up confusion over the ownership of the Cottage Hospital building.

And its researcher claims:  “Betsi Cadwaladr has title to the hospital, Dol Afon [the large Victorian house adjacent currently on the market], and the small car park almost opposite.

“Consequently, reversion to the Vivod Estate won’t happen, as there’s no covenant on the hospital, despite the rumours.

“We also have no guarantee that when these assets are sold, the money will benefit the town, so it will probably go into BCUHB’s general pool.”

The group now has its own Facebook page at Save Llangollen Hospital Beds and a website at http://llangollenhospitalcampaign.wordpress.com/

Free food safety session for businesses

A free food safety advice session for businesses is to be held in Llangollen early next month.

The event in Llangollen Library, Y Capel, Castle Street, will be held on Tuesday, November 6, from 2 - 5.30pm.

It is one of a series of similar sessions being staged across Denbighshire and Conwy during November.

The drop-in sessions are being held in town centres, so that businesses will be able to pop along and meet food safety officers, and get information and advice.

Topics covered will be:

• The National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme
• Food safety management systems/HACCP
• Food hygiene training
• How to comply with food safety regulations

Useful information for traders and businesses about health and safety at work and Trading Standards will also be available.

Cllr David Smith, Denbighshire’s Cabinet Lead Member for Public Realm, said: “This is an excellent opportunity to meet inspecting officers informally for up-to-date information and advice.

“In this current economic climate, I would urge local businesses to take full advantage of the Food Safety Teams free help and guidance.”

£13 million to help keep Welsh homes warm

Environment Minister, John Griffiths has announced an additional £13m to help keep Welsh homes warm.

 

The money will be divided between the Welsh Government’s two flagship fuel poverty schemes, Nest and Arbed, both of which target investment at those people most in need of help.

Speaking at the launch of Big Energy Savings Week at Bridgend shopping outlet, McArthur Glen, the Minister said: “Rising energy costs and the current economic conditions mean that too many people in Wales are becoming vulnerable to fuel poverty.

“The Welsh Government is committed taking action to tackle this issue, and that is why Nest, our fuel poverty scheme targets investment at those people most at risk.

"Latest figures show that since April 2011 Nest has provided advice and support to over 15000 households to help them reduce their bills and has funded energy saving improvement in around 5600 homes. These improvement packages really do make a difference, resulting in an average saving of £500 per household so I am delighted that we have been able to allocate significant additional money to such a beneficial scheme.

"The £13m will be shared between Nest and our strategic energy scheme Arbed which in its first phase helped to make 6000 homes in some of Wales poorest areas more energy efficient. We are now moving into Arbed’s second phase and expect it to benefit a further 5000 homes plus by 2016.

“Both Nest and Arbed make a genuine difference to the quality of life of Welsh householders, resulting in warmer homes and reduced fuel bills, and I am delighted that we are able to maintain our investment in tackling fuel poverty at this economically difficult time.”

The Environment Minister confirmed that that the draft budget for 2013-14 included an additional £10m for improving domestic energy and that £5m additional capital would be used in both 2013-14 and 2014-15 for the Nest and Arbed schemes. He said the money would improve the energy efficiency of 1600 Welsh homes.

Finance Minister, Jane Hutt said: “As part of the Welsh Government’s Draft Budget for 2013-14 I announced an additional £175m in capital investment over the next two years to support strategically important projects throughout Wales.

“The additional £10million to improve domestic energy will make a real difference, ensuring warmer homes and more manageable fuel bills for many of Wales’ less well off householders.”

The Minister also announced an extra £3m for Nest which has been taken from centrally retained capital.

Latest roadworks in the area ...

 

 

Latest roadworks in the area notified by Denbighshire County Council are:

Hill Street, Llangollen,  from December 23-25, temporary traffic lights for renewal of stop-tap by Dee Valley Water.

Regent Street, Llangollen, from October 24-26, temporary traffic lights for drainage works by Dee Valley Water. 

Pendre Road, Berwyn, from November 8-December 6, road closure for bridge works by the county council. 

The Square, London Road, Corwen, until November 2,  temporary traffic lights for resurfacing work by the county council.

Hatchery Lane, from A539 to junction opposite Trevor Mill House, Trevor, road closure until November 23 to allow drainage works by Dee Valley Water.