Temporary closure of Birch Hill planned

The county council has made a temporary order to close a section of Birch Hill in Llangollen to traffic to allow the replacement of gas mains.

The section involved runs for about 135 metres in an easterly direction from the A5 junction.

The traffic order comes into force on Monday January 27 and lasts for 18 months or until the completion of the works by Wales and West Utilities, whichever is the sooner.

According to the order, the works are expected to last only until about February 14.

An alternative route for traffic will be signposted via Maesmawr Road and the A5.

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the period of closure, adds the order.

Pinocchio sticks his nose in at the Pavilion

* Pinocchio played by Sophie Siddall, Prosecco, 

the pantomime dame is 

David Lyne and Geppetto is Neil Barrett.

The story of Pinocchio, the tale of a little boy whose nose stretches when he lies, will open in Llangollen tomorrow (Thursday) evening.

Pinocchio, complete with an extending nose, is the annual production from the Llangollen Pantomime Group featuring a cast and crew of almost 40 local people.

Doors open for the five performances on Thursday at Llangollen Pavilion.

The production, based on the nineteenth century Italian book The Adventures of Pinocchio and the 1940s Disney film has been adapted for the Llangollen stage by the show’s director, Justine Bradey.  

It is the second show she has directed and this time she is working with assistant director, Samantha Fletcher. 

Justine said: “We are very excited to be putting on Pinocchio. It’s not a traditional pantomime but we have lots of great characters who will keep the audiences entertained.  

"In our show Pinocchio lives with his puppet-maker father, Geppetto in the town of Lambrusco.  His father’s housemaid Prosecco becomes the traditional Dame character.  

“Pinocchio is a cheeky, wayward young boy who wants to join the circus.  He comes unstuck when he meets Mr Stromboli, the circus master, our show’s baddie.

“It’s a fun packed show with plenty of traditional Pantomime jokes, silliness, slapstick comedy live music and audience interaction.”

Pinocchio is played by 11-year-old Sophie Siddall, who’s in year seven at Ysgol Dinas Bran.  

Local picture-frqmer David Lyne returns as the Pantomime Dame, Prosecco the housemaid and there’s a Welsh character, Jim-the-cricket, played by 16-year-old Harvey Barrett, who is in year eleven at Dinas Bran.

The songs in the show, accompanied by a seven-piece live band, includes Wake up Boo by the Boo Radleys, Moves like Jagger by Maroon 5 and Shuddap you Face by Joe Dolce.

Over the years, Llangollen Pantomime Group has donated a portion of its takings to local charities.  Last year it donated £750 to the Alzheimer’s Society and £250 to the Llangollen Christmas Day lunch, organised by Mike Connolly.

Llangollen Pantomime Group was started by St Collen’s Church more than 30 years ago.  Today it draws cast and crew from across the town. 

Llangollen Pantomime has evening performances until Saturday and matinees on Saturday and Sunday January 18 and 19.  The show lasts just over two hours. 

* Tickets are available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenpanto or in person from Gwyn Davies Butchers, Jade Hair & Beauty, Dee Valley Produce or by calling 01978 860297. 

Youth centre withdrawn from list of possible housing sites

llanblogger exclusive

* County Cllrs Graham Timms (left) and Mel Mile outside Llangollen Youth Centre.

* Ken Skates AM backed the campaign to have the youth centre withdrawn from the LDP list.

Assembly Member Ken Skates has welcomed Denbighshire Council’s decision to shelve plans which could have seen houses built on Llangollen’s youth club site.

The Clwyd South AM had backed the calls of local residents and the town’s county councillors and urged the authority to withdraw proposals which would have seen houses go up on land on Willow Street, including the football pitch next to the youth centre.

The site, covering one hectare) is current used for youth club and pitches and it had been suggested for residential development when it appeared in the list of candidate sites for Denbighshire's next Local Development Plan (LDP).

Mr Skates wrote to Denbighshire's chief executive Judith Greenhalgh last August to raise his concerns and to call for the site to be withdrawn from the list of 11 proposed plots for new houses. 

At the time he said he would help campaigners fight the plans ‘all the way’.

He said: “I’m pleased that the council has listened to people’s concerns and that this site is no longer earmarked for housing. 

"I know a lot of local people are already worried about the over-development of the area and worried about how it will cope with the 95 new homes currently being built just across the road from the youth club. I’m sure they will join me in welcoming this decision.”

Mr Skates also said he was concerned that Llangollen county councillors Graham Timms and Mel Mile were not consulted on the plans before they were published last year.

He added: “Graham and Mel have come in for some unfair criticism over this. They never agreed with this idea in the first place and both made it clear they would oppose this site being used for housing. They deserve a great deal of credit for this outcome.”

Cllr Graham Timms said: “After a long battle I am delighted that the youth club and football field has been saved for Llangollen’s young people. 

"The county council have at last seen sense and removed our important amenity from the plan.

"The initial announcement came right out of the blue. No one expected that the council was going to put this land forward for housing and we as county councillors had no advance warning of it.  

"I am grateful to the many local residents who supported the case that we have been making. The public consultation meeting held in Llangollen earlier this year was the best attended in the whole of Denbighshire and most people were objecting to the youth club proposal."

Cllr Mel Mile said: "The withdrawal of this proposal is very welcome, particularly as there will be even more demand for our green spaces as the new housing estate near Vicarage Road continues to grow. We have worked together with the community to make the case for our town and won.”

Voluntary services council is recruiting

Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council is currently recruiting for a host of new posts.

DVSC has secured the lease to operate Ruthin’s Market Hall and is also in the process of taking over the Naylor Leyland Centre where it is based.  

These two venues, developed to form a hwb, are going to play a big part in its future, says the council.

The jobs on offer, in DVSC's own words, are:

Hwb Innovation Lead - To take the lead on developing these premises into a Hwb from which we will deliver new and existing services to our members and the community as a whole, create new income streams for DVSC and our members and invigorate the local economy

To lead and develop DVSC’s Hwb delivery team to provide DVSC’s core services in a dynamic, enterprising and customer focused way and to ensure Hwb activities are integrated with and drive DVSC activities.

To spot opportunities that enable DVSC to diversify income streams and develop services that meet identified needs.

Enterprise and Learning Officer - To support the HIL to develop these premises into a Hwb from which we will, deliver new and existing services to our stakeholders and the community as a whole, create new income streams for DVSC and our stakeholders and Invigorate the local economy

To lead on DVSCs Enterprise and Learning programme of activities and our Sector Support Service providing support, information and training to DVSC stakeholders, and communities in Denbighshire.

Market Hall Support Officer - To support the HIL to develop these premises into a Hwb from which we will deliver new and existing services to our members and the community as a whole, create new income streams for DVSC and our members and invigorate the local economy

To lead on the practical day to day delivery of the Market Hall and the development and delivery of DVSC’s market offer networking and developing the list of stallholders.

Marketing and Engagement Support Officer - To support the Marketing Engagement Officer (MEO) to provide marketing and engagement support to the Hwb delivery team (specifically Dementia Aware Community Led Programme -DACLP, and our core delivery work through Third Sector Support Wales - *TSSW).

Preparation and production of marketing materials for events and activities. Supporting on social media, press releases, communications, events for Hwb delivery team.

Business Development Officer - To respond to grant funding and tender opportunities and re-tenders enabling DVSC to sustain existing services and achieve social enterprise growth.  You will identify opportunities, develop strategies for success and produce compelling bid documentation within deadlines. You will also support other team members to develop confidence and skills in developing funding proposals.


DVSC Associate opportunities -In the next year we anticipate new opportunities for work in the area of community engagement, community resource mapping and community enterprise development. We are initially looking for Associates in the areas of Community engagement, Community and service mapping, Impact assessment, Business and strategic planning, Marketing and promotion (including the development of Market strategies) and financial management and forecasting


The job descriptions with person specification, additional information and application form are available on the DVSC website Work with Us page.

Extra possible development site added to local list

* The additional candidate development site at Cilmedw.

An extra site in Llangollen has been added to the list of those already put forward as possible areas for future development in Denbighshire.

Last summer the county council revealed that 11 sites in the town had been suggested as potential development candidates in the replacement Local Development Plan (LDP) which is currently in preparation.

Council planners have just written to concerned parties informing them that one additional local site has been added to the list – land at Cilmedw Way, just off the A5.

Covering 8.36 hectares, this is currently used for agriculture but has been suggested for mixed use.

Its listing says that the site does not comply with the Draft Preferred Strategy.

Details of additional candidate sites which can be found here: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/LDP

(Click on ‘Replacement Local Development Plan’, then click on ‘Additional Candidate Sites’ and from the list of areas click on ‘Llangollen’)

This is the third site at Cilmedw to appear in the list. There is one covering 1.6 hectares which is currently an overgrown field and another of 3.7 hecatres, used as greenfield land, and both are suggested for housing and/or leisure.

  

Planners stress that, as with all other candidate sites, the submission of the third Cilmedw site does not mean it is a planning application.

Work is already well advanced on preparing the new LDP for Denbighshire to cover the period 2018 – 2033.

The first major consultation stage was the draft Preferred Strategy, or Pre-Deposit, which took place at various venues across the county, including Llangollen Town Hall, last July and August. 

Additional candidate sites were submitted to the council during the draft Preferred Strategy consultation period. 

The letter from planners says: “It is important to note that no decision has been made on any of the candidate sites and they are not planning applications.

“The candidate sites are simply a reflection of what has been submitted to Denbighshire County Council for consideration to potentially be included as allocations in Denbighshire's replacement Local Development Plan 2018 to 2033.

“We are now consulting on these additional candidate sites.”

Earlier local candidate sites suggested were:

1. Mile End Mill (0.57 hectares) current use: watersport centre and vacant mill building. Proposed use: mixed use, residential and commercial.

2. Land adjacent to The Chestnuts, Berwyn Street (0.64 hectares) current use: vacant land. Proposed use: residential development.

3. Tyn Y Wern off the A5 (0.525 hectares) current use: hotel/tourism. Proposed use: residential development.

4. Maesmawr Road adjacent to Tyn Y Wern (1.1 hectares) current use: agricutural. Proposed use: residential development.

5. Land adjacent Erw Las, Fron Bache (0.033 hectares) current use: garden/amenity. Proposed use: residential or tourism accommodation.

6. Climedw, Corwen Road (1.6 hectares) current use: overgrown field. Proposed use: housing and/or leisure.

7. Climedw, Corwen Road, Site 2 (3.72 hectares) current use: greenfield land. Proposed use: housing and/or leisure.

8. Land off Maesmawr Road - Option 1 (2.05 hectares) current use: agricultural. Proposed use: residential.

9. Land off Maesmawr Road - Option 2 (5.4 hectares) current use: agricultural. Proposed use: residential.

10. Berwyn Works (0.49 hectares) current use: former employment use. Proposed use: residential development.

11. Llangollen Youth Club site (1.0 hectare) current use: youth club and pitches. Proposed use: residential development.

* Details of these sites can be found online at: 

https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/resident/planning-and-building-regulations/local-development-plan/replacement-ldp/candidate-site-maps/Llangollen.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0XIzJYlX9gwipAT-8GRZt6AIWLn0DyvT-sLlGleTvDiIefJjv1FZbmq40

Public asked for their views on transport

A survey has been launched to ask members of the public their views on transport.

Denbighshire County Council has commissioned Wrexham Glyndwr University to undertake research into transport in North Wales.

It is part of the Council’s work on Connected Communities to better enable people to travel to work, education and services, and the survey will help identify issues members of the public face.

All responses will be completely anonymous and confidential, and will help inform what Denbighshire County Council and regional partners may be able to do to address barriers to travel.

You can take part in the online survey at http://www.transport-barrier.cymru/

Singer entertains at Methodist lunch

At their annual post-Christmas lunch at the Hand Hotel yesterday (Sunday) members and friends of Lllangollen Methodist Church were entertained by Megan-Hollie Robertson from Wrexham (pictured) who successfully competed in a recent Eisteddfod.

Megan, who  studied musical theatre in Guildford, sang a selection from a Sondheim musical to a number from Sister Act to delight her audience.