Cambrian Park Village

CAMBRIAN PARK

Cambrian Park retirement village is a novel and attractive housing development on the outskirts of Wenvoe just beyond Brooklands Terrace, near CulverHouse Cross. The retirement village was originally a green field site, which in 1952 became a caravan park. The site evolved and people started living there in static caravans but the infrastructure was of poor quality and site became run down.

Cambrian Park was purchased by the current owners Maguire Park Homes in 2007 and managed by Maguire Park Homes. It was then brought up to a high standard with mains water, gas and electricity.

Agnes, the Park Director, is currently project managing the development, which when complete will have 145 new owner-occupied detached homes.

The bungalow-style efficient double-glazing and energy-efficient homes range from £139,000-£175,000.The standard two-bedroom property comes with carpets, curtains, white goods…

Purchasers have a choice of fixtures and fittings or they can have their home built to their own specification.

All residents of Cambrian Park must be over the age of 50 and the estate aims to offer a safe and secure community, which is overseen by a site warden. Although many residents have second homes overseas, most have downsized and see this as their last house move.

The Park is enjoyed by mature people who want a safe home in their retirement, or singles and couples who want the security and peace of mind of belonging to a community of people of similar age, but who do not want to move to managed accommodation. As the Park is for the over 50s children are welcome but only to visit for holidays and weekends…

It is an exceptionally well kept Park and close to bus stops and convenient for shopping at the stores at CulverHouse Cross, with a bridge to Ely shops and services including a GP practice.

In addition to this residential Park, the Maguire family have several in Wales and England with plans for more. Each Park is initially project managed by the adult children of the Maguire family.

Maintenance agents and sole traders and other services providers, while not officially recommended, are nevertheless on an approved list.

It was pleasing that several residents of Cambrian Park attended the ‘Welcome to Wenvoe’ event at the Community Centre, towards the end of last year. A few residents have plots on the Wenvoe allotment site in Twyn-Yr-Odyn.

As mentioned above, further homes are being built, so happily those in Wenvoe will have more residents who may wish to enjoy the many meetings and activities published in Wenvoe What’s On. Residents receive copies of Wenvoe What’s on, with some taking full advantage of Wenvoe’s social associations.

This article was written with the kind assistance of Angus Maguire.

 



 

January Updates

 

Planning applications

• 17, Old Port Road. Works to tree in the Wenvoe Conservation Area. No objections

• Whitehall Quarry, Old Port Road. Proposed continued implementation of planning permission 04/00700/FUL without compliance with Condition No. 1. The filling operation was due to complete 31st December 2017, Cemex are requesting an additional six months to complete the filling operations. Supported. (Restoration work will continue beyond this date).

• Land at the former bus depot site, Chapel, Chapel Terrace, Twyn Yr Odyn. Discharge of Condition 13 – Demolition of existing buildings.

• ALDI Stores Ltd., Units 2A/2B, Brooklands Terrace. Discharge of Condition 6 – Post installation noise assessment.

• Former ITV Studios, Culverhouse Cross. Non material amendment. Application to use a different colour brick on the outstanding properties to be built..

• Oaktree Farm, Morfa Lane. Use of the dwelling without complying with an agricultural occupancy condition. (This is a new application previous request was refused))

 



 

January Updates

 

Planning updates.

The following application have been approved.

• Aldi Store, Brooklands Terrace. Discharge of condition 6 – noise assessment.

• The Grange, Port Road. Work to trees covered by TPO 2012 No 8 G12

 

The council have supported the finance committee’s recommendations for next year’s budget. There will be a slight increase in some charges, the precept, per household will remain unchanged.

The council is still awaits to hear that the Welsh Assembly has approved their grant application for the new library. They hope to have confirmation early February being the projected time scale for dealing with such applications.

The fencing around the children’s playarea in the Grange requires some maintenance. It is hoped that improvements to play equipment using S106 funds will be undertaken.

PCSO Angela Stone was welcomed to the December meeting (Angela was the Wenvoe PCSO a many years, now normally covering the west end of the Vale). She reported on a number of local minor crimes including thefts from vehicles and building sites and failing to pay for meals.

Mr John Crockford was thanked for providing this year’s Christmas tree, that was admired by numerous people.

The failure to replace the bus shelter at St Andrew’s Cross \and the couple of areas that become dangerous during freezing weather due to being continuously wet in the winter will be reported to the Vale.

Complaints were received at the disgusting habit of some people who hang cleared up their dog poo they proceed to decorate the countryside by hanging the bags on branches and hedges, these take many years to disintegrate..

The meeting to hear the public’s views on the future of the church hall is planned for 7.00pm on Thursday February 8th.

 



 

January Update

 

Our library was full of festive cheer on Saturday December 16th when our local author, Bethan Darwin, came along to draw the winning ticket for our Christmas raffle. The winner of the hamper full of festive treats was Mr Cliff Tipple. A total of 153 tickets were sold, a great result, and our thanks to go to Clare for the prize and the organisation of the raffle.

To all book lovers here is an interesting thing to do. You can make a list of all the books you have read. It’s the BBC’s Top 100 Books You Need To Read Before You Die. http://www.listchallenges.com/bbcs-top-100-books-you-need-to-read-before-you-die We would love to hear about anyone’s list.

And here is our list of new books for this month:

ADULT FICTION

The Guilty – David Baldacci

Night School – Lee Child

A Time of Torment – John Connolly

An Orphan in the snow – Molly Green

60 – Mihangel Mogan

Ruler of the Night – David Morrell

NON FICTION

Wonderful Wilderness – Gill Arbuthnott

CHILDREN

Bodyworks – The Heart and Lungs – Thomas Canavan

Roller Coaster Ride around the Body – Dawnay and Barrow

Alys Drws Nesa – Julie Curtin

Methy Symud – Gomer

Parc – Drefwen

Arwyn yr Anturiwr – Grace Todd

This is a selection of children's titles, we have lots more new ones in the library.

Happy reading.

 



 

Ash Trees Disaster

 

Ash trees are one of our natives and are particularly common around the parish. In face we have spent 10 years trying to eliminate them from the meadow part of the Upper Orchid Field. But what would our countryside look like if they all went? This is not as unlikely as you might think. We have previously commented in Whats On about the rate of tree loss by human action what with new housing, cycle ways or action by individual householders. This is matched by a replanting record in Wales that is woefully short of the targets set by the Welsh Government. However this is as nothing compared with the threat created by Ash Dieback or Chalara, a lethal fungus first reported in Britain in 2012. In an experiment in 2013, 155,000 ash saplings were planted and only 2.5% remain disease free now. Not only is there a potential impact on the 955 mammals, birds, insects, lichens and fungi that use the trees but it will affect the council tax payer, through the additional cost of removing dead and dying trees, particularly where these overhang roads, parks or houses. And the most amazing thing is that even though it is a native species we imported 5.2 million ash trees from abroad between 2003 and 2011. Many of the pests and diseases our trees and plants are suffering from have been imported on shrubs and trees from abroad. It may be that we as consumers might have to consider asking our garden centres where the plants that we are buying have come from. Scientists are working on a variety of ways to help address the problem but timescales for developing disease-resistant strains can be measured in decades and Chalara is with us now. But, you might say, there are plenty of other types of tree around. The photo shows a veteran Sweet Chestnut tree near Cowbridge which we also have growing on Grange Park and in the woods near the Upper Orchid Field. Another killer fungus has destroyed 3.5 billion Chestnuts in the USA and last summer it reached East London, Devon and Dorset.

 



 

Community Centre Meeting

 

Thursday 8th February – 7.00pm

An Open Meeting is to be held at the Community Centre on 8 February at 7 pm. The meeting will be hosted by St Mary’s Church and Wenvoe Community Council.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the future of the Church Hall. Some residents may already be aware that St Mary’s is considering building an extension to the church in order to rehouse activities currently undertaken in the Church Hall. The Church has determined that the Hall is no longer suitable for their needs and that maintenance costs make the building unsustainable.

As a consequence the Church are considering selling the Hall. This could either be for redevelopment or possible purchase by the Community Council

The purpose of the meeting is, therefore, to further explain the options and to gauge the views of residents.

We hope that as many residents as possible will be able to attend the meeting. For:those who are unable to be there we would welcome your views if you would care to email the Council at. wenvoecc@googlemail.com

Colin Thomas . Chairman

 



 

Spring is Just Around the Corner

 

Daffodil bulbs are well on their way, pigeons are nesting, Easter eggs in shops, moles are looking for a mate and leaving small piles of earth in gardens where there not wanted, spring must be close.It is only February I know but loads to be getting on with. If you are ordering plants or seeds from catalogues you need to get in quickly as some favourites will soon be out of stock. Planning ahead, are you going to enter the village show later in the year, if so then some special seed will give an advantage. Seed from specialist growers does cost more but we're not entering to come last are we?

Winter flowering shrubs that have that have stopped producing flowers should be cut back now as the more new growth they put on throughout the coming year the better the display.Winter flowering Jasmine is one that benefits from early pruning.

Lily bulbs can be potted up now and place Dahlia tubers in a light warm place to encourage them to sprout before planting out, be careful not to let them dry out. Root cuttings of perennial Poppies can be taken. At the end of the month cut back the stems of potted fuchsias that are under cover and put in a warm place to promote new growth. Keep dead heading winter pansies, they will go on for a long while yet.

Hardy annuals can be sown in pots and will be good for filling in gaps throughout the year if you stagger the sowing, also wildlife love them. A tip from the RHS, when weeds start to grow then its time to sow hardy annuals. Sweet peas sown now and put in a cold frame will prolong the season along with the autumn sown ones that can now be potted up.

The lawn may not be looking at its best this time of year but edging will need to be done and grass cut if you can possibly get on to it. If you delay the first cut to long it will become difficult to manage. Keep sweeping those worm casts away. Turf can be laid now if ground conditions allow.

We are fortunate to live in what the Police say is a low crime area but we must not become complacent. Don't leave machinery and tools on view, put a good lock on garden buildings. It only takes a minute for a thief to relieve you of anything not locked up. Shed alarms are a good cheap deterrent.

This is the time of year when we might be thinking of some major changes to the outside area. If your going to need contractors to help with the work now is the time as their books are not as full this time of year. Get at the very least two quotes and do not be pressured into any contract. To find good people can be challenging, the best way is to speak to people who have had work done. Please do not accept offers from people who come knocking at your door, you may get lucky but newspapers are full of stories about work not completed and over charging.

Need to know more about gardening? then the environment team is for you. They meet on Mondays usually twice a month and help keep Wenvoe looking good. The team includes amongst others Trevor Ieuin and Brian, these gardeners have loads of knowledge and its free. Take care and happy gardening

 



 

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