Valleys Regional Park

Project description

The Valleys Regional Park is a collaboration of 13 local authorities and other public sector bodies across south Wales.

Using a whole Valleys approach, The Valleys Regional Park (VRP) is here to connect people and place, bringing together the health of the land, the people and the economy in everything that we do.

• The Valleys landscape is recognised for its quality through a regional commitment to co-ordinated promotion and management
• People are re-connected to the Valleys landscape for their wellbeing, so that it becomes a place for exercise, work, relaxation and nature, as well as for arts and heritage, and for education.
• The Valleys landscape underpins a resilient local economy, supporting businesses, community enterprise and the development of skills and learning

The project will;

• Develop proposals for the long term governance, funding and operating model for the regional management of the Valleys landscape including consideration of a land designation for the Valleys
• Support a regional approach to the use of social prescribing and the delivery of wellbeing activities
• Explore options and develop appropriate regional peer-to-peer networking to support community led development of landscape and heritage assets
• Pilot projects relating to green spaces that can be replicated on a regional basis
• Identifying and sharing best practice in relation to landscape based activity.

Geographical coverage

The VRP covers the Valleys whole of the South Wales Valleys area stretching from Torfaen in the east to the Aman and Gwendraeth Valleys in the west. It is the area between the M4 and Brecon Beacons covering 13 local authorities: those within the Capital City Region with the addition of Neath Port Talbot CBC, Swansea CC and Carmarthenshire CC.

Contact details

Name: Phil Lewis
Email: Phil.Lewis@Bridgend.gov.uk
Telephone: 07870 402491
Address: Bridgend CBC, Raven’s Court, Bridgend
Website:
Facebook:
Twitter:

Additional details

Instagram LovetheValleys

Progress

Significant progress is being made despite the considerable impact from COVID on the Discovery Gateways (DGs), local authority partners, Health Boards and our ability to engage with community groups. This progress includes;

• The launch of the VRP website and social media channels;
• Conducting a regional green space survey with over 400 respondents;
• Completion of a significant number of capital projects at the DG sites and progress towards completing the remaining projects;
• Securing additional funding for the development of 2 pilot remote working stations at the DG sites;
• 16 community projects underway, or in development, across 7 local authority areas;
• The addition of Llyn Llech Owain as a DG site in Carmarthenshire
• Working with partners, the completion of strong business plans for funding through to June 2023
• The appointment of OB3 Research as VRP evaluation partners