Coed Darcy
Encyclopedia
Coed Darcy is a new village currently being developed adjacent to Llandarcy
in Neath Port Talbot
county borough
, Wales
.
vacated by a former oil refinery
, the Llandarcy Oil Refinery, owned by BP
. The oil refinery was the first crude oil refinery in the UK, and was constructed between 1918
and 1922. The refinery produced diesel, kerosene
and other products. During the post-war
period, the refinery underwent large scale development as demand for products increased to 340,000 tonnes per year. Due to economic changes, it was announced in 1997 that the site would close.
development will comprise 4,000 homes, community facilities, employment space and open space covering 1300 acres (5.3 km²). Four new schools (1 Welsh primary, 2 English primaries and 1 secondary) are planned. Part of the development proposals includes a new southern access road linking the village to the Fabian Way (A483
) into Swansea
.
The construction work is expected to create 3,000 to 4,000 jobs which includes jobs created directly in the construction industry and from related support services. The village is expected to become a home to some 10,000 people once development is complete.
and the village will be developed as an urban village
in a similar fashion the Poundbury
development, which is hoped will encourage people live and work in the same community. The development is expected to take 20 years to complete.
The name of the village was suggested by members of Coedffranc Community Council. The village takes its name from the local parish of Coedffranc
and the neighbouring village of Llandarcy.
On 8 May 2007, it was announced that St. Modwen Properties
was appointed as the preferred developer of the site. St. Modwen will lead the redevelopment and reclamation of the brownfield site, which is planned to take seven years. The remediation work involves removing contaminated material from the land which was deposited when the site was used as a refinery. The reclamation work involves removing the remanining unrequired oil refinery infrastructure such as pipeworks, buildings and roads, including the draining of a large reservoir at the northern part of the site. The full completion of the regeneration project is anticipated by 2026-8.
is monitoring the development of the village.
Llandarcy
Llandarcy is a village near Neath in Neath Port Talbot county borough, southwest Wales, and formerly the site of the UK's first oil refinery. The village, which lies near the Junction 43 of the M4 Motorway, was originally designed as a garden village to house the workers for the refinery, built by...
in Neath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot is a county borough and one of the unitary authority areas of Wales. Neath Port Talbot is the 8th most populous county in Wales and the third most populous county borough....
county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Historical background
The village is being built on brownfield landBrownfield land
Brownfield sites are abandoned or underused industrial and commercial facilities available for re-use. Expansion or redevelopment of such a facility may be complicated by real or perceived environmental contaminations. Cf. Waste...
vacated by a former oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
, the Llandarcy Oil Refinery, owned by BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
. The oil refinery was the first crude oil refinery in the UK, and was constructed between 1918
1918 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1918 to Wales and its people.-Incumbents:*Prince of Wales - Edward, Prince of Wales, son of King George V of the United Kingdom*Princess of Wales - vacant...
and 1922. The refinery produced diesel, kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
and other products. During the post-war
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
period, the refinery underwent large scale development as demand for products increased to 340,000 tonnes per year. Due to economic changes, it was announced in 1997 that the site would close.
Planned outputs
The £1.2billion planned communityNew town
A new town is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city, that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are uncommon in new...
development will comprise 4,000 homes, community facilities, employment space and open space covering 1300 acres (5.3 km²). Four new schools (1 Welsh primary, 2 English primaries and 1 secondary) are planned. Part of the development proposals includes a new southern access road linking the village to the Fabian Way (A483
A483 road
The A483 is a major road in the United Kingdom, running from Swansea in Wales to Chester in England, although the official title is the Swansea to Manchester Trunk Road.-Swansea:...
) into Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
.
The construction work is expected to create 3,000 to 4,000 jobs which includes jobs created directly in the construction industry and from related support services. The village is expected to become a home to some 10,000 people once development is complete.
Planning and construction
The design specification was developed with input from The Prince's FoundationThe Prince's Trust
The Prince's Trust is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by Charles, Prince of Wales to help young people. They run a range of training programmes, provide mentoring support and offer financial grants to build the confidence and motivation of disadvantaged young people...
and the village will be developed as an urban village
Urban village
An urban village is an urban planning and urban design concept. It refers to an urban form typically characterized by:* Medium density development* Mixed use zoning* The provision of good public transit...
in a similar fashion the Poundbury
Poundbury
Poundbury is an experimental new town or urban extension on the outskirts of Dorchester in the county of Dorset, England.The development is built on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. It is built according to the principles of Prince Charles...
development, which is hoped will encourage people live and work in the same community. The development is expected to take 20 years to complete.
The name of the village was suggested by members of Coedffranc Community Council. The village takes its name from the local parish of Coedffranc
Coedffranc
Coedffranc is a village in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales.Today it has merged into an enlarged Skewen, occupying the central regions of the village of Skewen. Coedffranc is also a community and encompasses the electoral wards of Coedffranc Central, Coedffranc North and Coedffranc...
and the neighbouring village of Llandarcy.
On 8 May 2007, it was announced that St. Modwen Properties
St. Modwen Properties
St. Modwen Properties plc is a British-based property investment and development business specialising in the regeneration and remediation of brownfield land and urban environments...
was appointed as the preferred developer of the site. St. Modwen will lead the redevelopment and reclamation of the brownfield site, which is planned to take seven years. The remediation work involves removing contaminated material from the land which was deposited when the site was used as a refinery. The reclamation work involves removing the remanining unrequired oil refinery infrastructure such as pipeworks, buildings and roads, including the draining of a large reservoir at the northern part of the site. The full completion of the regeneration project is anticipated by 2026-8.
Area one
Work started on building the first 150 homes and 58 apartments, on 10.4 acres (42,087.3 m²) of the site in June 2008 on a site at old refinery main entrance designated Area 1. The first properties, designed by Robert Adam, Director at ADAM Architecture are being developed by Edward Ware Homes and Atlantic Properties Plc (Atlantic Ware Developments) with construction being carried out by Dawnus Construction. Construction work on area one is expected to take about three years.Controversies
The development of the village has not been devoid of controversy. The residents' association of the neighbouring village of Llandarcy are concerned that the new development does not swallow up Llandarcy. Concerns were expressed about some green belt land being used up in addition to the brownfield site by the village and the new access road to the Fabian Way. The Countryside Council for WalesCountryside Council for Wales
The Countryside Council for Wales is an Assembly Government Sponsored Body. It is the Welsh Assembly Government's wildlife conservation authority for Wales...
is monitoring the development of the village.