Pontprennau
Encyclopedia
Pontprennau is a district in the east
Cardiff East
Cardiff East may refer to:* Cardiff East * Cardiff East...

 of the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...

 of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

, 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...

.

History

Pontprennau is the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...

 for Bridge of Trees (as in wooden bridges or footbridges).

Lying east-west along the foot of the hills of the South Wales valleys
South Wales Valleys
The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales, stretching from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east and from the Heads of the Valleys in the north to the lower-lying, pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain...

, with Caerphilly
Caerphilly
Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively...

 directly north, the area is defined by a series of hills, intersected by shallow valleys created by stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...

s which feed as tributaries into the Rhymney River
Rhymney River
The Rhymney River is a river in the Rhymney Valley, south-east Wales, flowing through Cardiff into the Severn estuary.The river forms the boundary between the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire.-Path of the river:...

.

Once a part of an area made up of several farms in Llanedeyrn
Llanedeyrn
-Early history:The name "Llanedeyrn" is believed to be derived from a sixth century monk and a Celtic saint named St. Edeyrn. During the sixth century, St. Edeyrn and a fellow monk, St. Isan, were given the task of spreading the faith and establishing places of worship. The first location chosen by...

, Pontprennau was designated in the 1970s for residential development, with the M4 Motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...

 Junction 30 developed for the purpose. It has expanded greatly since the early 1990s, driven primarily by private sector housing, and then corporate offices on Cardiff Gate
Cardiff Gate
Cardiff Gate services is the motorway service station on the junction of the M4 motorway and the A4232 north east of Cardiff, Wales. It is owned by Welcome Break, and is located on the Cardiff Gate International Business Park, which is a commercial development site adjacent to Pontprennau. Also...

.

Today

According to the United Kingdom Census 2001
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....

, there were 8,037 people living in Pontprennau. However, this has expanded greatly since, due to sustained housing development both in West Pontprennau and on further pieces of unused land. A major expansion of the area is expected within the next several years, with planning permission being sought for a further 4,000 houses in the farmland lying between Pontprennau and Lisvane.

Community

East Pontprennau, adjacent to the M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...

 junction 30, is the commercial sector of the development, housing Cardiff Gate services, Cardiff Gate Business Park
Cardiff Gate
Cardiff Gate services is the motorway service station on the junction of the M4 motorway and the A4232 north east of Cardiff, Wales. It is owned by Welcome Break, and is located on the Cardiff Gate International Business Park, which is a commercial development site adjacent to Pontprennau. Also...

 and Cardiff Gate Retail Park. The business park provides office accommodation to regional representation for many multinational companies and is also home to the Emergency Control Centre for South Wales, as well as the fire training centre. The retail park is home to a large 24/7 Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...

 supermarket and petrol station, a B&Q
B&Q
B&Q plc is a multinational DIY and home improvement retailer headquartered in Eastleigh, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1969 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingfisher plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange....

 DIY store, a McDonalds restaurant and several home furniture stores.

Central Pontprennau is mainly devoted to housing development. The northern edge and highest point in the community is where the community centre, the church and Pontprennau Medical Centre are located. At the bottom of the hill is the western edge, which has a small commercial area, with a large proportion of the land dedicated to industrial use now being converted to private sector housing. It also houses Pontprennau's only public house, a Waitrose
Waitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...

 supermarket, Cardiff's BUPA
Bupa
Bupa is a large British healthcare organisation, with bases on three continents and more than ten million customers in over 200 countries. It is a private healthcare company, in direct contrast to the UK's National Health Services, which are tax-funded healthcare systems and do not require private...

 hospital (now owned by Spire Healthcare
Spire Healthcare
Spire Healthcare is a large British healthcare organisation with 37 hospitals in the UK, and the second largest private hospital group in the UK. It was formed when private equity firm Cinven acquired Bupa Hospitals in 2007....

), and a Jaguar cars retail garage.

West Pontprennau is the newest of the three areas. It consists mainly of residential housing, but it also contains an Aldi
ALDI
ALDI Einkauf GmbH & Co. oHG, doing business as ', short for "Albrecht Discount", is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany...

 supermarket and Cyncoed Medical Centre, which transferred from Cyncoed
Cyncoed
Cyncoed is a community in the north of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. Located in the north east of the city, Cyncoed is one of the most affluent suburbs of Cardiff, and of Wales in general. It has some of the highest property prices in Wales...

 to Pontprennau in 2005.

School

There is presently no school in Pontprennau. This is due to Cardiff Council continuing its local debate, due to both the need for capital investment in a school in Pontprennau and the need to rationalise other schools in the Cardiff district which are unfilled or require large capital investment. A local primary school had been promised for September 2007 (claimed as a "victory" independently by both Local Councillors), but again the council may move the date and not fulfill its promise, as the council have failed to reach an agreement on the closure of several schools in the rest of the city.

Transport

Pontprennau has good transportation links, being located next to the M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...

 junction 30. Public transport is provided by Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus is the dominant operator of bus services in Cardiff, Wales and the surrounding area, including Barry and Penarth. Its hub is Cardiff central bus station...

, which serves Pontprennau with services 57 and 58, with buses running approximately every 7–8 minutes during peak time, taking around 40 minutes to reach Central Station
Cardiff Central bus station
Cardiff Central bus station is the main bus transport interchange in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. With 34 stands, it is the largest bus station in the city and in Wales. It is located adjacent to Cardiff Central railway station forming a major bus-rail-cycle-taxi interchange.The station used...

 via Pentwyn
Pentwyn
Pentwyn may refer to:*Pentwyn, Cardiff, a district of the city of Cardiff, Wales*Pentwyn, Monmouthshire, a village in Monmouthshire, Wales*Pentwyn, Caerphilly, a village in the Darran Valley...

, Llanedeyrn
Llanedeyrn
-Early history:The name "Llanedeyrn" is believed to be derived from a sixth century monk and a Celtic saint named St. Edeyrn. During the sixth century, St. Edeyrn and a fellow monk, St. Isan, were given the task of spreading the faith and establishing places of worship. The first location chosen by...

, Penylan
Penylan
Penylan is a district in the east of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, known for its Victorian era period houses and spacious tree lined roads and avenues....

 and Roath
Roath
Roath is a district in the east/north-east of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales.It lies just east/north east of the city centre, stretching from Adamsdown in the south to Roath Park in the north. Roath contains the Plasnewydd electoral ward. The name is believed to originate from Irish ráth,...

.

Pontprennau has never had a railway station, and is equi-distant at around 5 miles (8 km) from both Cardiff Central
Cardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...

 and Newport
Newport railway station
Newport railway station is the 3rd busiest railway station in Wales , situated in Newport city centre. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales, although First Great Western and CrossCountry also provide services...

. The nearest airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

 is Cardiff, a distance of 16 miles (25.7 km).

Sport

The field is the home of the "Pontprennau Pumas", the local football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 team, running two adult teams in the Cardiff Combination Leagues. They currently also have teams at under 12's and under 11's. The club are sponsored by Cardiff Gate Business Park.
Pontprennau Community Centre playing fields (allocated to the school, but open for community use) provides one of many "green-grass-expanse" family activity areas within the community, as well as a standard sized football field.

Local services

Police Station
  • Llanedeyrn Police Station, The Maelfa, Llanedeyrn.


Fire Station
  • Roath Fire Station, Colchester Avenue.


GP Surgeries
  • Cyncoed Medical Practice, Darlington Drive, Pontprennau.
  • The Pontprennau Medical Centre, 33 Kenmare Mews.


Dentist
  • Elisha Dental Care, 31 Kenmare Mews, Pontprennau.


Pharmacies/Chemists
  • Pontprennau Medical Centre, Kenmare Mews, Pontprennau.
  • Asda Pharmacy
    Asda
    Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...

    , Derring Road, Pontprennau.


Post Office
  • Pontprennau Office @ Asda
    Asda
    Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...

    , Derring Road, Pontprennau.


Community Centre
  • Pontprennau Community Education Centre, Heol Pontprennau, Pontprennau.
  • The community centre houses a children's playgroup, and it is used by local political representatives for residents' surgeries.


Church
  • The church has suite of meeting rooms, a coffee shop, and a lounge. The coffee shop (PCs) is open every week day from 10.00 to 14.00.


Library
  • There is no library at present located in Pontprennau, but a mobile library service visits once a week.


Leisure Centre
  • Pentwyn Leisure Centre, Bryn Celyn Road, Pentwyn.


Supermarket
  • Aldi
    ALDI
    ALDI Einkauf GmbH & Co. oHG, doing business as ', short for "Albrecht Discount", is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany...

  • Asda
    Asda
    Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...

     at Cardiff Gate Retail Park
  • Waitrose
    Waitrose
    Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...


Local Council

Cardiff Council
Cardiff Council
The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff is the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The council consists of 75 councillors, representing 29 electoral wards. The authority is properly styled as The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff or in...

 the local authority which covers Pontprennau, the main council offices are at County Hall
County Hall, Cardiff
The County Hall is the head office of Cardiff Council , located beside the disused Bute East Dock in the Atlantic Wharf area of Butetown, Cardiff.-Design and construction:...

, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

.

Representation

Pontprennau & Old St. Mellons
Pontprennau & Old St. Mellons
Pontprennau & Old St Mellons is an electoral ward located in the north-east of Cardiff Wales. It has a population that probably now exceeds 10,000 people due to sustained housebuilding in the Pontprennau section of the division, which is likely to continue for the next 10 years as a major urban...

is an electoral division located in the North East of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

. It is represented by Dianne Rees and Jane Rogers of the Welsh Conservative Party
Welsh Conservative Party
The Welsh Conservatives & Unionists , informally the Welsh Conservatives or Welsh Tories, are the part of the Conservative Party which operates in Wales...

.

National Assembly

Pontprennau is in the Cardiff North constituency for the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...

, currently represented by Julie Morgan
Julie Morgan
Julie Morgan AM is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Cardiff North from 1997 until 2010; she is married to former First Minister of Wales, Rhodri Morgan. Julie Morgan won the Cardiff North seat in the Welsh Assembly in the 2011 elections.-Early life,...

 AM, a member of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

.

Westminster

Cardiff North
Cardiff North (UK Parliament constituency)
Cardiff North is aborough constituency in the city of Cardiff. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system....

is currently represented by Jonathan Evans MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

a member of the Conservative Party.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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