Talbot Green
Encyclopedia
Talbot Green is a village just north of the M4 motorway
, in the County Borough
of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
in the United Kingdom
. The village is part of Llantrisant Community Council.
runs through along the village boundary before continuing to Pontyclun, running along side the Warehouses of Capper and Co ltd, who run a portion of the SPAR
UK retail chain. The Village is bordered by the hill town of Llantrisant
to the east, the Village of Pontyclun
to the South and Llanharan
a few miles to the West.
, and to the north to the South Wales Valleys. The Talbot Green by-pass opened in 1991 to relieve traffic in the village through disabling access to or from Pontyclun
via Cowbridge Road, and provided a shorter route for the A473 Bridgend
to Pontypridd
Road. In September 2010, a £90m by-pass linking Talbot Green to Pontypridd was opened. The by-pass is notable for its three dormouse
bridges, built to protect the endanged animals.
A single track railway runs north from Pontyclun railway station
(which is the villages nearest railway station), turning west at Talbot Green to run roughly parallel to the Afon Clun
, alongside the north of the A473, and originally ran to the Cwm Coking Works at Tynant, Beddau
. All the original railway infrastructure remains intact between Talbot Green and Pontyclun, including the track, signals and bridges. The track is still embedded in the road where it crosses the A473, the warning lights remain at the roadside and the roadsigns warn drivers to stop if they see warning lights flash at the level crossing
. A recent consultative study (Sewta Rail Strategy Study—January 2006) has considered the possibility of reopening the Pontyclun to Beddau branch line, as a passenger line rather than just for freight. This would require new stations at Talbot Green, Llantrisant
, Gwaun Meisgyn and Beddau
(Tynant).
There is also a Tesco Extra
store, that was once the largest in Wales, after the store was expanded in 2005, but overtaken by the store in Culverhouse Cross
, and later Fforestfach
.
The Department Store Leekes is also situated in Talbot Green at Cowbridge Road, near Pontyclun.
The village also has a development of Offices, Hotel, Pub and a private Health facility which is located in Magden Park on the Ely Meadows alongside the A4119 Talbot Green to Ynysmeardy dual carriageway near the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. It also has the Avionics
department of British Airways
and is also the headquarters of the Welsh Blood Service.
Talbot Green's most significant building is Lanelay Hall, until recently the headquarters of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
, who moved just over two miles away, to the former Buy As You View
head office at Forest View Business Park, Ynysmaerdy
, Llantrisant, in February 2009.
to the M4
, through Tonyrefail and Talbot Green, brought development pressure to the area around Llantrisant. Extensive housing development has taken place recently in the villages along the A473, the main Pontypridd to Bridgend road—linking Llantwit Fardre to Llantrisant, Talbot Green, Llanharan
and Pencoed
—the road that runs parallel to the Afon Clun from Rhiwsaeson to Pontyclun.
store to replace the existing one on the same site. The scheme is expected to create up to 1,900 jobs in the area.
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...
, in the 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...
of Rhondda Cynon Taf, 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...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The village is part of Llantrisant Community Council.
Geography
Talbot Green is located at the mouth of the short and mountainous Ely Valley, between Mynydd Garthmaelwg (Llantrisant forest) and Y Graig (Llantrisant). The River ElyRiver Ely
The River Ely is a river in South Wales flowing generally south east, from Tonyrefail to the capital city of Cardiff.-Course of the river:...
runs through along the village boundary before continuing to Pontyclun, running along side the Warehouses of Capper and Co ltd, who run a portion of the SPAR
SPAR
Spar , trades from approximately 12400 stores in 34 countries worldwide and is the world's largest independent voluntary retail trading chain. Spar was founded in the Netherlands in 1932 by retailer Adriaan Van Well and now, through its affiliate organisations, operates through most European...
UK retail chain. The Village is bordered by the hill town of Llantrisant
Llantrisant
Llantrisant is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The town's name translates as The Parish of the Three Saints. The three saints in question are St Illtyd, St Gwynno and St...
to the east, the Village of Pontyclun
Pontyclun
Pontyclun is a village in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is served by the South Wales Main Line and has its own local rugby union club...
to the South and Llanharan
Llanharan
Llanharan is a small village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Llanharan thrived during the British industrial revolution, with several tin and coal mines in the location providing employment to the town's residents...
a few miles to the West.
Transport
The area has good links to the rest of Wales with the A4119 linking it in the south to the M4 MotorwayM4 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...
, and to the north to the South Wales Valleys. The Talbot Green by-pass opened in 1991 to relieve traffic in the village through disabling access to or from Pontyclun
Pontyclun
Pontyclun is a village in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is served by the South Wales Main Line and has its own local rugby union club...
via Cowbridge Road, and provided a shorter route for the A473 Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
to Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
Road. In September 2010, a £90m by-pass linking Talbot Green to Pontypridd was opened. The by-pass is notable for its three dormouse
Hazel Dormouse
The Hazel Dormouse or Common Dormouse is a small mammal and the only living species in the genus Muscardinus....
bridges, built to protect the endanged animals.
Pontyclun railway station
Pontyclun railway station is an unstaffed, minor railway station in Pontyclun, in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. The station is at street level, on Station Approach, Pontyclun...
(which is the villages nearest railway station), turning west at Talbot Green to run roughly parallel to the Afon Clun
Afon Clun
The Afon Clun is a long tributary of the River Ely , in the counties of Cardiff and Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. Its bedrock is predominantly of sandstone...
, alongside the north of the A473, and originally ran to the Cwm Coking Works at Tynant, Beddau
Beddau
Beddau is a large village around 1.5 miles from Llantrisant and 4 miles from the larger town of Pontypridd in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales.-Education:Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Castellau is the village's Welsh speaking primary school...
. All the original railway infrastructure remains intact between Talbot Green and Pontyclun, including the track, signals and bridges. The track is still embedded in the road where it crosses the A473, the warning lights remain at the roadside and the roadsigns warn drivers to stop if they see warning lights flash at the level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
. A recent consultative study (Sewta Rail Strategy Study—January 2006) has considered the possibility of reopening the Pontyclun to Beddau branch line, as a passenger line rather than just for freight. This would require new stations at Talbot Green, Llantrisant
Llantrisant
Llantrisant is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The town's name translates as The Parish of the Three Saints. The three saints in question are St Illtyd, St Gwynno and St...
, Gwaun Meisgyn and Beddau
Beddau
Beddau is a large village around 1.5 miles from Llantrisant and 4 miles from the larger town of Pontypridd in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales.-Education:Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Castellau is the village's Welsh speaking primary school...
(Tynant).
Retail parks
Talbot Green has two large retail park, Glamorgan Vale retail park and Talbot Green shopping park.Glamorgan Vale retail park
Glamorgan Vale retail park was opened circa 1996 and an extra unit was built in 2004. It is located on the A473 Talbot Green bypass. It has the total of 12 shopping units.Talbot Green shopping park
Talbot Green shopping park was opened circa 1996 initially with 3 units but expanded to 15 units in 2004/2005. Some units are located alongside the A4119 Talbot Green to Ynysmaerdy Dual Carriageway and the other units are located on the former Tesco site after it relocated in 2003 to the former site of the Homeworld Department store, which closed in 1999 and was demolished in 2000.There is also a Tesco Extra
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
store, that was once the largest in Wales, after the store was expanded in 2005, but overtaken by the store in Culverhouse Cross
Culverhouse Cross
Culverhouse Cross is suburban district in the west of Cardiff, capital of Wales, lying on the border with the Vale of Glamorgan.The busy Culverhouse Cross roundabout is an important part of the primary road network to the west of the city and connects the A4232 , the A4050 , and...
, and later Fforestfach
Fforestfach
Fforestfach is a suburban district of Swansea, Wales. It lies within the Cockett ward. The area is residential combined with light industry and out of town shopping due to its proximity to the M4 motorway and several dual carriageways. Famous names like Marks and Spencer and Walkers Crisps had...
.
Facilities
The village also has a golf club, and industrial estates including Coedcae Lane and Lanelay Industrial Estate.The Department Store Leekes is also situated in Talbot Green at Cowbridge Road, near Pontyclun.
The village also has a development of Offices, Hotel, Pub and a private Health facility which is located in Magden Park on the Ely Meadows alongside the A4119 Talbot Green to Ynysmeardy dual carriageway near the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. It also has the Avionics
Avionics
Avionics are electronic systems used on aircraft, artificial satellites and spacecraft.Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to meet individual roles...
department of British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
and is also the headquarters of the Welsh Blood Service.
Talbot Green's most significant building is Lanelay Hall, until recently the headquarters of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
The South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is the fire and rescue service covering the ten Welsh principal areas of Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan....
, who moved just over two miles away, to the former Buy As You View
Buy As You View
OverviewBuy As You View is a retail and consumer finance company, selling a range of electrical goods and home furniture on a rent-to-own basis. It provides a coin meter repayment and credit facility for products bought on a hire purchase, weekly payment basis with no deposit or credit checks...
head office at Forest View Business Park, Ynysmaerdy
Ynysmaerdy
Ynysmaerdy is a village in Talbot Green, near Llantrisant in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is home to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital....
, Llantrisant, in February 2009.
Future Developments
Improvements to the road network, in particular the A4119 linking the Rhondda ValleysRhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
to the M4
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...
, through Tonyrefail and Talbot Green, brought development pressure to the area around Llantrisant. Extensive housing development has taken place recently in the villages along the A473, the main Pontypridd to Bridgend road—linking Llantwit Fardre to Llantrisant, Talbot Green, Llanharan
Llanharan
Llanharan is a small village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Llanharan thrived during the British industrial revolution, with several tin and coal mines in the location providing employment to the town's residents...
and Pencoed
Pencoed
Pencoed , is a town in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales, United Kingdom, mid-way between Wales's two largest cities of Cardiff and Swansea.Lying on the Ewenny River it has a population of around 11,000...
—the road that runs parallel to the Afon Clun from Rhiwsaeson to Pontyclun.
New Town centre scheme
There are recent proposals to make Talbot Green a "new town centre" by building a new supermarket, 40 shops, a multi screen cinema, cafes, restaurants, bars and a hotel. There will also be offices for local businesses, a range of civic and community facilities, apartments and houses. They are to be located on the former sites of Staedtler and Purolite and the surrounding brownfield land. The new scheme will include a new LeekesLeekes
Leekes is a Welsh based retailer, with seven stores based in South Wales, South West England and The Midlands.The company was established by James Henry Leeke in the Rhondda in 1897...
store to replace the existing one on the same site. The scheme is expected to create up to 1,900 jobs in the area.