Hirael Bay Development

Background

The Unitary Development plan for Gwynedd has identified Hirael Bay in Bangor as an area for development.

The development is an opportunity to improve the bay, improve flood defences for the area, upgrade the leisure centre and improve the city economically and asthetically. Concerns surround the endangering of wildlife, local amenities, green spaces and the potential lack of consideration to the size, design, number and quality of buildings. Also the lack of good traffic management, from parking to access.....all issues where residents can point to previous projects by developers and the council which have fallen short of expectations.

BDP a development consultancy have been engaged to bring together stakeholders (Watkin Jones, Bangor Town Council, Bangor University and others) and to prepare initial proposals for the Bay.

BDP have run two community contact sessions firstly in Hirael Community Centre and the second in Penrhyn Hall. They have also had questionnaires accompanying these consultations.

At both events hundreds of people attended to raise concerns about the development. Following the initial viewing of proposals Grwp Bae Hirael was formed by the community. It is hoped that the group will be able to establish a meaningful line of communication with the developers that will hopefully influence aspects of the development beyond the initial community contact stage. This was based on concerns that the 'consultation with the community' box had now been ticked on the basis of very loose ideas and not-to-scale plans and no framework existed for further engagement with the people of the area despite potential changes to the plans and the development of elevations for the site.