Penygaer changing rooms were a dilapidated football and rugby changing room facility. They are now a hub for all of the local community.
Introduction
Penygaer changing rooms were a dilapidated football and rugby changing room facility, made up of a brick changing rooms building with 10 changing rooms and a modular building facility with 4 changing rooms. The buildings were only used for changing requirements for the sporting clubs using the playing fields.
The buildings along, with the adjacent football and rugby pitches were asset transferred to Llanelli Town Council in 2022, along with the community field on the other side of the road at Llanerch.
The Town Council worked with the sporting clubs in the Penygaer Management Committee to maintain the building and playing fields and to provide access for a variety of clubs who wished to use the facilities (5 football and 1 rugby pitch).
Challenge
The facility had become very dilapidated with poor quality facilities including a communal shower facility that badly needed upgrading. The facilities were sorely lacking in a number of key facility requirements. Such as dedicated ladies changing facility, community space for meetings and community activity and a kitchen to allow for community activity and the sale of teas and coffees etc.
In additional community groups and schools were looking to make use of the playing fields for their activities but had no facilities that could be utilised to create added benefit and make additional revenue through their activities.
In addition, the local special school (Heol Goffa) made use of the playing fields and had no access to a disabled toilet or changing places facility. There were no such facilities publicly available in Llanelli.
Community consultation was undertaken on the use of the facility and how it could be developed to provide a whole park approach for the facility.
The challenge was to:
- ensure community support for the project
- reconfigure the facility to provide for sufficient changing rooms while making space for the community use aspect
- provide kitchen facilities
- provide a community room space
- provide a changing places facility
- upgrade the shower facilities
Approach
A project team was brought together of Llanelli Town Council, the Caru Lliedi Community Group, Penygaer Management Committee, Llanelli Community Partnership, Llanelli Multicultural Network, Penygaer and Dewi Sant Schools, Police, Fire Brigade, Carmarthenshire County Council and others.
The project was designed by the Project Team with 2 extensions being included in the works carried out (to create the kitchen and changing places facility – which had a specific size requirement). The project reduced the number of changing rooms by two, by converting two changing rooms into the Community Space.
The project needed to seek planning approval from the County Council. The Town Council Consultant Architect therefore pulled together plans.
With planning permission and Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖFunding in place, the facility was created in early 2023 and opened by the local MS and Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖMinister Lee Waters on the 29th April 2023.
Contributes towards
The project contributed towards the Town Council Community Development annual plan.
The project has provided for a facility that can be used for a wide range of activity within the Community and for the Town Council.
The project has met a number of the Well Being of Future Generations Act goals
- A prosperous Wales;
- A resilient Wales;
- A healthier Wales;
- A more equal Wales;
- A Wales of Cohesive Communities;
- A Wales of Vibrant Culture and Thriving Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖ Language.
Impacts and outcomes
The project has seen a transformation in the use of the playing fields with activities created including:
- Well-being walks
- School Holiday Breakfast clubs
- Community Activity
- Additional school use for sport
- Environmental planting activity
All of these activities are only possible due to the creation of the community room and kitchen.
As a result of the project, 2 additional football pitches have been created at Llanerch Field and access to the facilities are sought after by clubs from around the area.
The Town Council has been able to undertake a wide range of additional activities including:
- creation of an active play area in the playing fields
- creation of the first sensory play area in Llanelli in the playing fields
- creation of a sensory garden
- creation of a tree lined, planted river walk at Llanerch
- provided for facilities that can be used by the Town Council new Sports, Youth and Activity Service provision
Lessons learnt and future planning
The project again showed the importance of taking account of timelines in project planning, delays were encountered and we are grateful to the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖin their support during these issues being encountered.
The importance of having the right expertise in place such as structural engineers and architects was again underlined.
The positive impact of involving community and other organisations in the planning of the project has again shown the importance of community consultation and involvement.