Work has started to transform a disused patch of land in Cwmbran into a sensory garden and community allotment.
In April, the council approved planning permission on the Bron Afon-owned land, behind houses on East Road, The Highway and South Road in Oakfield. Bron Afon is leasing it to United Response, a charity whose aim is “to ensure that individuals with learning disabilities, mental or physical support needs have the opportunity to live their lives to the full.”
Plans for the site include up to 21 raised bed planters so those in wheelchairs can take part in gardening, along with a polytunnel, sheds and a fruit cage. On Tuesday, staff from Allianz Legal Protection, based in Bristol, joined Keep Wales Tidy and staff and service users from United Response, to work on the project.
Norma Jaggon-Barrett, United Response’s business development manager, spoke to Cwmbran Life. She said: “We want to create a community project from a piece of under-utilised land and we want to make sure that we can involve as many people as possible from the community, so the older residents, the school, the local residents that live around the site as well. And as well, of course, the people we support with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs.
“We want this project to enable them to be at the heart of the community and change the dynamics of power, so that the people we support are giving support to others. This project is enabling us to deliver that as a service.”
She said the project, would start to grow food from September, and aimed to help low-income families have access to fresh fruit and vegetables.
Thom Board, project officer for Torfaen for Keep Wales Tidy, said: “United Response made an application to Keep Wales Tidy for the Local Places for Nature Fund. They were awarded with one of our development packages for food growing so I’m here to help with the installation and guidance on how to build their garden.” He said the package included an oak-raised bed, a metal shed, a potting shed, 20 square metres of wildflower turf, plants, plugs, fruit trees, hand tools and a water butt.
Thom added: “It’s an area that was used for flytipping in the past and anti-social behaviour, so it’s really nice to see this project coming in now.”
Councillor Alan Slade, Llantarnam Ward, said he used to live in a house on East Road and overlook the site: “It’s fantastic, so worthwhile. Ever since I got in (as a councillor) it’s been a project of mine to get some use out of this bit of land. And this is just fantastic. We’ve had a few community engagement events and we’ve had quite a few residents come out, one or two have had concerns. I think once people can see something here it will attract more interest. Some people find it difficult to see a vision. I’m hoping it will generate a lot of interest among the community.”
Charlene Kerpner, from Allianz Legal Protection, said: “We get 20 volunteering hours a year. So we helped out for Potter’s Den (a similar United Response project) in Bristol back in June, one of our colleagues, his son attends there. We helped out with them and they said they’re starting a new project here, and whether we could help? It’s great for teambuilding. It’s good for morale.”
Photos from the day
