In my previous blog last June I wrote about delivering a scheme that enhances the local environment and its natural resources and reflects the needs of the local community.

So what do I mean by “natural resources”…

Our natural resources are at the heart of everything we do. They include the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the plants and soil that provide our most basic needs, including food, energy and security. They help us to reduce flooding, improve air quality and supply materials for construction. They provide a home for a variety of wildlife, and give us iconic landscapes to enjoy, which boosts our economy through tourism. They help keep us healthy too.

Unfortunately our natural resources are coming under increasing pressure – from climate change, a growing population and the need for energy production. At the same time Wales faces many other challenges: securing low-carbon energy and fuel supply, creating jobs and income, tackling poverty and inequality, flooding and drought, and improving people’s health.

But how does this all fit with the Greener Grangetown scheme, you might ask!

Well, we believe this exciting scheme shows a different approach to managing our natural resources – one that looks at the whole picture rather than focusing on single solutions or individual parts of our environment.

You will have noticed, for example, that our contractor has started to install the first set of rain gardens and kerbside planting areas. Once up and running these areas will not only help to improve local drainage, but will also enhance local biodiversity and wildlife. They will deliver important improvements to water quality in the River Taff too. The scheme will also establish 135 new trees and 1,600m2 of additional green space. These will provide new homes for wildlife and open up new opportunities for people to enjoy walking, cycling and other recreation close to where they live and work. There is overwhelming research that being closer to green space also improves people’s physical and mental well-being. At the same time, more greenery and tree planting will also mean noise and pollutants should be better absorbed, and air will be cleaner too.

I believe that the Greener Grangetown scheme will improve how we manage our natural resources. However, we want to create a legacy that creates a healthy and resilient local environment, and supports economic and social prosperity for generations to come. We hope this will enable us all to tackle local challenges a lot better.

Rain Gardens are at the heart of our plans to create a cleaner, greener Grangetown but what exactly are they? What do they do? And why do we need them?

We get a lot of rain in Wales. Up in the natural landscape of places like the Brecon Beacons, much of that water tends to gradually soak away into the ground, but in an urban environment like Grangetown there are lots of roads, roofs and patios – surfaces that don’t absorb water.

The rain has to go somewhere so it drains onto the street before running into storm drains where it enters the sewer system and mixes with waste water from our kitchens and bathrooms.

Rain gardens are planted areas that mimic the natural environment and provide a sustainable method for catching and cleaning rain water.

When it rains, the water flows into the rain garden and fills it with water. The soil and vegetation in the rain garden act as filters, cleaning the rainwater then separating out and breaking down any road pollutants mixed with it.

Gradually this water soaks into the soil or is absorbed by the root systems of the hardy plants and shrubs planted in the rain garden.

Any clean water that cannot be absorbed by the soil and vegetation travels through a pipe at the base of the rain garden and in the case of Greener Grangetown, into the nearby River Taff.

Parking in Grangetown has been an issue on the lips of a lot of residents ever since we first started talking to the community about Greener Grangetown.

Once the Greener Grangetown project is complete, the current plan is for resident parking schemes to cover 50% of on-street parking across all 12 streets covered by the project.

Many residents have expressed a desire for resident parking to cover 75% or even 100% of on-street parking in the area. If the majority of residents, supported by their local ward councillors express a desire for 75% residents parking where they currently have 50%, then this is something that the Council will implement.

To help residents decide if this is the right decision for their community, we’ve put together some key points explaining how the schemes work and some of the factors that the council have to consider when introducing or making changes to resident parking schemes.

Residents who want to park in resident bays, will need to purchase a parking permit.

Current charges for permits are £7.50 for a first permit and £30 for a second permit. Visitor permits cost £30 (or £7.50 if no resident permit is needed).

A permit lasts for 12 months.

Resident parking schemes assist residents to park reasonably close to their homes but they do not guarantee space outside a residence.

Permits will only normally be issued for the street you live on.

High car ownership, particularly in areas of terraced housing can result in there not being enough space to park – even with a resident parking scheme.

Resident parking bays are solely for use by residents and their visitors with valid parking permits. They usually operate every day between set hours, normally 8am-10pm.

The needs of residents have to be balanced with the need to keep local businesses and facilities accessible to customers, both those who live nearby and those who travel from further afield.

Not everybody will want to buy a permit or be eligible to buy one. Parking space needs to be provided for them.

The Taff Embankment forms part of National Cycle Network route 8, one of the busiest sections of Wales’ cycle network. During rush hour, it’s plain to see that this busy route provides a key link between the city centre and Cardiff Bay, carrying a significant proportion of commuters both on foot and by bike to their place of work and back. The route is also a well-established recreational route, taking people to visit popular destinations at Cardiff Bay with the option of then joining both the Bay and Ely Trails for a leisurely bike ride or walk.

At present, Taff Embankment is the only section of route 8 that follows an on-road alignment in the city centre and as such it is a weak link in the route. This has been raised several times by existing users and has been highlighted recently by the news of it failing a Welsh Government cycling audit determining if a route is suitable for active travel (everyday cycling and walking for purposeful journeys).

Improving this section of route 8 is much needed to ensure that it meets its growing users’ needs and the plans for a cycle street developed by Cardiff Council are greatly welcomed. The proposed design solution will not only significantly improve conditions for cycling and walking but will also improve the quality of the street environment for all users and people living on the street.

The innovative approach taken by Cardiff Council, Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales to accommodate different users’ needs will help to significantly improve the route as well as peoples’ experiences when using it. A cycle street will ensure vehicles have access to Taff Embankment but will also give priority to cyclists and pedestrians, with narrower lanes and a central refuge making it easier for pedestrians to cross the street. This innovation is supported by the Active Travel Act (Wales) 2013 and it is great to see the Greener Grangetown project embracing this approach – we look forward to seeing more people using this path which will be enhanced to create a safer, more attractive environment for all.

The Greener Grangetown project will soon be making Grangetown a greener, cleaner place to live. We thought we’d share 10 key numbers about the project before construction work starts during the week commencing November 21st.

42,480 – the number of square metres of surface water Greener Grangetown will remove from the combined waste water network (the equivalent of ten football pitches)

1,600 – the number of square metres of additional green space the project will create.

495 – the number of square metres of new paving that will be installed.

135 – the number of new trees that will be planted.

45 – the number of different species of shrubs and grasses that will be planted.

26 – the number of new cycle stands that will be installed.

19 – the number of different species of tree that will be planted.

13 – the number of new litter bins that will be installed.

10 – the number of new seats and benches that will be installed.

8 – the number of miles surface water from Grangetown is currently pumped out to sea.

We’re pleased to announce that ERH Communications Ltd have been awarded the contract for the Greener Grangetown project and work will commence during the week commencing November 21st 2016.

If you have questions about what this means for you we’d really encourage you to come along to our ‘Meet the Contractor’ event at 6pm on Tuesday 15th November at Grangetown Hub on Havelock Place.

There will inevitably be some noise and disruption during construction but we will be doing our best to minimise this by completing the work on a rolling, street by street basis. Work will normally take place Monday – Friday from 8am – 5.30pm.

We will notify residents in advance of work starting on their street, as well as posting regular updates on this website and our twitter account. We’ll also as be holding regular ‘drop-in’ surgeries throughout the construction work so if you have any questions or concerns there’s always a way to get the information and answers you need.

Access to properties will be maintained at all times but there will be temporary road closures, traffic lights and parking restrictions in place at certain points during the work for safety reasons – we know that this is going to cause frustration but we think that when you see the end results and all the new trees and plants have had time to settle in you’ll agree that it was worth it.

The Greener Grangetown consultation closed at the end of last week and we just wanted to say a big thank you to everybody who talked to us at the drop in events, got involved on twitter, emailed us and most importantly took the time to complete a questionnaire.

It’s going to take us a little time to sort through everything you’ve told us, but we will keep in touch to update you on progress.