UK Gov MP comes to Barry Waterfront to look at marina plans

Under-secretary of state for Wales, Fay Jones, visited Barry Waterfront to see the site of Barry’s proposed marina.

On November 20, the UK Government awarded seven projects in Wales grants totalling £111 million to support long-term regeneration which included Port Talbot, Rhyl and Powys along with Barry.

Barry is said to see £20 million of that pot go towards a new marina and water sports centre.

It comes off the back of another £20 million grant Barry got, out of an £80 million earmarked to towns in Wales the UK Government felt had been neglected.

While there was cause for celebration, with Vale Council leader and Labour politician Cllr Lis Burnett welcoming the funding packages, members of Plaid Cymru questioned the plans.

Under-Secretary of State for Wales, Fay Jones (centre left), visited Bary Waterfront to see the site of Barry’s proposed marina (Image: Supplied)

Ms Jones with Vale chief exec Rob Thomas (centre) (Image: Supplied)

How much Ms Jones knows about the plight of residents of the Waterfront is not known.

Residents of Barry’s Waterfront, who saw a similarly ambitious plan for a new section of town built in the area, have been up in arms for years at the delays to community projects and green spaces being built on the site – developed by housing firms Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Barratt making up the ‘Waterfront Consortium”.

It came to a head at a public meeting in September at the Old Pumphouse, where residents finally got the chance to grill leader Lis Burnett and Vale Council chief exec Rob Thomas who promised they would hold the housing builders to account, threatening to take them to court.

Residents of the Waterfront are not happy (Image: Newsquest)

Waterfront resident and councillor, Plaid’s Mark Hooper, is concerned the latest suggested project – £20 million to build a marina site and water sports facility - could go the way of the initial Waterfront housing development, becoming a white elephant that leaves the people of Barry disappointed.

Cllr Hooper told the Barry and District News: "I'm cautious about accepting the marketing hype and political slogans around the funding announcement.

"The financial troubles experienced by various marinas across Wales shows the need for careful consideration and scrutiny of the new project.

"That's why I'm concerned that a landmark site in Barry will end up as another housing estate with no facilities, and the Vale scrapping about it after the event, as we have already seen with the wider Waterfront development.

"The Vale Council must critically assess the situation and ensure that the promised funding translates into tangible benefits for the people of Barry.”

Residents of the Waterfront have been fighting for years to get developers to finish work on the site (Image: Newsquest)

Four year's on, Waterfront developments are still to be complete (Image: Newsquest)

Waterfront resident Mark Hooper is concerned the marina project could suffer the struggles of the housing development (Image: Newsquest)

Recommended reads:

• What's it really like at the Waterfront? See here
• A closer look at Barry's £20m levelling up fund

Vale leader Lis Burnett believes the funding will only be good for Barry.

She said: “The Barry Making Waves project will be the next step on a regeneration journey that has seen significant investment in recent years.

“At a time when the Council’s budgets are under significant strain, this additional funding will provide money for the longer-term to deliver improvements that otherwise we simply could not afford.”

What do you think of the plans for the waterfront? Great news for Barry? Will it happen? What would you have spent £20m on in Barry? Let us know in the comments, on our Facebook page, or email harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk.