Blue Lakes - Ebbw Vale

We have moved!

2009-04-29T16:22:00.002+01:00

Please visit

www.bluelakes.org.uk

for current information about this project.

Blue Lakes Country Park Workshops

2008-07-21T13:07:00.000+01:00

Blue Lakes Members Presentation 210708

view presentation (tags: blue lakes evad consultation)

The Blue Lakes Heritage Interpretation

view presentation (tags: blue lakes country park)

A big thankyou from Blue Lakes Country Park consultants Steve Cranston, Geoff Cheason and Gareth Kiddie to all participants who took part in the round of meetings and workshops today. This presentation generated a lot of very useful feedback on the shape an scale of the proposed activities.

A workshop report will follow shortly.

Blue Lakes Country Park - Consultation Events

2008-07-08T14:11:00.000+01:00

The Blue Lakes Country Park project will be presented to Executive - Regeneration and Highways committee of Blaenau Gwent Councillors at 10.00 on Monday 21st July.

This will be followed later on the same day with an interactive workshop. All colleagues who have been involved in commenting on the project to date have been invited - along with the Communities First Partnerships operating in the area. The workshop will take place between 3 and 5 pm at Garnlydan Info Shop, 3-4 Queensway, Garnlydan - directions on this link

If you would like information about the event download this file

Blue Lakes Country Park Update

2008-07-04T18:51:00.000+01:00

Its been a couple of months since the last posting. No news hasn't meant that nothing has been happening. Steve Cranston and Geoff Cheason would like to thank all who have spent time talking about Blue Lakes - giving feedback on how the project could be strengthened and identifying where it fits with partners plans. A summary plan has been share with Ebbw Vale Development Trust and will inform future meetings with colleagues at the council .

It can be downloaded here

Particular thanks go to:

Chris Engel and Deborah Beeson at Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council who have offered very helpful insights into Blue Lakes biodiversity challenges and opportunities.

Ross Murray at Newbridge Construction. Newbridge own the adjacent Bryn Seth site and have been enthusiastic about Blue Lakes and followed up on a number of potentially mutually beneficial partnership opportunities. The Country Park idea will only really work if the major landowner (Newbridge) collaborate around access and joint management issues. Ross has been proactive with advice and offers of support. The final location of the new Cafe/Restaurant/Education and Heritage Centre is still being scoped - Newbridge have been most helpful in exploring site options to the north of the middle lake and EVAD are most grateful for this cooperation.

A full list of consultees is:

o Deborah Beeson, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council Biodiversity Officer
o Chris Engel, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, Planning Dept
o Lyn Cobley and Ray Slatterly, Ebbw Vale Welfare Angling Club
o David James, Corus
o Paul Tredegar Angling Supplies
o Kevin Jakeway, Creative Communities
o Tony Rees, Merthyr Tydfil Angling Club and Secretary of South East Wales Rivers Trust
o Alyson Tippings, Blaenau Gwent Count Borough Council Tourism and Leisure Dept
o Frank Olding Blaenau Gwent County Borough County Borough Council Heritage Officer
o Andrew Osbourne, Welsh Assembly Government DET, Valleys Regional Park
o John Davies, Ebbw Vale and District Development Trust
o Kevan Lines, Ebbw Vale and District Development Trust
o Mark Samuel, Environment Agency
o Steve Spode Welsh Assembly Government DET Section 15 Officer
o Roger Finn, Gwent Wildlife Trust
o Berry Coffman, Groundwork Wales
o Jessica Osborn, Tredegar Development Trust
o Ross Murray, Newbridge Construction
o Dai Llewellyn, Abertillery Communities First
o Dean Price, Local fisherman

A consultation workshop with these and more local stakeholders (especially those involved with the Communities First partnerhips) will take place on Monday 21st July. A future post will shortly give more details.

Eco Building Options

2008-03-28T19:33:00.001Z

Blue lakes, Ebbw Vale . Preliminary building appraisal.

The requirement is for a building to accommodate visitors to the site.

Robust design – no high profile ‘landmark’ building but modest earth sheltered option is preferred.

Sustainable approach – ground heat source recovery ideal for whole building

No external fragile surfaces.

Access from existing site road – rolled stone / stone dust – self draining.

Accommodation:

Café restaurant / kitchen / store for say max 30 people (6 – 8 tables)

Outside seating area overlooking lake.

Café area counter service – 45m2

Coking area 7-8m2

Prep 3m2

Storage inc refrigerator / freezer

Toilets m / fm and disabled 12m2 + 12m2 + 3.5m2

Office for ‘warden’ with small store 15m2

Classroom / meeting room and store for educational use

(possible studio / workshop area) 35m2

Interpretation area ( Bevan memorial / industrial heritage / environment.)

15m2 as extension of classroom area

Circulation: @ 20%

Area say 180m2

Budget building costs

Building costs @ £1,200m2 £216,000

Ground heat recovery / system £ 18,000

Prelims and overheads @ 15% £ 35,100

Professional fees and project costs@ 10% £ 26,910

Total budget £296,010

excludes vat

Kitchen and café fit out and equipment

Classroom av and equipment

Interpretation display

Furniture

Outline building specification:

Earth sheltered structure in lime or earth based structural blocks with ‘Foamgalss’ recycled glass insulation.

Walls, floors and roof lined with EPDM synthetic rubber based waterproof membrane. Low environmental impact inert material with a long life and low maintenance.

Internal wall finishes in lime / recycled glass plaster.

Hardwood (sustainable sourced) timber screens to main glazing (clear fire retardant applied)

Heat recovery ventilation to all spaces

Ground effect heat recovery to main space and water heating. (using deep borehole)

Rainwater harvesting for wc flushing. (buried tank)

Site Pictures

2008-03-12T11:33:00.000Z

Some good site views

Key Project Stakholders

2008-03-12T11:23:00.000Z

A list of key stakeholders is posted here
Over the next weeks Geoff and myself will be talking to all and feeding their comments into the feasibility study and business plan.

Key Questions

2008-03-10T11:00:00.000Z

Steve and Geoff have started interviewing key stakeholders about Blue Lakes - these questions are the bouncing off point!

Many thanks to John Davies and Kerry Rogers for the inception meeting (and freezing site visit which followed), David James at Corus, Kerry Rogers at CCW/HoV, Mark Jones at

What is your interest in the Blue Lakes?

What site constraints are you aware of?

What site opportunities do you see?

How viable do you think these activities would be on the site:

Increased synergies with the Bevan stones and other heritage potential

Enhanced fishing opportunities

Fishing tackle shop

Restaurant/cafe

Education/outdoor classroom facility

Wildlife habitat for

Enhanced paths/recreation amenity space

Art/sculpture trail

What could you contribute to the project to make it a success?

If you had one piece of advice you would give to Ebbw Vale Development Trust who are driving this project forward - what would it be?

Comment on any of these questions - or other suggestions - is most welcome.

Project Plan

2008-03-01T18:53:00.000Z

Work on this project started late February - the 2 key milestones are to prepare an interim report for the Heads of the Valleys Programme team by the end of March and then a business plan by the end of April.

A summary of the key tasks and time lines can be looked at here