Tranquil, greener and cleaner places

An application form and guidance notes are available for local authorities. The closing date to submit applications this year is 30 April 2013. Email greenerplaces@wales.gsi.gov.uk.

Successful project bids in 2012/13

Blaenau Gwent

We will provide £50,000 for works at the old Garden Festival site in Ebbw Vale.

The funding will be used to:

• provide a tranquil space next to a large, long-term construction site (the former steelworks which is being regenerated); 
• bring a disused, run-down green space back into use;
• make decking safe;
• improve access; 
• create woodland walks;
• clear overgrowth; 
• repair a bridge; and 
• add plants to deter access to nearby buildings.

Bridgend

We have awarded partial funding of £42,000 to this project at Maesteg Welfare Park.

The project will:

• provide paths, seating, bridge and access control within Maesteg Welfare Park;
• encourage people to walk away from the noise and pollution of nearby roads and industrial development; and
• add information panels, landscape and habitat management to enhance tranquillity and bring the park up to Green Flag status.

Caerphilly

We will give £65,000 for improvements to Aberbargoed Grasslands National Nature Reserve (NNR).

The improvements include:

• installing walls and railings; new kerbing and an off-street parking area; 
• access controls; and 
• native tree and shrub planting.

The tree planting and stone walling are expected to help address air quality and noise issues respectively.

Conwy

We will provide partial funding of £24,550 to develop Eirias Park as a tranquil green space.

The funding will be used to plant trees and make improvements by the ornamental pond.

Denbighshire

We have awarded £70,000 for works to develop the Rhyl Cut Wildlife Corridor.

The project will create new community green open space which is a quiet and safe traffic-free route for pedestrians and cyclists. It will also create an improved environment for wildlife. It will do this by:

• excavating the cut and building paths; 
• planting trees and shrubs; and 
• creating a picnic area.

Flintshire

We will give £35,000 to the Flintshire Tree Planting Project. The project will plant trees:

• to develop Wepre Park as a tranquil green space; and
• in other urban locations where existing tree cover is low or absent, and which have been identified as the highest priority locations for planting by Flintshire County Council.

Merthyr Tydfil

We will provide £15,862 to change traffic flow by moving the centre line of the road and installing traffic calming on Twynrodyn Hill. These measures have been designed to minimise local air pollution and noise.

These measures should also:

• decrease the amount of inappropriate driving; 
• lower the traffic flow on Twynrodyn Hill; and 
• improve road safety.

Monmouthshire

We have awarded £6,000 to the Warren Slade and Park Redding Wood, Chepstow: View Point Enhancement project.

The funding will be used to:

• create a viewpoint by clearing shrubs and trees on the cliff face which block the view over the Wye and Severn Estuary; 
• build post and rail fencing to make the area safe; 
• install seating; 
• improve the path surface and entrance; and
• provide interpretation material.

Neath Port Talbot

We will give £27,833 to the Port Talbot Urban Trees Project. This tree planting scheme is designed to improve air quality. This project has selected what species of trees to plant based on research on their abilities to remove pollutants from the air. The trees will also improve the tranquillity of the areas planted.

Newport

We will provide partial funding of £26,000 to the Newport Green Lung Project to plant trees in Glebelands Park, which will help create a more tranquil environment, increase biodiversity and reduce air pollution near the M4 corridor.

Swansea

We have awarded £82,021 to the Swansea Nowcaster Project. This will allow the project to buy and install three variable road traffic message signs which will be linked to a real-time air pollution forecasting system to reduce congestion and air pollution at peak times. The project will initially focus on the deprived areas in the lower Swansea valley around the Hafod part of the air quality management area, but may be expanded in future years.

We will give partial funding of £10,350 to Park Llewelyn to complete work to support their Green Flag Bid. The work includes entrance improvements and the creation of a community orchard.

We will provide partial funding of £8,000 to the Special Swansea Spaces by the Sea project. The improvements that will take place at Vetch Community Green Space include:

• creating fenced raised beds; 
• community engagement; and 
• tree / native species planting.

Vale of Glamorgan

We will provide £31,400 for improvements to the Coronation Street Green Space in Barry.

This will include: adding seating; and changing planting to improve biodiversity.

This site benefits older residents, whereas the other two small public open spaces in the area are focused on play.