what's happening out in the Bay 16:12 - Oct 7 with 12543 views | swanny | Just come back from holibobs...what's that red platform out in the Bay - have we got Oil? | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 13:36 - Oct 9 with 1882 views | dickythorpe | I'm still waiting for the cafes to open up along the new "Boulevard" we have..... | | | |
what's happening out in the Bay on 13:42 - Oct 9 with 1877 views | ymaohyd |
what's happening out in the Bay on 11:55 - Oct 9 by Scotia | Absolutely. I like my backyard the way it is. |
As Gower Jack said, you seem to have a vested interest in it failing. Shouldn't you be on the CCMB? | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 13:44 - Oct 9 with 1874 views | Gowerjack |
what's happening out in the Bay on 13:34 - Oct 9 by ymaohyd | Well over a ten year period we will have had the development of Sa1, the new university campus and with luck the tidal lagoon. I don't believe for a second this will be passed if it is detrimental to the bay. Instead newcomers will drive into Swansea see a fantastic new university and a tourist attraction that the tidal lagoon will surely become. Watersports, cycling, angling, etc etc, the scope for small individual businesses to invest and grow around the lagoon are huge. Possibly new hotels, which in turn may create more restaurants etc etc around SA1. It's called growing the economy. Take Cardiff, they get the assembly, therefore around the bay scope for restaurants, hotels, etc. The city centre gets a fantastic new shopping centre, this in turn creates a huge demand for hotel rooms, restaurants etc etc The Millennium centre Wales also is part of the cycle of creating demand. Of course the Millennium Stadium is another addition to a thriving city centre. The days of Swansea competing with Cardiff (away from the football or rugby fields) are sadly over, but why the fu*k, when we have an opportunity to grow our economy do so many wan*ers need to be negative? I don't get it, I'd assume they take pleasure in Swansea staying as an ugly not so lovely city. If the Secretary of State decides that this project is a non goer for economic or environmental reasons then fair enough, but for fu*k sake lets all get behind something that I can only see as being beneficial to Swansea. It might be a huge benefit or minimal, but anything positive must be good for the city. |
Hear hear ! | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 13:48 - Oct 9 with 1872 views | ymaohyd |
what's happening out in the Bay on 13:36 - Oct 9 by dickythorpe | I'm still waiting for the cafes to open up along the new "Boulevard" we have..... |
Indeed. What a complete waste of money. I'm led to believe that it's European money though and not local funding? To be fair it's looking neat, clean and tidy, as it should for a new project. All we have done though is widen the pavement. What's worrying is that the council feel the widening of a pavement is central and a fundamental part of their future vision of the city centre. La Rambla in Barcelona it aint. That goes down the centre of the road (with roads passing on either side). Tree lined with a café culture. If the council had decided to build a tunnel and have a huge piazza around Morgans, LC 2 etc that would have been doable and surely worth applying to government for funding. If that had happened Swansea may well have been on the way to becoming somewhere special for people to visit. Instead as with all things in Swansea it's half baked. | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 14:00 - Oct 9 with 1842 views | Gowerjack |
what's happening out in the Bay on 13:48 - Oct 9 by ymaohyd | Indeed. What a complete waste of money. I'm led to believe that it's European money though and not local funding? To be fair it's looking neat, clean and tidy, as it should for a new project. All we have done though is widen the pavement. What's worrying is that the council feel the widening of a pavement is central and a fundamental part of their future vision of the city centre. La Rambla in Barcelona it aint. That goes down the centre of the road (with roads passing on either side). Tree lined with a café culture. If the council had decided to build a tunnel and have a huge piazza around Morgans, LC 2 etc that would have been doable and surely worth applying to government for funding. If that had happened Swansea may well have been on the way to becoming somewhere special for people to visit. Instead as with all things in Swansea it's half baked. |
Agreed The Boulevard project should have been strangled at birth, a colossal waste of time and money to absolutely no effect. | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 15:42 - Oct 9 with 1821 views | Scotia |
what's happening out in the Bay on 13:34 - Oct 9 by ymaohyd | Well over a ten year period we will have had the development of Sa1, the new university campus and with luck the tidal lagoon. I don't believe for a second this will be passed if it is detrimental to the bay. Instead newcomers will drive into Swansea see a fantastic new university and a tourist attraction that the tidal lagoon will surely become. Watersports, cycling, angling, etc etc, the scope for small individual businesses to invest and grow around the lagoon are huge. Possibly new hotels, which in turn may create more restaurants etc etc around SA1. It's called growing the economy. Take Cardiff, they get the assembly, therefore around the bay scope for restaurants, hotels, etc. The city centre gets a fantastic new shopping centre, this in turn creates a huge demand for hotel rooms, restaurants etc etc The Millennium centre Wales also is part of the cycle of creating demand. Of course the Millennium Stadium is another addition to a thriving city centre. The days of Swansea competing with Cardiff (away from the football or rugby fields) are sadly over, but why the fu*k, when we have an opportunity to grow our economy do so many wan*ers need to be negative? I don't get it, I'd assume they take pleasure in Swansea staying as an ugly not so lovely city. If the Secretary of State decides that this project is a non goer for economic or environmental reasons then fair enough, but for fu*k sake lets all get behind something that I can only see as being beneficial to Swansea. It might be a huge benefit or minimal, but anything positive must be good for the city. |
The problem I've got with it is that I can only see it doing harm. Genuinely. I don't think it will be a tourist attraction at all, I think we would be better off making the most of what we've got already, rather than build something that could destroy it. This isn't going to be a Cardiff bay type thing, it's going to be a big tidal puddle. There will be a very small oppurtunity for a handful of Cafe's but most of it is going to be too far off shore to be accessible most of the time. I don't think it will have a single positive impact to the economy, not one. In fact if Mumbles sea front fills up with mud it could have a serioulsy detrimental impact. I take no pleasure in Swansea being the dump it is, but I don't want it being used as an experiment by a PR guy who should stick to making smoothies. If PINS pass it or not will probably depend on how much damage they are prepared to accept. Is the juice worth the squeeze? Even then the effects will just be a guess, they could be small they could be massive. Once it's built it isn't going anywhere, we are going to have to live with it for 120 years. They are out and out trying to make money, they aren't trying to build a tourist attraction, they are building a power station, and that's all it will be. | | | |
what's happening out in the Bay on 16:52 - Oct 9 with 1801 views | Batterseajack | Would you mind listing out all of your l concerns with regards to this project? | | | |
what's happening out in the Bay on 17:35 - Oct 9 with 1790 views | Gowerjack |
what's happening out in the Bay on 15:42 - Oct 9 by Scotia | The problem I've got with it is that I can only see it doing harm. Genuinely. I don't think it will be a tourist attraction at all, I think we would be better off making the most of what we've got already, rather than build something that could destroy it. This isn't going to be a Cardiff bay type thing, it's going to be a big tidal puddle. There will be a very small oppurtunity for a handful of Cafe's but most of it is going to be too far off shore to be accessible most of the time. I don't think it will have a single positive impact to the economy, not one. In fact if Mumbles sea front fills up with mud it could have a serioulsy detrimental impact. I take no pleasure in Swansea being the dump it is, but I don't want it being used as an experiment by a PR guy who should stick to making smoothies. If PINS pass it or not will probably depend on how much damage they are prepared to accept. Is the juice worth the squeeze? Even then the effects will just be a guess, they could be small they could be massive. Once it's built it isn't going anywhere, we are going to have to live with it for 120 years. They are out and out trying to make money, they aren't trying to build a tourist attraction, they are building a power station, and that's all it will be. |
Agreed it is primarily a income generating power station anything else is just sugar coating however this does not mean that the idea shouldn't be given very serious consideration. The real question here is whether it is viable as a renewable and clean power source not how many cafes it is able to support. You could also argue that the proposal will have much less visual impact than the existing industrial infrastructure and is certainly less destructive and obtrusive than the 240 in number 720 foot high wind turbines that RWE wanted to erect off Rhosilli. By the way trying to make money isn't a crime it's the way our society works. | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 17:37 - Oct 9 with 1786 views | Gowerjack |
what's happening out in the Bay on 16:52 - Oct 9 by Batterseajack | Would you mind listing out all of your l concerns with regards to this project? |
I agree perhaps you could outline all of your objections in a logical manner using factual evidence. | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 18:13 - Oct 9 with 1761 views | ymaohyd |
what's happening out in the Bay on 15:42 - Oct 9 by Scotia | The problem I've got with it is that I can only see it doing harm. Genuinely. I don't think it will be a tourist attraction at all, I think we would be better off making the most of what we've got already, rather than build something that could destroy it. This isn't going to be a Cardiff bay type thing, it's going to be a big tidal puddle. There will be a very small oppurtunity for a handful of Cafe's but most of it is going to be too far off shore to be accessible most of the time. I don't think it will have a single positive impact to the economy, not one. In fact if Mumbles sea front fills up with mud it could have a serioulsy detrimental impact. I take no pleasure in Swansea being the dump it is, but I don't want it being used as an experiment by a PR guy who should stick to making smoothies. If PINS pass it or not will probably depend on how much damage they are prepared to accept. Is the juice worth the squeeze? Even then the effects will just be a guess, they could be small they could be massive. Once it's built it isn't going anywhere, we are going to have to live with it for 120 years. They are out and out trying to make money, they aren't trying to build a tourist attraction, they are building a power station, and that's all it will be. |
I don't see how a company can sell a vision like they are attempting where according to you there is absolutely no substance to their claims outside of the energy side of it. Would you say that Mumbles is irrelevant to Swansea as it's too far away. No people enjoy cycling there, running along the bay. The side affects you raise, I believe you do so from a vested interest. I really don't see any problem/issue with this project. Good luck to all who are behind it. | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 09:01 - Oct 10 with 1701 views | Scotia | Just to start I have no vested interest in this at all, apart from being a very concerned born and bred jack who really likes the Bay. In fact living here and using the Bay inspired me to study and work in Coastal process and Marine Biology. Which I have done for 15 years. I first came across this project when a girl came to my fishing club and gave a presentation as an "engagement" event. I thought it looked amazing, and I introduced myself to her. She sent me a few e-mails and I began to get a bit concerned over the naive nature of some of her questions. I began to have a doubt or two, but thought she may have just been inexperienced. My first professional involvement was the Environment Statement. It was by a country mile the worst I have ever seen. I have seen considerably better for much smaller projects. They had even quoted anglers as part of the fisheries science part of it. An ES is an essential document, you would expect it to be full of peer reviewed science, not an informal conversation with a bloke they bumped in to on the West Pier, who may have been knowledgable but isn't a scientist. I could list loads of issues, and go in to detail but in a nutshell:- Additional sedimentation on the east side of the lagoon, will impact the Kenfig sssi, It's also likely to silt up Monkstone marina, a small club run marina, I doubt they'll be able to keep paying for dredging. Any sailing in the lagoon, will only compensate for an existing facility no longer being able to be used. It will intercept the tidal flow around the bay, decreaseing "energy" in the tide. Everything you see to the west side of the bay is there because of the tide. My major fear is that the sand / pebbles will be replaced by mud over a period of years, without thinking of the wildlife impacts which are massive, this will look horrible. This is the major concern I have, this could cause absolutely massive damage, and seriously impact any tourism/recreation in the rest of the bay It will have significant impacts on flooding in Mumbles - mitigation could be a wall along Mumbles front! Toursits will love staring at that. It will be an increased danger to shipping, both on the way in to Port Talbot and Swansea docks. ABP are very concerned. Major impacts on migratory fish to the Neath and Tawe, these are improving as fisheries, the outflow from the turbines is thought to hugle impact on migration especially Sea Trout. Hugely overstated tourism potential, this isn't going to be unique, and none of the additional structures are being considered at the moment. I don't trust the company to build them. Plus it will be a dangerous structure, it's going to be miles out to Sea. Sport facillities. They will never be able to arrange a running event around this thing, I will be amazed if they actually allow angling off most of it It is going to be so heavily impacted by swell and wind, that anything will have to be schduled no more than 48 hrs in advance. I think sailing and swimming may well be ok. Especially now they have agreed to pay for moving the Sewage outfall. It isn't going to look very nice, Its going to be more obstusive than a lot of people realise, It will seriously affect the view from Port Talbot, Mumbles and Swansea I have genuine doubts over the aims of this company, I would feel much better if they hadn't made idiotic claims over tourism and jobs. I'm worried that we will be stuck with a massive obstruction which ruins the bay for no reason. The company will go bust and the tax payer will be left with the consequences - It has already cost us a fortune! Just out of interest. Would anyone like to guess what level of impact the company behind this actually predict? [Post edited 10 Oct 2014 13:45]
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what's happening out in the Bay on 12:24 - Oct 10 with 1677 views | yescomeon | Not seen it as living away but could be taking core samples of the sea bed, anyone got a picture? | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 19:24 - Oct 10 with 1620 views | Gowerjack |
what's happening out in the Bay on 09:01 - Oct 10 by Scotia | Just to start I have no vested interest in this at all, apart from being a very concerned born and bred jack who really likes the Bay. In fact living here and using the Bay inspired me to study and work in Coastal process and Marine Biology. Which I have done for 15 years. I first came across this project when a girl came to my fishing club and gave a presentation as an "engagement" event. I thought it looked amazing, and I introduced myself to her. She sent me a few e-mails and I began to get a bit concerned over the naive nature of some of her questions. I began to have a doubt or two, but thought she may have just been inexperienced. My first professional involvement was the Environment Statement. It was by a country mile the worst I have ever seen. I have seen considerably better for much smaller projects. They had even quoted anglers as part of the fisheries science part of it. An ES is an essential document, you would expect it to be full of peer reviewed science, not an informal conversation with a bloke they bumped in to on the West Pier, who may have been knowledgable but isn't a scientist. I could list loads of issues, and go in to detail but in a nutshell:- Additional sedimentation on the east side of the lagoon, will impact the Kenfig sssi, It's also likely to silt up Monkstone marina, a small club run marina, I doubt they'll be able to keep paying for dredging. Any sailing in the lagoon, will only compensate for an existing facility no longer being able to be used. It will intercept the tidal flow around the bay, decreaseing "energy" in the tide. Everything you see to the west side of the bay is there because of the tide. My major fear is that the sand / pebbles will be replaced by mud over a period of years, without thinking of the wildlife impacts which are massive, this will look horrible. This is the major concern I have, this could cause absolutely massive damage, and seriously impact any tourism/recreation in the rest of the bay It will have significant impacts on flooding in Mumbles - mitigation could be a wall along Mumbles front! Toursits will love staring at that. It will be an increased danger to shipping, both on the way in to Port Talbot and Swansea docks. ABP are very concerned. Major impacts on migratory fish to the Neath and Tawe, these are improving as fisheries, the outflow from the turbines is thought to hugle impact on migration especially Sea Trout. Hugely overstated tourism potential, this isn't going to be unique, and none of the additional structures are being considered at the moment. I don't trust the company to build them. Plus it will be a dangerous structure, it's going to be miles out to Sea. Sport facillities. They will never be able to arrange a running event around this thing, I will be amazed if they actually allow angling off most of it It is going to be so heavily impacted by swell and wind, that anything will have to be schduled no more than 48 hrs in advance. I think sailing and swimming may well be ok. Especially now they have agreed to pay for moving the Sewage outfall. It isn't going to look very nice, Its going to be more obstusive than a lot of people realise, It will seriously affect the view from Port Talbot, Mumbles and Swansea I have genuine doubts over the aims of this company, I would feel much better if they hadn't made idiotic claims over tourism and jobs. I'm worried that we will be stuck with a massive obstruction which ruins the bay for no reason. The company will go bust and the tax payer will be left with the consequences - It has already cost us a fortune! Just out of interest. Would anyone like to guess what level of impact the company behind this actually predict? [Post edited 10 Oct 2014 13:45]
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Well written and possibly some valid points. Is there any organised opposition to the scheme? | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 21:56 - Oct 10 with 1601 views | Scotia |
what's happening out in the Bay on 19:24 - Oct 10 by Gowerjack | Well written and possibly some valid points. Is there any organised opposition to the scheme? |
No I don't think there is. Unfortunately they have done such a good PR job, opposition is politically very difficult. I think that's why Swansea council have remained neutral, they know the risks, but the public want it built, based only on what the developers have told them. It's well worth going to one of the hearings if you've got an afternoon free. The barrister for them is very clever, but it makes you realise they only want to build a business. I'll be honest I have been very dissappointed with the lack of discussion of possible impacts in the media, I don't even remember seeing a journalist in the hearings. | | | |
what's happening out in the Bay on 22:30 - Oct 10 with 1585 views | westside | why don't they let them build a couple of these lagoons somewhere else and then take a look at them before deciding whether to give the swansea one the go ahead. | | | |
what's happening out in the Bay on 23:00 - Oct 10 with 1571 views | Scotia |
what's happening out in the Bay on 22:30 - Oct 10 by westside | why don't they let them build a couple of these lagoons somewhere else and then take a look at them before deciding whether to give the swansea one the go ahead. |
I'd be more than happy with that. | | | |
what's happening out in the Bay on 23:05 - Oct 10 with 1568 views | Gowerjack |
what's happening out in the Bay on 23:00 - Oct 10 by Scotia | I'd be more than happy with that. |
Odd that as most of your concerns were specific to Swansea Bay. In any case there are not many suitable places other than the Severn Estuary due to the tidal range and proximity to population centres. | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 23:52 - Oct 10 with 1539 views | perchrockjack | Yam.im glad I didn't post thst but to be honest I'm certain most Swansea people feel the same. Huge potential but unable to stop squabbling and get things fine. If you took gower away from Swansea there is nothing of interest at all for visitors It's sickening | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 00:35 - Oct 11 with 1519 views | Uxbridge |
what's happening out in the Bay on 19:24 - Oct 10 by Gowerjack | Well written and possibly some valid points. Is there any organised opposition to the scheme? |
Or possibly not. I don't know. There doesn't seem to be much opposition though, and I'm not buying that it's all being kept quiet ... NIMBYism alone would quash it if major valid issues. | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 00:38 - Oct 11 with 1514 views | Dyfnant |
what's happening out in the Bay on 00:35 - Oct 11 by Uxbridge | Or possibly not. I don't know. There doesn't seem to be much opposition though, and I'm not buying that it's all being kept quiet ... NIMBYism alone would quash it if major valid issues. |
Well I'm not really against it, just think 'we' should be getting more from it than a feel good green glow and 'tourism' by products | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 00:51 - Oct 11 with 1506 views | Uxbridge |
what's happening out in the Bay on 00:38 - Oct 11 by Dyfnant | Well I'm not really against it, just think 'we' should be getting more from it than a feel good green glow and 'tourism' by products |
On that I agree. A few quid off bills isn't enough. | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 08:03 - Oct 11 with 1456 views | Scotia |
what's happening out in the Bay on 23:05 - Oct 10 by Gowerjack | Odd that as most of your concerns were specific to Swansea Bay. In any case there are not many suitable places other than the Severn Estuary due to the tidal range and proximity to population centres. |
It's an experiment, if they are going to cause damage let's assess the damage elsewhere before potentially damaging the bay. I don't think the negative stuff is being kept quiet, they are just shouting louder. The next meeting I have to attend is for one on the North Wales coast, so they can be built away from the channel. | | | |
what's happening out in the Bay on 14:25 - Oct 14 with 1332 views | swanny | Thanks for all your input - I'm currently struggling with the AONB proposed management as well as the proposed Local Development plan (which appears to have dropped off the face of the earth. The problem is - we naively think that ' surely they wouldn't let anything bad happen to such a beautiful coastline' and then you think....well, actually...... 'someone' let them build Vulgar Villas in the Higher Lanes.....so think on... | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 15:13 - Oct 14 with 1315 views | Gowerjack |
what's happening out in the Bay on 14:25 - Oct 14 by swanny | Thanks for all your input - I'm currently struggling with the AONB proposed management as well as the proposed Local Development plan (which appears to have dropped off the face of the earth. The problem is - we naively think that ' surely they wouldn't let anything bad happen to such a beautiful coastline' and then you think....well, actually...... 'someone' let them build Vulgar Villas in the Higher Lanes.....so think on... |
Hi Swanny Are you involved with the Gower Society? I agree with you about protecting our area its so easy to think that someone else will do it! | |
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what's happening out in the Bay on 15:40 - Oct 14 with 1292 views | swanny |
what's happening out in the Bay on 15:13 - Oct 14 by Gowerjack | Hi Swanny Are you involved with the Gower Society? I agree with you about protecting our area its so easy to think that someone else will do it! |
I used to be an active Member, but we spent such a long time travelling/working abroad and only recently came back because of my parents' ill health - just trying to get to grips with it all. ( I say recently but it's been nearly two years - horrified at how quickly tie passes). Spent the afternoon trawling through the Councils proposals for designating development land but it's all so complex - deliberately so I suppose! | |
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