Seafront sites to remain undeveloped for now

FOUR out of five seafront sites in Swansea which were pitched to potential developers won’t be touched for now, although that might change for some of them.

Council chiefs in Swansea initially invited expressions of interest for five sites – two tennis courts and the adjacent toilets at Langland, land on the Mumbles side of The West Cross Inn, the skate ramp area at Llwynderw, West Cross, the Blackpill Lido site, and land at the bottom of Sketty Lane.

They stressed they were starting with a blank piece of paper, but Benidorm-style developments were out of the question.

The sites by the West Cross Inn and the Blackpill Lido were then dropped, and it has been confirmed that schemes submitted by developers for Langland won’t be taken forward.

The Langland update was given by cabinet member, Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, who has the regeneration and tourism portfolio, in an answer to a written question by opposition councillors Lyndon Jones and Brigitte Rowlands.

The duo had asked if the two tennis courts would be protected, given the sport’s popularity and the success of British US Open winner Emma Raducanu.

In reply Cllr Francis-Davies said the council had thanked developers for some “innovative and interesting” schemes for Langland.

He said: “However, we don’t think that any one scheme matched our ambition to deliver the best solution for Langland, its residents and visitors.”

He added, though, that the council would be preparing a more detailed development brief for the site.

Furthermore, a more detailed strategy for other defined sites around Swansea Bay will be drawn up.

A council spokesman said the Blackpill Lido had proved again this year that it remained “a jewel in our summer seaside offer”, and that there were also no plans for the Sketty Lane site although “possible development has not been ruled out”.

That leaves the skate ramp site at Llwynderw, where there is planning permission in place for a redeveloped skate park to be funded by Mumbles Community Council.

Swansea Council’s cabinet agreed to transfer the land to the community council last year, but it was successfully challenged by objectors when a judge quashed the transfer decision.

The council has published a new public open space notice in relation to the skate park site, and people can give their views in writing or via the council’s website by 5pm on October 19.

A council spokesman said: “Feedback from the public will be taken into account as part of any report officers may choose to take to a future meeting of cabinet.”