Welsh Housing Awards 2024

Read all the shortlisted entries into this award category, positive placemaking, at the Welsh Housing Awards (WHA) 2024 and find out who won the award on the night.

This award recognises the critical importance of a range of bodies, organisations and local groups in revitalising and regenerating local communities and neighbourhoods. It also recognises that physical improvements go hand in hand with social and economic developments to make a real difference to people’s lives.

Statement of support

The area of Pillgwenlly (Pill) in Newport has long faced socio-economic challenges, including poverty, crime, and environmental issues such as excessive fly-tipping. Historically disadvantaged by a lack of investment, residents of Pill have struggled with inadequate public spaces, contributing to a sense of isolation and neglect. Recognising the need for lasting regeneration, Newport City Homes has committed to a long-term master plan to regenerate the area, working closely with a range of agencies, social landlords and the local community to foster both physical and social improvements.

This includes significant capital investment to improve both the homes and in the public realm. NCH is working with the community and innovative designers to transform the public open space into an area that will have a positive impact on people and the environment.

Through a series of consultations, led by Pill Unity – a community group formed by residents of Pillgwenlly in Newport – and support from Dynamix, the Pill community identified safe green spaces as a top priority for families. The area’s high rates of anti-social behaviour, crime, and substance misuse made the development of secure, communal spaces crucial to the long-term viability of the neighbourhood.

A piece of unused land in a central location was identified and Pill Unity appointed as the lead community group to coordinate activity. As work began to slowly clear the site of debris it was evident that this was a huge task to undertake. Early discussions were held with local council and housing associations to apply for community benefit. Slowly the vision for this land space began to evolve, with a commitment to allocating a sensory garden and education space for local school children, alongside community food growing areas. Planning applications were successful to site a 24ft shipping container as a community education space, followed later by another successful planning application for a canopy to cover a log circle. More success came in securing two local places for Nature Packages through Keep Wales Tidy.

As a result, the site has been completely transformed from a fly tipping hotspot to a safe area of green space that can be enjoyed by the whole community.

• The site has a log circle and canopy, sensory benches, worm farm, mud kitchens, raised planter beds, dipping pond, fruit tree orchard, reflective seating area, poly tunnel, solar powered lighting and a 24ft shipping container (provided by NCH community benefit in 2019) renovated to be utilised as a community education space.
• Over 34 companies and local businesses have supported the development of this project such as Big Lottery, NCH, NCC, Pobl, Melin, Linc Cymru, Lovells, LCB Construction, Gwent Ppolice, Celtic Manor, Robert Price, and many, many more.
• The site has given approval by a recent visit of 70 teaching staff from Pill Primary and Flying Start groups who were extremely positive about the development of the site and what it can offer the children. Both have now committed to timetabled weekly sessions as part of their outdoor learning within the National Curriculum.
• The site was officially opened by the Mayor of Newport on Friday 26 April 2024. He was joined by members of Welsh government, local press, partners who were involved in the development of the site, Pillgwenlly Primary School and Flying Start children.

Outcomes and achievements

Since the official opening of the Pill Unity Gardens and Allotments there are no vacant growing plots. Every plot has now been allocated because of community interest. Both Pillgwenlly Primary School and local Flying Start groups have now timetabled weekly sessions at the site where over 200 local children will enjoy outdoor learning and be involved in any work to further enhance the site.

With the recently refurbished 24ft shipping container as a community education space, the Pill Unity group can now hire out this welcome space to the community and partners that will enable the group to have a source of income and become self-sustainable.

15 local residents and community groups have their own growing spaces within the gardens. Most of the residents do not have a garden and so are unable to cultivate and grow vegetables at home. They often come with their children and families and the whole group is like one big family, supporting each other and learning from each other.

The group started running weekend activities at the allotment to open up the space to the wider community and plan to hold many more free community events for years to come.