Cosmeston Lake plan for new cafe, visitor centre and leisure events
The Placemaking Plan for Penarth mentions the possibility of using Cosmeston Country Park for leisure events and activities in the future
The Placemaking Plan for Penarth mentions the possibility of using Cosmeston Country Park for leisure events and activities in the future
(Image: Mark Lewis )
A plan for future development in a Welsh seaside town proposes to explore opportunities to use its popular country park for leisure events and activities. Vale of Glamorgan Council recently approved a Placemaking Plan for Penarth and other major towns in the county which are aimed at supporting bids and attracting private investment for future projects.
The plan for Penarth, published on the council's website, shows an ambition to develop a cafe and visitor centre at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and explore the opportunity for outdoor leisure events and activities there.
Controversial plans to pilot an inflatable water park at Cosmeston Lake were given the go-ahead earlier this year despite opposition and a petition against it gaining 6,897 signatures. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here .
The Placemaking Plan for Penarth, produced after a public consultation, states: "Developing the café and visitor centre at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park along with exploring opportunities for outdoor leisure events and activities could generate additional revenue, which could then be reinvested into the ongoing maintenance of Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, ensuring its long-term financial sustainability.
"The existing Cosmeston Lakes café can be developed to create a facility that will support a sustainable future for an attraction of the park's significance both locally and regionally."
Using the revenue from leisure activities at Cosmeston Lake to maintain the park has already been used by council officials as an argument in favour of letting them go ahead. The aqua park at the eastern side of Cosmeston Lake will open in July.
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At the end of September the council will carry out an evaluation of the pilot and decide if it will go out to tender for someone to operate an attraction on site for the following season.
The plan for Penarth also states that following engagement with the community a number of other areas in the town were put forward for potential future work.
These proposals included:
A new public space for events
Active travel improvements
A history trail
Improvements to the railway station
Establishing a long-term use for The Kymin
A permanent solution for outside hospitality spaces on The Esplanade
Having an improved cultural offering at the pier
Placemaking plans have also been developed for Llantwit Major and Cowbridge. A plan for Barry is still under development and will come to cabinet members for approval at a later date.
Vale Council's cabinet member for neighbourhood and building services, Cllr Mark Wilson, said: "The first think I would like to emphasise is this is very much a live document. It is not something set in stone.
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"It will change, it will evolve, over a period of time." He went on to add: "This document belongs to the towns of Llantwit, Cowbridge, and Penarth respectively.
"It is not a council document in that sense, although obviously the council was helping to spearhead it... and to act as a catalyst for it. Clearly I think this is where it is going. There will be further consultation on this as we move forward in these three towns."
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