Author Topic: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment  (Read 408333 times)

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Offline SteveH

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1380 on: July 28, 2016, 11:33:24 am »
Phase two of Colywn Bay Waterfront Project due to begin in August.

WORK on phase two of the Colwyn Bay Waterfront Project is due to get underway next month - with almost 1km of existing promenade to be transformed over the coming year.

The waterfront project combines upgrading coastal defences with environmental improvements to the promenade, with phase two set to take place between the Pier and the eastern end of the Cayley Embankment. 

The work - expected to take a year - will include widening, realigning and raising a section of the existing promenade, improving parking, new landscaping and improving the promenade finishes and facilities.

The road between the Pier and the junction of Marine Road will be closed from 6am on Thursday, August 11 onwards with diversions to be signposted.  There will also be some restrictions to beach access while the work takes place.

Cllr Cowans added: “We realise that closing this section of promenade will cause disruption, but I urge everyone to think of the long term benefits that the project will bring to Colwyn Bay, and I’d like to thank everyone in advance for their patience.”

Information will be updated regularly at www.conwy.gov.uk/colwynbaywaterfront

http://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/164771/phase-two-of-colywn-bay-waterfront-project-due-to-begin-in-august.aspx


Offline Hugo

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1381 on: July 28, 2016, 12:59:51 pm »
I must admit that CCBC's  timing of the road closure is par for the course but it has to be done some time.    The section of Marine Road under the A55 and the railway was always going to be a problem with congestion but I've see a leaflet from Trevor Stott and John Roberts who have already discussed this matter with the council and the Council has agreed to put restrictions on both sides of the road, a decision which makes a lot of sense in the circumstances.
However will this be put into force before the work on the Promenade starts?    We'll just have to wait and see if the left hand knows what the right hand is doing!


Offline SteveH

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1382 on: August 03, 2016, 01:04:39 pm »
The promenade at Colwyn Bay is set to close next week for a major development project - with a search underway to find an operator for a new seafront eating place

“An integral part of the strategy is to provide new business opportunities, and as such, we’re commissioning a new-build catering facility on the promenade."

“We’re working closely with the team at Glyndwr University’s Architectural Design, where technology students have provided a building design that reflects the local area’s heritage and complements the high quality finishes of the waterfront promenade construction and coastal defence work."

“We’re now seeking expressions of interest to lease this new facility; locally placed adverts are inviting catering operators to submit their ideas and credentials so that we can offer additional beach side services for visitors to Colwyn Bay’s waterfront.”
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/colwyn-bay-promenade-close-next-11698731

Offline Nemesis

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1383 on: September 01, 2016, 11:16:33 am »
Spectacular sight at Rhos this morning. Below the Cayley Prom the sea is literally boiling with fish. Whitebait and Mackerel we were told.
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1384 on: September 01, 2016, 12:19:59 pm »
When that happens you sometimes get the Dolphins following the Mackeral.   At the moment the tide is quite high and calm too.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1385 on: September 01, 2016, 12:49:10 pm »
Spectacular sight at Rhos this morning. Below the Cayley Prom the sea is literally boiling with fish. Whitebait and Mackerel we were told.
We saw them at Penrhyn Bay and Rhos Point on Tuesday too.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1386 on: September 19, 2016, 11:08:05 am »
As the Waterfront Development takes shape, it just makes the situation involving the pier all the more urgent to resolve. Surely, CCBC can work with the Pier Group to achieve some sort of common ground to move forward with a grant application for a renovated pier? With visitor numbers to the area increasing in recent years, surely some sort of pier is viable, especially when you consider that a small town like Beaumaris has managed to retain and renovate their (albeit smaller) pier successfully?

Offline Tom Davidson

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1387 on: September 26, 2016, 08:49:22 am »
I think Conwy Council have made clear they want the pier gone. I'd love to know brass tacks how much it would cost to renovate and how much to scrap (while saving priceless murals inside)
After all what is time, a mere tyranny.

Offline BMD

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1388 on: September 26, 2016, 12:10:38 pm »
Tom, the last detailed breakdown of costs for various options (including different levels of renovation, and outright demolition) that I've seen was from the report released in December 2013, just prior to the vote to demolish. It's available here (PDF): http://tinyurl.com/zuh3w52

An earlier set of estimates was given in 2010. This gave lower estimates for renovation, and a slightly higher estimate for demolition: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/62501/response/160207/attach/html/9/Minutes%207%20Oct%20and%202%20Dec%202010.pdf.html

I summarised both sets of costs in a little blog post here: https://colwynbay.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/pier-demolition/

The 2013 report led to the inflated (and somewhat misleading & scaremongering) estimate of £15m for renovation. This "£15m" cost was heavily publicised by the council, and published in all the press coverage.  It strongly influenced the vote to demolish. It was misleading for two reasons: firstly, the basic cost (for simple boardwalk renovation) was not publicised. It was only £3.7m. Other renovation options (boardwalk + kiosks, boardwalk + main pavilion refurbishment: £4.1m and £8.9m respectively) were also not publicised by the council. Secondly, the £15m "bells & whistles" estimate included an arbitrary £4m added on for possible "contingency & inflation" (the actual estimate was £11.5m) - an addition unique to this option.

The estimated cost for demolition (£1m) seemed to OMIT all the costs likely to be incurred from what the council describes as the "cons" of demolition. (These costs could be considerable - see my blog post). Make what you will from all this (personally, I think it's a major scandal - a conscious act to misleadingly "slant" public/press perceptions in favour of demolition).

The last I heard of the murals, they were beyond saving. I don't know whether that's been confirmed authoritatively.

Offline hollins

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1389 on: October 02, 2016, 04:58:18 pm »
We had a lovely afternoon today on the Colwyn Bay waterfront and another delicious lunch at the skip.
I noticed the zig zag path down is closed off and is full of building materials.
Anyone know what they are going to do with it next?

Offline Michael

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1390 on: October 02, 2016, 07:34:23 pm »
Yes. All that work is to locate and stop rainwater entering the building, which did happen earlier in the year. If you ask why does it need around seven or eight large container size portable buildings to do that, then ask me another

Offline DaveR

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1391 on: October 03, 2016, 11:44:14 am »
The design of Porth Eirias is such that rainwater ingress will always be a problem. The fact that a problem has occurred so soon after construction has finished is ominous for the future.

Why wasn't a simpler and more traditional building design chosen that would have cost half the price to build and required far less maintenance?

Something akin to the Dylans Restaurant in Criccieth would have been far more suitable:

Offline Ian

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1392 on: October 03, 2016, 01:13:20 pm »
But stopping rain penetration is hardly a revolutionary innovation, is it?  The original design was changed on cost grounds, I seem to remember, but you'd have thought whomever came up with the re-design would have thought about a decent roof and sills.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Tom Davidson

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1393 on: October 03, 2016, 03:44:56 pm »
Here's a comment I got from Conwy Council in April 2015 about a water ingress:

Cllr Graham Rees, Cabinet Member for Tourism, Marketing and Leisure said:
 
“We have been investigating and sought advice about some water ingress at Porth Eirias.  However, we do not expect this to impact on the operation of the building and we’re looking forward to a busy summer season for Colwyn Bay Watersports and the opening of the new SHEL Restaurants Ltd café/bistro.”


After all what is time, a mere tyranny.

Offline Ian

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Re: Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment
« Reply #1394 on: October 03, 2016, 04:07:39 pm »
Tom, that should be in the Jokes section. 
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.