#phillips-parade — Public Fediverse posts

SWANSEA: Rain gardens spreading through Sandfields streets as second phase of flood-busting scheme takes root

Swansea’s rain garden programme is expanding, with new planting and pedestrian improvements now under way at Phillips Parade and Rodney Street in the Sandfields and St Helen’s area — adding to work already completed outside St Helen’s Primary School.

The scheme was first installed outside the school last year, where trees and shrubs were planted to soak up surface water after heavy rain, alongside improved paving and dropped kerbs to help pupils, parents and residents get around on foot, by bike or by scooter. The latest phase extends those improvements to new locations across the neighbourhood, with a further rain garden also installed at the end of Burrows Road, adjacent to Oystermouth Road.

Rain gardens work by capturing water runoff from roads and pavements before it can pool or cause flooding. The plants, shrubs and specially designed soil absorb the water, filtering out pollutants before they can reach local waterways — protecting the ecosystems that depend on them.

They also provide year-round food and shelter for pollinators including bees and butterflies, and bring seasonal colour to streets that might otherwise feel hard and grey. The combination of flood mitigation, biodiversity benefit and improved aesthetics in a single scheme has made rain gardens an increasingly popular tool for councils looking to improve urban environments on limited budgets.

The improvements form part of Swansea Council’s bid to introduce better walking and cycling infrastructure across the city, following a successful grant application to the Welsh Government’s Active Travel programme. Earlier reporting revealed that around £160,000 was invested in the first phase of the Sandfields scheme, with additional funding drawn from the Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature fund and Natural Resources Wales.

The latest works were developed with community regeneration experts Urban Foundry, who worked with residents and local businesses to shape the plans. Consultation with the community was carried out before work began, with the scheme designed to reflect local needs and priorities.

Urban Foundry — who are also behind the recently opened Swansea Pottery Collective studio on Alexandra Road — have become a familiar presence in projects that look to transform underused or underperforming spaces across Swansea city centre and surrounding areas.

Stuart Davies, Head of Service for Transport and Highways at Swansea Council, said the measures were delivering a range of benefits for local communities. “These innovative measures are providing local communities with a range of benefits where links between streets for walkers and cyclists are improved,” he said.

“The introduction of rain gardens also provides a green and sustainable solution for spots within communities where standing water can occur during heavy rainfall,” he added.

The Sandfields programme is one of several active travel and green infrastructure projects the council has been delivering across the city. Previous coverage has highlighted similar improvements elsewhere in Swansea, as the council works towards its wider vision of developing greener spaces, cleaner air and lower carbon emissions in communities across the city.

The rain garden and active travel work in Sandfields follows a pattern that has been replicated across south-west Wales — with Carmarthenshire councils also receiving funding in the same grant rounds to deliver drainage and active travel improvements in their communities.

Work is ongoing at Phillips Parade, Rodney Street and Burrows Road. Residents can expect the planting to develop through the coming months as the gardens establish — with the full colour and wildlife benefits expected to be most visible by late summer and into autumn.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Rain gardens installed to tackle flooding in Swansea’s Sandfields
Our coverage of the first phase of rain garden installations outside St Helen’s Primary School.

Rain gardens and car park revamps: £100k drainage grants to tackle flooding in Swansea and Carmarthenshire
The grant funding behind the Sandfields scheme and similar projects across south-west Wales.

City streets’ new green feature aims to help combat climate challenge
Earlier coverage of Swansea’s green infrastructure ambitions.

Historic building given new lease of life as GP practice opens its doors

The city centre Phillips Parade site was built in the early 1800s and was originally home to Swansea General and Eye Hospital.

It went on to become a children’s orthopaedic centre and, more recently, a training centre used by the health board’s resuscitation and manual handling teams.

Now, Brunswick Health Centre, previously based on nearby St Helen’s Road for more than 40 years has relocated to the Phillips Parade site.

Pictured: Brunswick Health Centre staff, including Dr Richard Beynon and Dr Helen Locking.

Owners and GP partners Dr Helen Locking and Dr Richard Beynon made the decision to invest in the building, as their original premises was leased and needed extensive refurbishment.

“Our previous practice needed to be refurbished, and it was felt that the best option was to find a new location,” Dr Beynon said.

“We needed to find somewhere that was close to the original surgery for patients.

“Luckily the health board was able to sell the Phillips Parade site.”

While extensive work has been undertaken to refurbish the building into a modern practice, the GP partners wanted to ensure the historic building was also respected and protected.

Pictured: A plaque from the Eye Hospital still features in the waiting area.

Dr Beynon added: “Despite being a modern GP practice, we have managed to preserve the character and charm of the old hospital.

“We have also kept certain fittings, for instance, a plaque from the Eye Hospital that is on display in the new waiting area.

“The rooms are bigger and more appropriate for healthcare use. We now have better disabled facilities and a pleasant environment in which to see patients.”

The partners worked hard with their contractors Andrew Evans Painting Contractors and LA Alarms to complete the project on time.

Dr Locking said: “Everyone involved over the last six months has been excellent and we are extremely grateful to them for all their hard work.

“We are a well-established training practice and have a reputation for providing excellent access and care to our patients. Our new home will ensure we continue with that tradition.”

The manual handling and resuscitation teams have relocated to Ward 8 in Singleton Hospital.

Martin Thomas, strategic manual handling advisor, is part of the team and is also the heritage lead for the health board’s Arts and Heritage in Health Group.

“A new, bigger hospital was built in 1863 and the plans for the building were even sent to Florence Nightingale,” Martin said.

“Her architect looked at them and they came back with one minor change. Florence even contributed £25 towards the building work.

“The hospital was completed in 1878 and in 1899 the Eye Hospital was added.

“We also know that Edith Cavell, a famous nurse during the First World War, applied to work at the hospital on two separate occasions in 1902 and 1910.

“From the late 1960s, the hospital’s use became limited as Singleton Hospital was operational, but it was used as a children’s orthopaedic centre until this relocated to Hafan y Mor in Singleton.”

Pictured: A historic photograph of the site.

Brunswick Health Centre, which sits within City Health Local Cluster Collaborative, has now settled into its new home. The practice’s appointment system and telephone number remain the same.

The new site has parking for more than 30 vehicles and is well connected to local bus routes.

“The move went well with no disruption to services,” Dr Beynon added.

“Patients can expect the same high standard of care but in a more modern and appropriate environment.”

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

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