This Appendix provides a summary of the outputs of the stakeholder engagement process carried out as part of the development of this Strategy. Feedback from key stakeholders was an important source of information when identifying strategic projects to improve the GBI network across the six towns. This Appendix sets out a summary of key points raised by stakeholders.

Three different tools were used during this process:

 

Tool 1: Online Survey

An online survey was sent out on the 9^th of May 2022 to over 100 key stakeholders with an interest in GBI. This included:

• Statutory/technical stakeholders.
• Elected Members and town councillors.
• Community groups with an interest/stake in GBI.

Stakeholders were asked for:

• Their views on how the current GBI network is performing based on the four identified guiding principles.
• Their views on how GBI in Ceredigion can be delivered i.e. identifying key opportunities.
• Any opportunities or ongoing projects in each these towns.
  • In total, 51 responses were received to the online survey.

Tool 2: Interactive Map

The link to the interactive map was sent out along with the online survey, on the same date and to the same stakeholders. The map allowed stakeholders to leave points on the map within any of the six towns, identifying opportunities for:

• Flood management.
• Green walking and cycling routes.
• Community growing space.
• Greenery in the town.
• Tree planting.
• Restoration of rivers and coastline.
• Better parks and open space.

In total, 107 comments were left on the interactive map.

Tool 3: Virtual Workshops

• Six virtual workshops were held between the 24^th May and 26^th May. Each workshop included a presentation from LUC and a Ceredigion County Council (CCC) officer, followed by a discussion of potential opportunities in the relevant town using a MIRO ‘virtual whiteboard’. Each workshop was focused on a different town.
• Approximately 6-11 people participated in each of the six virtual workshops.

 

 

 

Image: example 'snapshot' of virtual whiteboards used for stakeholder engagement.

Comments on Ceredigion's GBI network as a whole

Consultees were asked to comment on how the GBI network in Ceredigion is performing in relation to four guiding principles. These principles are:

1. 1. Making space for nature.
   2. Shaping thriving public spaces.
   3. Creating happy and healthy communities.
   4. Strengthening resilience to climate change.

The stakeholder responses in relation to each of these principles were as follows:

Principle 1: Making Space for Nature

31% of consultees felt the GBI network was performing “quite well” against this principle, however 45% and 24% of consultees, respectively, felt the GBI network was performing “not quite well” or “very poorly” against this principle. Consultees were then invited to qualify their response.

The consultees responses were as follows:

• Healthy rural hinterlands but lack of biodiverse green spaces and trees in the towns.
• Disparity between the different areas in Ceredigion (e.g. Aberystwyth seeing a decline in green spaces while towns like Aberaeron and Cardigan are performing better).
• Quality of water in some of the major rivers could be improved.
• Lack of connectivity/poor accessibility of transport links from outlying villages.
• Lack of awareness over what is available to residents/tourists and how to access them.
• Vast area of green spaces compared to the population.
• Lack of consideration of horse riders particularly bridleways which promote green exploration, travel and connection to nature.
• Poor quality of grazing land and afforested areas.
• Unpermitted felling of trees and hedges (including in bird nesting season).
• Lack of consideration for nature when making planning decisions e.g. farming (particularly animal rearing leading to further environmental pollution/degradation).

Principle 2: Shaping Thriving Public Spaces

This principle relates to issues of broader sense of place, including tourism, and how the GBI network performs in this regard. 53% of stakeholders responded “not very well”, while 29% responded with “very poorly”. 9% responded with “quite well”.

Some of the comments received were as follows:

• Town centres are in decline and green spaces are not being used optimally due to poor management.
• Insufficient businesses and tourism provision linked to the use to natural environment.
• Biggest barrier in this principle is the subjectiveness of what a “sense of place” means to every individual.
• Poor connectivity between towns and key routes, with cycle/footpaths having little in the way of green or blue features.
• Lack of proper signage to get to tourist destinations.
• Infrastructure for cycling, horse-riding or other green forms of transport could be improved to be safer and more connected.
• Blue flag status for local beaches is not maintained and engagement with relevant stakeholders could be improved.

Principle 3: Creating Happy and Healthy Communities

This principle relates to issues of broader sense of place, including tourism, and how the GBI network performs in promoting health, wellbeing and access to green space and active travel routes. 35% of stakeholders responded positively while others responded negatively.

Comments received included:

• More could be done in extending or developing older routes particularly in dangerous main road sections providing excellent routes for residents and tourists.
• Green spaces in Ceredigion have not been assessed to standards and should be, ie by internationally recognised standards such as the Green Flag Awards.
• Current rural nature of area can make creating new walking or cycling paths difficult, but should be considered regardless particularly between key areas within towns.
• Rights of way network is not maintained, and awareness of available routes is minimal.
• More protection needs to be afforded to the routes currently present. There should be cycle paths, physically separate from cars so that people of all abilities and confidence levels can cycle locally.
• Lack of pavements make low-carbon travel impossible in some places.

Comments on the Delivery of GBI in Ceredigion

Stakeholders were asked to identify the primary barriers to the delivery of GBI in Ceredigion. Options provided were:

1. 1. Insufficient prioritisation within policy.
   2. Inadequate funding sources.
   3. Lack of understanding of GBI.
   4. Poor coordination between partners.
   5. Lack of community interest in GBI.
   6. Other reasons.

Comments provided in relation to this question included:

• Funding is crucial for developing extended routes or green and blue spaces.
• Planning policy would make a huge difference in enforcement and compulsory purchases.
• Maintenance and improved accessibility following an upgrade to green, blue spaces would encourage better use.
• Lack of initiative to tackle GBI issues head-on as current strategy sees it as an add-on and peripheral issue.
• Lack of delivery on laudable aspirations.
• Lack of diversity in approach to ownership of projects.
• Communication issues between departments which lead to different priorities and contradictions.
• Community interest not being tapped into as engagement is not properly supported.

Comments from stakeholders when asked to highlight any promising delivery mechanisms included:

• Welsh Government providing funding on a strategic scale over a longer period instead of a single financial year.
• Local groups should be included.
• Councils should act together.
• Need to be better informed on issues in the local area to make better suggestions.

Stakeholders also highlighted the role of the following important delivery partners:

• Ceredigion Nature Partnership.
• Eco Hub Aber.
• Natural Resource Wales.
• Rural Health and Care Wales – which provides support for green health in practice network.
• University of Wales Trinity Saint David can play an important role as an institution with 200 years of history.
• Landowners ranging from large public and private sector to residents with gardens.
• Greener Aberystwyth Group.
• Tir Coed.
• Coed Lleol.
• Incredible Edible.
• Sustrans.
• Countryside Commision.
• Sports Council Wales.
• Plantlife Cymru.
• Cambrian Mountains Initiative.
• Play Wales.
• Llandysul Biodiversity.
• BMC Hills.
• Oceans Protect.
• Surfers Against Sewage.
• Clear Access Clear Waters.
• The Ramblers.
• Cycling UK Cymru.
• Royal Commission for Ancient and Historical Monuments.
• Dyfed Archaeology.
• Penparcau Wildlife group.
• Ecodyfi
• Nature Partnership.
• The Ceredigion Outdoor Learning Network.
• West Wales Action for Mental Health Network.
• Longwood Community Woodland.
• Denmark Farm Conservation Centre.
• Lampeter Permaculture Group.
• Lampeter Transition Movement.
• Lampeter Town Council.
• Lampeter Ramblers Ass.
• Wildlife Trust.
• Woodland Trust.
• RSPB.
• Wetlands Trust.
• Public Health Wales.
• RAY Ceredigion Forest and Coastal schools.
• West Wales River Trust.
• Farmer Union of Wales.

Summary of Comments Raised in Relation to each of the Six Towns

Each of the six workshops began with a presentation from LUC and a CCC officer, followed by a discussion of opportunities. Discussion was captured using a MIRO ‘virtual whiteboard’ and shared with participants.

The key issues and opportunities raised by stakeholders for each town as part of the stakeholder engagement process are summarised below.

 

Aberystwyth

 

Key Challenges

• Funding needs to be more intentional e.g. funding the lifetime of a green space.
• Surface water flooding issues.
• Fragmentation of woodland cover.
• Negative local perception.
• Balancing development and loss of green space.
• Need to retain Welsh identity.
• Generally poor habitats in Aberystwyth, except for woodland cover.
• No clear link to the tourism agenda in Aberystwyth.

Key Opportunities

• Improving wildlife and habitat connectivity.
• Improving local nature partnership.
• Management and funding strategy development.
• Greening town.
• New allotment spaces.
• Footbridges over rivers.
• Aberystwyth has reasonable cycle paths and other green routes although more could be done e.g. planting trees or hedges.

 

Aberaeron

 

Key Challenges

• Coastal flooding.
• Lack of cycle trails.
• Steep topography limiting space for development.
• Low tree cover.

Key Opportunities

• Development of new cycle routes e.g. to Aberystwyth, or extending the Llanachaeron trail into the centre of Aberaeron and onward to Lampeter.
• Opportunity to tie water quality testing to promotion of species.
• Opportunity to commission a biodiversity plan.
• Town centre greening.
• Introduce more circular walks that are accessible safer and longer.

 

Cardigan

 

Key Challenges

• Surface water flooding.
• Lack of accessible green space within the settlement.
• Ownership constraints.
• Lack of funding for maintenance of routes.

Key Opportunities

• Enhance access to recreational areas in informal and incidental spaces.
• Some spaces on Cardigan can be developed into community orchards and planting spaces to give people the opportunity to grow/pick food free.
• New walking and cycling routes.
• Greening and flood mitigation at Maes Mwldan area.
• Meadow creation and community growing at Maes Radley Sports Field and Skate Park.
• Rights of way and general accessibility improvements.
• Building and maintaining habitats for species.

 

Lampeter

 

Key Challenges

• Need action plans as well as evidence.
• General absence of recreational routes.
• Improve surfacing on paths.
• Lack of guidance from the County/Local Council and trustees.
• Little evidence of any work done in aspect in Lampeter as active and willing residents are not notified.
• Hedgerow loss, especially along roadsides.

Key Opportunities

• Extend the cycle network.
• Promotion and conservation of River Teifi.
• Reintroduction of species e.g. beaver.
• Pedestrianisation of the market street.
• Opening up sections of the unused railway to connect Lampeter to Tregaron.
• Creation of formal play space outside of existing housing developments.
• Lampeter has no particularly defining features or green corridors connecting sites but has some natural amenities in the area which can be developed.

 

Llandysul

 

Key Challenges

• Flooding.
• Steep topography limiting accessibility.
• Decreased footfall in town centre and lack of identity.
• No one in the local town council takes any responsibility for the environment or biodiversity in the Llandysul area.

Key Opportunities

• Promotion of Llandysul as a destination or outdoor sports.
• Community growing on former Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi Site.
• Promotion of green town square.
• Development of a riverside path.
• Improved walkways and cycle links.

 

Tregaron

 

Key Challenges

• Limited green space.
• Ystwyth trail stops 2 miles before Tregaron.
• Very limited tree cover in the town.

Key Opportunities

• Creation of recreational routes along the Brennig and Teifi rivers.
• Promote town as a gateway to the Cambrian mountains.
• Improvements to open space.
• Greening up area outside Talbot.
• Extension of Ystwyth trail.