Upper Afan Valley lined up for £20m boost as council backs decade-long regeneration bid

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet has backed the Upper Afan Valley as the single community to put forward for the UK Government’s Pride in Place Programme — a decade‑long investment scheme targeting the UK’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

The decision follows months of analysis comparing deprivation, crime, health, education and access to services across the county. Officers say the Upper Afan Valley stood out as the area facing the deepest and most persistent deprivation, with one local zone ranked among the 15 most deprived in Wales.

A valley hit by long-term decline

The Upper Afan Valley area put forward by the council covers Cymer, Croeserw and Gwynfi, along with the smaller communities that make up the wider valley. Together they form a single, connected neighbourhood identified as having the highest concentration of deprivation anywhere in Neath Port Talbot.

The council report paints a bleak picture. Parts of the valley have been classed as suffering “deep‑rooted deprivation” for almost two decades, appearing in the 50 most deprived communities in Wales in every official index since 2005. Jobs are scarce, health outcomes are poor and access to services is limited. Officers say the area has also missed out on other major regeneration schemes, leaving it with fewer chances to attract investment than other parts of the county.

Although the population falls slightly below the UK Government’s preferred size for the programme, the council argues the level of need is so severe that the Upper Afan Valley remains the strongest and most justified choice.

Three contenders — but only one could win

Under the rules, Neath Port Talbot can nominate only one neighbourhood for the £20 million fund. Officers examined the Upper Afan Valley alongside Sandfields and Aberavon, and Briton Ferry West and Neath East. Both of the urban areas have larger populations and stronger links to Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme, giving them more immediate opportunities to draw in other funding.

But the council’s independent review found that the Upper Afan Valley’s deprivation was more severe, more entrenched and more concentrated than anywhere else in the county. It also noted that, because the valley’s population is smaller, the investment per head would be far higher — giving residents a better chance of seeing visible, long‑lasting change.

“An optimistic sign of investment”

Cllr Jeremy Hurley, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, said:

“If approved by UK Government, this money for the Upper Afan Valley is an optimistic sign of investment in what is – on average – the most deprived area in Neath Port Talbot.

“I hope the UK Government approves our recommendation so that the community can benefit.”

What the £20 million could deliver

If the bid is approved, the Upper Afan Valley would receive one of the largest single‑neighbourhood regeneration packages ever directed at a community in Neath Port Talbot. The funding would be spread over ten years and could support improvements to public spaces, upgrades to community facilities, investment in local assets and projects tackling health, employment and education inequalities.

A new Neighbourhood Board, led by an independent chair, would be created to oversee the plan and ensure residents shape the priorities.

A tight deadline — and a big decision ahead

The council must now secure letters of endorsement from local MPs and MSs before submitting its formal proposal to UK Government ministers. The deadline is 9 January 2026, with decisions expected later in the year.

If approved, the Upper Afan Valley would become the focus of a decade‑long regeneration effort aimed at reversing decades of decline and giving one of Wales’s most disadvantaged communities a long‑awaited boost.

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New data reveals rising coal tip risk in Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot

Coal tip danger escalates in South West Wales

The risk rating has increased to the highest levels for five more coal tips in Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot, bringing the total number of high‑risk tips in these former mining communities to more than 80.

The newly classified tips include two in the Llynfi Valley above Caerau and Maesteg, and three in the Godre’r‑graig area of the Swansea Valley — the same community where a primary school was closed and later demolished because of fears a spoil tip could collapse.

Neath Port Talbot: Godre’r‑graig in the spotlight

Neath Port Talbot has 41 high‑risk coal tips in total. The latest update confirms that three tips at Godre’r‑graig have been reclassified to Category D, the highest risk level.

The reclassification comes just six years after Godre’r‑graig Primary School was evacuated and later demolished because of the threat from a spoil tip above the playground. Families in the village are still waiting for a permanent replacement school.

Other high‑risk tips in Neath Port Talbot are concentrated in the Afan Valley (Cymmer, Croeserw, Glyncorrwg), the Dulais Valley (Crynant, Seven Sisters, Onllwyn), and around Resolven and Blaengwrach.

📊 Table: Neath Port Talbot high‑risk tips

Bridgend: Valleys carry the heaviest burden

Bridgend has 42 high‑risk tips — the highest number in South West Wales. The Garw and Llynfi valleys carry the greatest concentration, with clusters above Pontycymmer, Blaengarw and Caerau.

Two tips in the Llynfi Valley were reclassified to Category D in the October 2025 update, adding to long‑standing concerns in communities where spoil heaps sit above homes and schools.

📊 Table: Bridgend high‑risk tips

Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire: lighter but not risk‑free

Further west, the numbers are smaller but the risks remain. Swansea has five Category C tips, spread across Cadle/Portmead (2), Pontardawe, Felindre and Loughor. None are currently rated at Category D, but all require annual inspections.

Neighbouring Carmarthenshire has just one Category C tip, located at Ammanford in the Amman Valley — the only high‑risk site in the county.

In Pembrokeshire, no Category C or D tips are recorded, reflecting the county’s different mining history.

The city and county have also faced other mining‑related legacies. In January 2021, homes in Clydach were flooded after water surged from old mine workings, underlining how the impact of coal is not confined to spoil tips alone.

📊 Table: Swansea & Carmarthenshire high‑risk tips

➡️ Pembrokeshire: No Category C or D tips recorded.

A legacy of tragedy and neglect

It is almost sixty years since the Aberfan disaster, when 116 children and 28 adults were killed as a coal tip collapsed onto a school and nearby homes.

Coalfield historian Ben Curtis said that while some tips were removed or made safe after Aberfan, the danger has never gone away.

“It is a potential problem that continues to remain for some of these tips to become unsafe over time, perhaps because of factors like the effects of climate change and increased rainfall,” he said.

For decades afterwards, little was known about the precise locations or conditions of Wales’ thousands of disused coal tips. That changed only after a landslip above Tylorstown in Rhondda Cynon Taf five years ago, which prompted the creation of a national register and new legislation to ensure tips were monitored and made safe.

Today, more than 2,500 disused coal tips have been identified across Wales, the majority of them in the south Wales coalfield. Of these, 360 are classed as Category C or D — the higher‑risk sites that must be inspected once or twice a year. Lower‑risk tips are categorised as A or B.

Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly remain the counties with the highest concentrations of Category C and D tips, each with more than 50. But the latest figures show that communities in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot, Swansea and Carmarthenshire are also living with dozens of high‑risk sites on their hillsides.

New dataset and map

The figures come from the latest update to the Welsh Government’s national coal tip database, published on 3 October. The database, first launched in 2023, is updated twice a year and is available through an interactive online map that allows residents to check the location and risk category of tips near their communities.

Coal Authority chief executive Lisa Pinney said managing tips on hillsides was key to reducing risk.

“Just under 300 are higher‑risk sites but that really just means that they need much more regular attention and inspection to make sure they stay safe. Any tip which is old mining material sitting on a hillside can pose a risk, obviously, but the key thing to their safety is to manage water and keep it away. And that’s why these inspections and maintenance are so important.”

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca‑Davies added:

“The regular updating of this national, publicly available data demonstrates our unwavering commitment to coal tip safety across Wales, and our absolute dedication to protecting people. I want to reassure people living near to where tips have moved categories that this means they will receive increased monitoring and management.”

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

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Drainage improvements are being carried out at a Vale of Neath tip recently upgraded to Category D.

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The highest annual spend to date includes millions earmarked for local sites.

Investment and legislation

The Welsh and UK governments say they have now committed more than £220m to coal tip safety, with £118m pledged by Westminster over three years and the remainder from Cardiff Bay. Officials say the funding is being used for inspections, maintenance and remediation works.

But ministers have also warned that the true cost of remediation could reach £500–600m over the next 10–15 years, far above the sums invested so far. In Neath Port Talbot alone, more than £6.3m has been earmarked for safety works, including drainage improvements at Cwmgwrach where one tip was recently upgraded to Category D.

A new law — the Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Act — received Royal Assent last month. It will establish a dedicated Disused Tips Authority in 2027 to oversee monitoring and management. The legislation builds on proposals first set out in 2022, when ministers argued that the old law was “no longer fit‑for‑purpose” and called for a supervisory body with enforcement powers and rights of access.

⚠️ What do coal tip categories mean?

Category D
Highest risk. Potential to endanger life or property. Inspected at least twice a year.

Category C
Significant risk. Potential to impact public safety. Inspected at least once a year.

Category A & B
Lower risk. A = very low, B = low. Inspected less frequently.

Why it matters: Category C and D tips are the focus of safety works and new legislation, as they pose the greatest potential danger to communities.

Communities still living with coal’s legacy

Across South West Wales, more than 90 high‑risk tips remain on hillsides above towns and villages. For residents in places like Godre’r‑graig and Caerau, the latest reclassifications are a reminder that the scars of coal mining are not just historical — they continue to shape daily life.

Campaigners say the figures underline the need for long‑term solutions, not just inspections. As one local activist put it: “We’ve lived with these tips for generations. Every reclassification is a reminder that the risk is still with us.”

The risks are not confined to spoil tips alone. In 2021, a burst mine shaft in Skewen caused catastrophic flooding, leading to a national mines safety summit. First Minister Mark Drakeford warned then that climate change and heavier rainfall would increase the likelihood of such incidents.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Mines safety summit called following Skewen coal mine burst
A burst mine shaft caused catastrophic flooding in Skewen, prompting a national safety summit.

Landmark coal tip safety law comes into force in Wales
New legislation establishes a Disused Tips Authority from 2027.

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Late-night Glyncorrwg grass fire started deliberately say fire service

The six hectare, or almost 15 acre grassfire was started late on Monday evening (28 April) and saw firefighters spend around two hours tackling the blaze with beaters and blowers.

A spokesperson for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 11.06pm on Monday, April 28th, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Cymmer and Neath Fire Stations were called to an incident in Glyncorrwg in Cymmer.

“Supported by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, crews responded to a grass fire involving approximately six hectares of grassland. Crews utilised beaters and blowers to extinguish the fire. Crews left the scene at 1.02am on Tuesday, April 29th.

“It is believed that this fire was started deliberately.”

Devastating grass fires have dominated the headlines in recent weeks, along with some high-profile arson attacks on empty buildings such as Port Talbot’s Bethany English Calvinistic Methodist Chapel.

The fire service added that: “Arson is a serious criminal offence which can potentially cause large-scale damage and even loss of life. 

“Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has a variety of arson reduction and fire setting prevention programmes to protect the communities it serves.”

#Arson #Cymmer #Glyncorrwg #grassFire #MidAndWestWalesFireAndRescueService