Pitches, greens and woodland among sites leased to groups

SPORTS pitches, a bowls green, part of a woodland and a botanical garden are to be transferred to community groups and clubs by Swansea Council.

Cabinet members agreed to lease 11 council-owned sites for up to 125 years at peppercorn rent – continuing a long-running community asset transfer policy.

Clubs and groups which take them over will manage them and should be able to access grant funding which isn’t available to the council.

Outlining the proposals at the cabinet meeting, Cllr David Hopkins said: “Hopefully all these 11 groups will flourish and go forward, and probably do better things than we could do as an authority.”

The 11 sites to be transferred are:

■ Cricket pitches at Tir Canol, Morriston, to Morriston Cricket Club

■ Rugby pitches at Tir Canol to Morriston Rugby Club

■ Coed Gwilym Park boathouse and heritage centre, Coed Gwilym Park, Clydach, to Friends of Clydach Heritage Centre

■ Football pitches at Coed Gwilym Park to Friends of Coed Gwilym

■ Pentyla playing fields, The Ganges, Townhill, to Rosehill Community Football Club

■ Cricket and football pitches and changing rooms at Ynystawe Park, Ynystawe, to Ynystawe Cricket and Football Club

■ Mumbles Bowls green and pavilion to Mumbles Community Council

■ Ashlands/banfields playing fields, Port Tennant to Port Tenant Colts Football Club

■ Part of Oystermouth Woodland, Mumbles, to Mumbles Community Council

■ Part of Clyne Gardens, Mayals, to Coedenfach Community Tree Nursery to grow native tree species

■ Halfway Park football pitch and changing rooms, Trallwn, to Brynawel AFC.

Previous asset transfers have included the leasing of Underhill Park, Mumbles, to facilitate a refurbished pavilion, new changing rooms, community hub and cafe, and an allweather sports pitch.

Construction work there is currently ongoing.

Elsewhere Waunarlwydd Park and allotments in Swansea are benefiting from investment after being transferred.

The decision taken by cabinet will grant authority to the council’s head of property service to negotiate the proposed leases.

Cllr Cyril Anderson, whose ward is Townhill, said the lease of The Ganges would be a good thing for Rosehill Community Football Club, which he said has a team for children with autism.

“They have even set up a blind football team for children,” he said.