Barry's Waterfront development: What's it really like?

There’s a lot going on in Barry’s Waterfront.

The Waterfront Consortium, consisting of housing developers Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Barratt, has finished its vast house-building programme, while recently the area was given a further cash injection of £20 million, which the Conservatives say will see a new marina built to complement the site.

But when we walked round with Plaid Cymru councillor and resident of the waterfront Mark Hooper, he showed us a place that, while on the verge of an exciting future, looking a little closer, there are glaring issues that need to be resolved.

Most importantly, there’s what can only be described as ghostly business district – units earmarked for shops that have remained empty for years.

Then there’s the building work still to be completed, including a public pathway along the waterfront, which has seen residents forced to cage up their gardens to stop members of the public using them as shortcuts.

After four years, residents say there is still work to be completed at the Waterfront (Image: Newsquest)

Residents moved in four years ago and still pathways need to be finished (Image: Newsquest)

There are still pockets of the development that seem like a dumping ground for the developers, caged up equipment lies in the mud – something residents would have had to live with for years.

And then there's the land up the steel steps which lead to Clive Road, which was meant to be developed, but as yet remains an untamed wilderness.

Some entire areas are still fenced off (Image: Newsquest)

We met ex-serviceman John Steele, 73, who lives on Ffordd Y Dociau.

This street has been left without street lighting for years and in the winter months residents are at risk as they walk in the dark along the pavements.

We walked round and took a look at what is really happening in the development (Image: Newsquest)

Residents of Ffordd Y Dociau on the development have been without street lighting for years (Image: Newsquest)

The Waterfront Development insist they will finish the entire project to what Cllr Hooper hopes will be a standard “residents expect”.

Vale Council is on the developers’ backs, threatening legal action if all public spaces are not complete - although some say they should have taken action sooner.

Cllr Hooper said on our tour: “The Consortium has been negligent in providing a safe living environment for the residents, with unsafe pavement and roads and in some places zero street lighting.

“I am really pleased that work has started not withstanding it has taken what feels like forever.

“What we expect as residents and local councillors is the council to do its job to push the developers to finish the project to the level residents expect.”

Shop units still to be occupied (Image: Newsquest)

A patch of land on the development, still to be worked on (Image: Newsquest)

Waterfront resident Cllr Mark Hooper is wary about a marina project next to the Waterfront development with the history of the project (Image: Newsquest)

Watch the video below and see what it's like on the Waterfront, now

• “This means local people will have a flagship building that will give them the skills and equipment to use the marina as local residents.” See what Conservative MP for the Vale Alun Cairns said about the future of the Waterfront area

The Waterfront Consortium insist they are working to complete the development in its entirety promptly.

A spokesperson said: “We are continuing to work alongside the council to complete the Barry Waterfront regeneration project to the highest standard, as quickly as possible.

“We are delivering against a detailed programme which sets out target completion dates for all outstanding work. This programme has been shared with the council and residents.

“We are also providing weekly updates to the local authority, attending fortnightly meetings to discuss the progress being made and issuing an update to residents via newsletter later this month.”

Has all the work finally been completed on the Waterfront development in Barry? Let us know at harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk.