Project: Evaluation Plan, Business Planning and Marketing and Resources Plan for Parc Taf Bargoed

“Merthyr Tydfil CBC appointed Planning Solutions Consulting in 2012 to carry out an external evaluation (in partnership with Wavehill Consulting) and produce a business plan along with a marketing and resources plan to inform the future development of Parc Taf Bargoed.

The park had been created in the 1990s on the site of three collieries and since 2008 has undergone a series of physical improvements to its landscape and facilities for angling and canoeing events including a lakeside activity centre and new pavilion. The Council’s aspiration was to identify ways to develop its potential to become a regional destination and sustainable outdoor activity centre. A three year programme of funding from the Big Lottery Fund for a warden led environment and heritage project was ending in March 2013 and there was a need to identify a clear way forward beyond this point.

Planning Solution Consulting were selected through a competitive bidding process which involved a robust quality assessment. Their skills and experience was perfect for the task we needed to be carried out. Throughout the commission we were impressed by the team’s professionalism and approach. They worked well with stakeholders and generated creative responses to the challenge ahead. A added bonus was the team’s access to hands on experience of developing and running an outdoor activity facility (Conkers) which enabled them to apply practical learning to the development of the business plan to produce a document which identified the constraints and opportunities of the site and presented realistic proposals.

We were very happy with the final reports and are now moving ahead with our plans to develop the park into a sustainable outdoor activity centre and country park.” Carolyn Tobin, Regeneration Programmes Manager/ Rheolwr Rhaglenni Adfwyiad, Merthyr Tydfil CBC