Welcome to Llandeilo, the first Transition Town in Wales - since Spring 2007. We are part of a network of communities across the UK and Ireland responding locally to the challenges presented by Climate Change and Peak Oil. We are looking at how we can reduce our carbon footprint and increase our resilience to the shocks that Peak Oil will bring.
As individuals, it's all too easy to feel helpless in the face of global problems, and on our own in truth we can't have much impact on them. We may wish the government did more, but watch as all too little gets done by politicians scared of unpopularity.
By working with others locally, we can support each other, empower ourselves and get things done. We can seek local solutions. We can experiment and try out new sustainable approaches...local food, local energy, local industry. We won't always know the answers but we can have fun looking for them.
The group usually meets in Llandeilo on the second Tuesday of each month.
These meetings are open to the public and are usually held in the Shire Hall in Carmarthen Street. Our special interests are in Energy, New Economics, Food and Farming, Education and Permaculture.
The allotments group, Cymdeithas y Dalar, is closely affiliated to Transition Town Llandeilo. Cymdeithas y Dalar now has its own website at http://www.cymdeithasydalar.org/.
We have shown films related to Climate Change and Peak Oil, held a skills sharing day, a General Election 2010 hustings and a number of social events. We have active links to a wider movement in Wales and the UK.
Eco-Homes Safari 24th and 25th March
Transition Town Llandeilo organised two Eco-Homes Safari tours visiting energy-efficient homes in and around the Towy Valley. More information and photos will appear here shortly.
Following an approach from a Llandeilo resident, and, after some consultation and with the support and participation of local organisations, Transition Town Llandeilo organised an Open Forum on January 19th. 71 people signed into the meeting, including representatives from the Town and County Councils, the Civic Trust Society, Menter Bro Dinefwr, Ffres (on behalf of Carmarthenshire Tourist Association) as well as many local businesses including an architectural practice, individuals and other organisations.
A draft objective: ‘To ensure that this wonderful historic building remains in public ownership and is brought back to life as a low-carbon beacon of local development providing vital services to the community’ received a round of applause.
Inspirational speakers from Pembrokeshire Produce Direct and the Wales Co-operative Centre addressed the meeting. We then collected together a wide range of expressions of interest from potential users of the building, and many issues for discussion, which were further elaborated in three break-out groups.
Following plenary reports more than 10 individuals volunteered to take the process forward.This group, which includes representatives from the Town Council, Civic Trust, Transition Town and Menter Bro Dinefwr, some local businesses and individuals, has been meeting weekly. We have visited the 11,000 sq ft site and are working on a variety of fronts, most urgently to establish an agreed identity through adoption of a provisional name: ‘the Market Hall Regeneration Group’ and gathering advice on an appropriate Constitution. We are beginning to explore funding options.
We are well aware of the revised planning application from Gwalia, which we are advised would effectively rule out any interest in community or commercial use for the building due to the elimination of parking, and have begun to take steps to oppose it. The Gwalia proposal can be viewed on the County Council website’s planning portal. Letters of objection can be submitted there.
Problems that the Gwalia plans won't solve:
- lack of parking spaces in town
- there's no actual use of the Market hall itself in the Gwalia plans
- no benefit for the community or community uses for the building have been identified
- affordable housing is already available
- inappropriate use of the conservation area
Gerry Gold
Chair, Market Hall Regeneration Group
A Community Union for the Towy Valley
The New Economics group has set up a Community Union. A full description is here.
Please contact Pete Arnold tvsc@foolsprofit.org or 01558 823306 for more information.
Sainsbury's : Yes or No?
Sainsbury's planning application for its proposed new supermarket on the A40 just outside Llandeilo was submitted on July 4th. A public meeting arranged by Transition Town Llandeilo took place on July 21st at the Angel. We called this meeting because we believed that many of the questions people have been asking had not been aired.
A new group arose from that meeting: The group is called Save Llandeilo's Future and will coordinate opposition to Sainsbury's plan.
For more information about Save Llandeilo's Future please contact Tim Shaw, timshaw@gn.apc.org
Forthcoming Group Meetings
For details of the next meeting contact Steve Brown info@transitiontownllandeilo.org.uk