Have your say on Fabian Way transformation plans

You can now have your say on plans to transform Fabian Way into an innovation corridor.

Consultation has now started on a co-ordinated approach to planning along the busy 5km stretch of road that links the Amazon roundabout in Neath Port Talbot to the eastern bank of Swansea’s River Tawe.

The consultation will run for an eight-week period up to Monday January 25 next year.

The co-ordinated approach being proposed is looking to make the most of existing and potential emerging developments, including the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, Swansea University’s Bay Campus, the Bay Studios and the University of Wales Trinity St David’s plans for a new waterfront campus in SA1.

A detailed document that people can now give their feedback on sets out the joint vision of Swansea Council and Neath Port Talbot Council to support the development of a knowledge economy cluster along Fabian Way that would complement Swansea city centre’s regeneration, create new jobs and boost economic prosperity across the Swansea Bay City Region as a whole.

You can have your say by going to www.swansea.gov.uk/fabianwayplan or to www.npt.gov.uk/fabianwayplan up until Monday January 25 next year. A number of community information events have also been arranged for people to offer feedback, including:

* Crymlyn Burrows Community Centre from 3pm to 7pm on Tuesday December 8

* Port Tennant Community Centre from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday December 10

* Swansea University Bay Campus from 3pm to 8pm on Friday January 8

A public display at St Thomas Library is also being organised from Monday December 14 to Friday December 18. Hard copies of the document will be available at both Swansea Central Library and St Thomas Library and at Neath Civic Centre and Port Talbot Civic Centre during normal working hours throughout the consultation period for people to comment on. Targeted emails and letters will also be sent to local landowners, local businesses, community groups and other interested parties to raise the profile of the consultation and gather as many views as possible.

Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Regeneration, said: “The combination of recently completed and planned developments in the area mean there’s a real chance to transform Fabian Way into an innovation corridor that will open up more jobs, improve infrastructure, enhance the appearance of a key gateway road and boost nearby communities.

“But to realise this vision, we need a co-ordinated approach to planning, which is why we’ve been working so closely alongside our colleagues at Neath Port Talbot Council. The next step is to gather feedback from residents, businesses and other interested groups so we can fine-tune our plans to benefit as many people as possible in future.”

Cllr Ali Thomas OBE, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, said: “Fabian Way is evolving into an important business corridor at the gateway to the Swansea Bay City Region.

“We are working jointly with Swansea Council to achieve a properly integrated approach to planning for the whole of this area.”

An integrated approach to planning would co-ordinate the re-use of derelict sites, maximise the benefits of each site, overcome site constraints and ensure the benefits of regeneration are also felt in communities like St Thomas and Port Tennant in Swansea, and in Elba Crescent and Baldwin’s Crescent in Neath Port Talbot.

Measures included in the document also aim to support the potential future expansion of both universities and the possible arrival of new research, development and high technology companies looking to locate close to the universities and other developments.

The Fabian Way corridor stretches for 5km along the A483 Fabian Way, which forms the eastern gateway road approach to Swansea city centre from junction 42 of the M4.