Coproducing a community asset - Canolfan Llwynhendy opens its doors!
After almost a decade of planning, consultation and redevelopment following the pandemic, Canolfan Llwynhendy has officially opened on its doors. The development, which provides a new community hub in the village of Llwynhendy on the edge of Llanelli, shows what can be achieved when residents and public bodies work together with a defined purpose and shared responsibility.
The former library has been redeveloped into a multi-use community facility through a partnership between Llanelli Rural Council, Our Llwynhendy and Carmarthenshire County Council. Inside, the building has been designed to support everyday use, as well as events. Visitors can access a café and kitchen area designed for social connection, alongside a vending machine style library service and an IT suite providing digital access for residents who may not have it at home. A flexible multipurpose room allows local groups, services and organisations to run activities, meetings and support sessions, while outdoor seating and play areas extend the space beyond the building itself. The facility is intended to accommodate regular drop ins, training sessions, youth provision, wellbeing activities, tenant support, volunteering opportunities and informal social gatherings, as well as room hire for local celebrations and meetings.
Our Llwynhendy is a community group made up of local residents and organisations who came together in 2016 when the community of Llwynhendy was awarded £1,000,000 from the Invest Local programme, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, to spend in line with local priorities. Having decision making power over this funding gave residents real influence and leverage to shape the development of the centre as an equal partner with the Rural Council.
In 2019 Our Llwynhendy commissioned a community feasibility study and the results showed that residents wanted to retain a local space and restore activity around the building and surrounding area. Volunteers from Our Llwynhendy played a central role in shaping the study: they helped design the consultation questions for the youth consultation, spoke directly with residents, attended council meetings and worked alongside the design team as plans developed. The group subsequently hosted a consultation event on March 18, 2020, however, that same week Covid hit, and so all further consultation work had to be undertaken digitally. 124 people replied to the survey and a further 25 young people completed a separate consultation. The findings showed that residents’ top priorities were to improve play spaces for young people and indoor space for teens, followed by a space to meet for community events, library and community classes.
The project moved forward following the transfer of the building from Carmarthenshire County Council to Llanelli Rural Council. Our Llwynhendy initially contributed £350,000 in funding, which was later increased to £376,178 to cover unforeseen professional costs. The flexibility of the funding allowed it to be used where other funding streams could not. This included £14,800 for the initial feasibility study, £55,378 in professional fees, £100,000 towards the play park and surrounding fields, and £206,000 for the building redevelopment.
To complete the project, Llanelli Rural Council secured funding from UK Shared Prosperity Fund round 1 and 2 (total of £213,837), Welsh Government Assets Collaboration Programme Wales Phase 3 (£250,000) and then from their own budget contributed £371,701. As well as the transfer of the library building, Carmarthenshire County Council contributed £30,000 in funds.
Kirsty Davies, a local resident and an Our Llwynhendy member has been part of this development throughout the years, added,
‘The building on Gwili Fields is a central and integral part of Llwynhendy. However, due to its age and time passing, the building had become quite grubby and, quite frankly, uninviting. The renovation was much needed and well overdue. Though the process has been long and arduous, the result achieved is beyond great. Now, the community has a lovely place, The Canolfan, to meet up with each other and create new memories to smile back upon.’
Canolfan Llwynhendy represents a shift from a single use public building (a library) to a shared community space. The project has strengthened working relationships between residents and local authorities and created a permanent base for community led activity and service delivery. By combining flexible funding, local knowledge, council support and long term volunteer involvement, the centre provides a place where services can operate closer to the people who need them, both young and old, and where residents can participate rather than travel elsewhere. The result leaves Llwynhendy with accessible local services in a welcoming community space, and support networks, and opportunities within the area for years to come.