Sketty Labour candidates back council leader on Home Farm restoration assurances
Sketty Labour candidates have backed Council leader Rob Stewart’s pledge to do all he can to restore historic buildings in Singleton Park where housing was at one stage proposed.
The old farmhouse at Home Farm
The Labour candidates, who are standing for Sketty ward in May’s local council elections, strongly support Cllr Rob Stewart when he said no restoration would take place at Home Farm in Singleton Park until a wider strategy for potential developments along Swansea Bay was drawn up.
"We support the council leader’s statement on the future of the home farm in Singleton,” said Natalie Hussey.
“We will ensure that Home Farm in Singleton is preserved and remains a key part of the future in Sketty."
This was backed up by Greg James who added: “As a strong supporter of retaining our heritage, and being committed to using our historic buildings and green areas to help the environment and educate and preserve our green spaces for the community, I warmly welcome our leader Rob Stewart’s commitment to listen to and act upon the Sketty residents’ passion for saving Home Farm.”
“I want to confirm and reiterate that we will continue to do all we can to restore our heritage, and we will be ensuring that we will work towards a solution that allows the Home Farm buildings - the historic buildings - to find a new use, and to be reintegrated and linked better to the surrounding park area.”
Home Farm, which has a grade two-listed farmhouse, is used by the authority's parks department
“Home farm contains a number of historic buildings which we want to protect and restore when the council vacates the compound," said Cllr Stewart at a meeting of Swansea Council.
"I want to confirm and reiterate that we will continue to do all we can to restore our heritage, and we will be ensuring that we will work towards a solution that allows the Home Farm buildings - the historic buildings - to find a new use, and to be reintegrated and linked better to the surrounding park area."
Stonework at Home Farm
Cllr Stewart said it was important to connect this work with wider "enhancements" along the promenade and bay.
"Therefore, no work on Home Farm heritage restoration will take placeuntil a new Swansea Bay strategy can be brought forward and agreed," he said.
The council received a pre-planning enquiry about Home Farm in 2018, and the following April a cabinet report said there was an opportunity for the council to bring forward a heritage-based development, including some housing, to safeguard the site.
A total of 42 residential units were mentioned, a fifth of which would be classed as affordable, but none of the parkland itself would be touched.
The council set up a cross-party working group to consider a way forward.
Cllr Stewart said: "Despite establishment of a cross party working group the Lib-Dem representatives have failed to come up with any solutions."
He said this had forced him "to step in and give a viable way forward".
He went on: "We will now engage directly with the community to ensure we have a way forward which protects the heritage properties in the Home Farm depot."
“We will ensure that Home Farm in Singleton is preserved and remains a key part of the future in Sketty.”
