Four Great Highways: Frequently Asked Questions

Is this project part of the Llangollen 2020 developments?

No, the Llangollen 2020 group is no longer in existence. This is a new project being delivered by Denbighshire County Council. There are still some highways projects being delivered under the Llangollen 2020 banner, these are separate projects being delivered by the Denbighshire’s Highways and Transportation services.

Are there any designs yet?

Yes, the initial designs have now been shared with our stakeholders and the wider public for feedback by 2nd April 2023. Please refer to the Gallery and Consultation sections for further information. We look forward to hearing your views.

What has happened to earlier designs for this area?

The Llangollen 2020 group developed some early concept designs for a Four Great Highways project.

The Council has reviewed these documents, some of the proposals have already been delivered and some will not be possible as a part of this project. One example of an earlier proposal that is not feasible as a part of this project is a proposal to have a viewing platform adjacent to the bridge.

The Council is currently collecting a range of information to include in a new design proposal for this project.

Local people, businesses and visitors are being invited to provide information on what is important to them in these areas to help to inform the new designs.

Once new designs have been developed these will be shared and consultation held online and in the local community.

How does this fit in with other local plans?

This project seeks to address accessibility around the Wharf and Lower Dee Mill park.

This supports priorities within The People's Plan 2022 - 2026 (external website) prepared by 'Shape My Llangollen'.

I have heard you are just talking to small groups of people; how do I add my views?

Please refer to the main Four Great Highways web page for the latest consultation information.

Once designs for this new project are ready, will there be further consultation on the proposals?

Responses received to our information gathering survey in February helped inform initial designs which are now available online and also on display at Llangollen Library until Monday 3rd April 2023. We look forward to hearing people’s views.

It is important for us that you continue to be involved throughout the project, so we will ask for more feedback on any further designs we develop.

Will I get to see what people have said?

This is not a statutory consultation process so there is no requirement for the Council to publish individual responses.

However, the Council will produce reports on the findings of our consultations. These will be made publicly available when they are ready.

When will I see the new designs?

The initial designs have now been shared with our stakeholders and the wider public for feedback by 2nd April 2023. Please refer to the Gallery and Consultation sections for further information. We look forward to hearing your views.

Will the planned works be carbon neutral or even carbon positive?

As we have not yet designed the project, we do not know what the carbon impact will be. However, in 2019, the Council declared a Climate Emergency and has set ambitious targets to be Carbon Zero by 2030, more information can be found on our website. The carbon impact will therefore be a key consideration when designing and delivering the project.

How will you keep people informed?

Information about the project as it evolves will be available on the Council’s website as well as through the following means:

• Information in the local media
• Updates on Denbighshire’s social media channels – please follow our Facebook (external website) and Twitter (external website) pages for regular updates
• Articles in the online County Voice publication – to be added to the mailing list please register on our website
• Denbighshire’s County Conversations engagement portal – to be kept informed please register your interest on our website
• Posters in key community locations to promote local consultation as we acknowledge not everyone is online
• Promotion through local partners’ own communication networks

As Denbighshire County Council aims to be Carbon Zero by 2030, we must consider how we engage with everyone to avoid excessive printing of documents.

How much funding has Llangollen received from UK Government for this project?

Just under £1.2 million has been awarded to the Four Great Highways project

What has the funding been awarded for?

To deliver 960m² of public realm improvements, provide two pedestrian counters at the Wharf and to improve signage and interpretation.

Is the project just to improve access to make visitors stay longer, or will the residents’ needs be considered too?

It is recognised that tourism is important to the town, but equally that the impact of tourism can be challenging for some residents. Through the delivery of this project we aim to improve access for all users of the town, which with improved signage for tourism destinations and way finding, should enable visitors to navigate the town more easily.

I have heard that the team are looking to construct a viewing platform on the bridge. Is this going to happen?

The original funding application in 2019 referred to the viewing platform / new public space at Llangollen’s Castle Street and Abbey Road junction. As we are now four years on lots has changed, and some of the works in the original design have now been completed by Denbighshire’s Highways and Transportation Services.

Since starting the delivery of the project, from the information we have gathered and the feedback that we have received, it has become clear that we should not be delivering a viewing platform on the junction of Abbey Road and Castle Street, and hence this element has been removed from the project.

Will you be looking to fix the wooden bridge in Lower Dee Mill Park?

Yes, we can confirm that the wooden bridge will form part of our considerations for any work in Lower Dee Mill Park.

Given the setting, various options and materials have been explored. The Tender design is based on a new Steel structure, painted black (similar in nature to the new steps and ramps) Whilst treated timber has a good lifespan, Steel will far exceed this and will work well with the industrial heritage of the Mill and Railway uses.

I do not visit Lower Dee Mill Park as I am unable to use the steps. Will these be looked at to make the park more accessible?

We can confirm that improved access into/out of the park will form part of our considerations for any work in Lower Dee Mill Park.

Why has the orange Corten material been chosen as a feature wall at the Wharf instead of local slate?

The use of Corten steel has been favoured by various members of the community including but not limited to CADW, Canal & Rivers (the landowner at the Wharf) local school children and internal Denbighshire County Council officers. The proposal for a Corten/Weathering steel feature at the base of the Wharf is a low height and slender form, being only 10m long and bench height. There are precedents for Corten in similar heritage towns, including along the Llangollen Canal. Whilst Corten is being used extensively throughout the world in a contemporary way, it is not a modern material or out of keeping with the context and is typically used as a planter and seating wall.

Slate can still be considered for this area, but there would be a cost impact which would need to be assessed once the tender costings have been received to determine the best material to use.

I have heard you are going to use resin to surface the ramp at the Wharf. Will this be dangerous for the horses going up and down every day?

Resin-bound surfacing is being proposed for the slope at the Wharf. Addagrip or equal equivalent - 50/50 mix with a grey 'virgin rubber'. The supplier also works with an Equestrian surfacing specialist who will advise on slip resistance shortly and staff at the Wharf working with the horses are being consulted to ensure the surface is acceptable. To note, the more slip resistant the material, the more rubber gets added to the mix which would be darker than the colour shared in the designs.

Are you still planning on installing totem pole signs as part of this project?

The current signage is in a development stage. The indicative designs which are not final for design, colour and/or layout would be produced using a very high-quality enamel-type technique using aluminium and modern printing techniques for a sustainable approach. The installations will be fabricated using materials that would be hard-wearing, long-lasting and robust, and by using materials that will make them difficult to vandalise and/or graffiti. The nature of the construction would also allow for the content to be updated and replaced with new content should it be required.

Another option is to separate the interpretation content and wayfinding content, although maintain a single installation to avoid the creation of unnecessary clutter, following feedback that there are too many signs in the town already. This version proposes the use of fingerposts for wayfinding with interpretation attached to the post.

We are working with Vision Support and our internal Vision Impairment Social Work team to ensure the correct signage is installed. Unfortunately, the traditional black and gold signs in towns are no longer inclusive for all so alternative designs need to be considered.

Consultation will continue with stakeholders and the public as the project progresses regarding certain designs, colours and artwork.

What do you mean by "interpretation" on the signage?

Interpretation on signage can include content such as place heritage including illustrations, archive and modern-day photographs, local artist illustrations, illustrative maps and trail-based ‘breadcrumbs’ with a sense of game-play, discovery, exploration and fun for younger visitors to the town.

The flexibility of the design and structure would allow for changes and updates to individual content panels.

Why are you considering resurfacing the pavement on Abbey Road outside the properties and the Bridge End pub? Have these businesses been consulted?

Our proposals include an option for new paving within the adopted highway only, to match the paving across the road either side of the bridge, this is subject to ongoing discussions with Highways. Residents and local businesses will be consulted once we have clarity on this and this will be subject to budget limitations. To confirm, any paving within private ownership will be retained.

Will you be resurfacing the path from Abbey Road up to the Wharf even if ownership is in dispute?

No works will be carried out on land that is outside of our jurisdiction. As we have been unable to confirm who owns the path from the base of the Wharf to Abbey Road, no works will take place in this area and improvement works will only be made to the ramp and steps which are owned by Canal & Rivers Trust.

Are you painting artwork on the pedestrian crossing on Mill Street?

Following further consultation with Highways we can confirm there will be no artwork installation on the pedestrian crossing.

Why are the metal steps at Lower Dee Mill Park being replaced?

The current steps are much smaller and not in accordance with current standards. In order to provide a new staircase, we need to make the structure bigger whilst minimising excavation into the embankment. We also need to tie-into the existing stone retaining wall on the riverside and for this reason, the steps have been arranged with a new opening onto Abbey Road and closing the current opening in the wall. We have had several meetings and discussions with Cadw and DCC’s Conservation Officer to discuss this issue and are working closely to ensure measures are introduced to reduce the impact on the setting of the scheduled monument.

We already have a park at Riverside Walk, so what are you planning on installing at Lower Dee Mill Park?

From the very early stages of the project, the community feedback we received at the Christmas Market and subsequent school meetings and community engagement events has been that Lower Dee Mill Park is underused and a forgotten space.

This immediately prompted a review of potential options to not only improve access to the park, but also provide another reason for people to visit this highly valuable asset. Many children pass through with their families and the thinking was to provide a nature play based offering that does not exist anywhere else in the town. To confirm, it is not the plan to have traditional play equipment within the park as it has been acknowledged that this is already available at Riverside Walk in Llangollen. In summary, it is intended as an incidental play and exercise space and children of a young age will always need to be supervised.

The final installation design will be confirmed once the costings have been received for each piece of play equipment and will all depend on budget limitations.

A designated path for the rafters has also been proposed to make their way from the egress point at the river back to their vehicles at Mill Street Car Park as further feedback received evidenced that the current route being taken is impacting on the planted area within the park.

Is this work going to cost residents more in their Council Tax for ongoing maintenance?

Our designers and Project Team have met with Denbighshire County Council’s Streetscene Officers to discuss the play area specification and maintenance programme. Following reassurances from our designers regarding the materials to be used and the pre and post installation treatment the team have been reassured that it would not create a burden on the department.

Streetscene have agreed to meet with the Project Team again once the costings are in to discuss the maintenance programme. Anything that would be of a significant cost or a burden on the maintenance team in Llangollen will be omitted prior to the contractor commencing the works.

Have you listened to the feedback that you received from the public in your two rounds of consultation or was the design already decided and agreed before you asked the public what they would like to see in Llangollen?

The feedback we received has supported the designs as well as discussions that have taken place with key partners including but not limited to local school children, local business owners, internal Denbighshire County Council Officers and Cadw and Canal & Rivers Trust due to the works being carried out close to a Scheduled Monument and the World Heritage Site.

The Stakeholder and Community Engagement and Summary Report and Initial Designs Feedback Summary Report were shared with our internal and external stakeholders and questionnaire respondents earlier this year. These reports evidenced the feedback we received about what people wanted to see within the scheme and their opinions regarding the initial designs. These reports are available on our Engagement Portal (County Conversation) under the 'You Said, We Did' section.

When will the work be starting on site for this project?

Work is due to commence on site week starting 5 February 2024 and will aim to be completed by the end of June 2024, weather permitting.