By Ted Peskett

Copyright walesonline

The future of a Welsh coastal town’s old lifeguard station that’s been closed for years continues to be on hold despite interest from a community group to take it on. Coastal exploration centre charity The Reef, or Y Riff in Welsh, applied to Vale of Glamorgan Council in 2024 to take on the running of The Cold Knap Lifeguard Station via a community asset transfer (CAT). However the council decided not to progress with the group’s expression of interest to transform the building into a education and coastal recreation centre. A member of The Reef asked Vale Council leader, Cllr Lis Burnett , at a full council meeting on Monday, September 29, what reason the council had for “delaying” the transfer of the building to a new operator and “allowing the building to deteriorate further”. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Dr Evans said she and her fellow members at The Reef noticed a potential future redevelopment of the lifeguard building mentioned in a council plan for future development in Barry called Placemaking Barry. Dr Evans added: “We were delighted with that but meanwhile the debate carries on and the building itself continues to deteriorate. “With the council facing such significant budget deficits it’s difficult to see how this work can possibly be achieved without community partnership with the like of organisations like ours.” The Cold Knap Lifeguard Station used to be the home of Rhondda Cold Knap Lifeguard Club before it was deemed too unsafe for continued use in 2022. However the building goes back even further to the 1920s when it was built as a cloakroom for the Knap Pool Lido. Dr Evans said she’s been in dialogue with Vale of Glamorgan Council about the future use of the lifeguard station for more than three years. The Reef was invited to submit an expression of interest for the building and in May 2024 it submitted an application. It wasn’t until September that the charity received a response from the council to say they would not be going ahead with the CAT proposal. Cllr Burnett said the CAT group reviewed the expression of interest and considered it alongside the council’s policy and wider strategy. Cllr Burnett said the CAT group concluded the site was a valuable council asset and that there may be future interest from other organisations and businesses outside of the CAT process. She added: “With that in mind and in alignment with the council’s placemaking plans it was felt important to consider all available options before progressing any independent application. “As a result the group decided, or recommended rather, not to move forward with the application at that time. “In reaching this decision the group considered the wider strategic issues and referred its views to the council’s senior leadership team for their awareness. “The senior leadership team reviewed the group’s recommendation and considered the council’s placemaking priorities supported the decision. “Accordingly given the significance of the asset and its importance in relation to the Knap and wider area the council will continue to explore future opportunities for the site as part of the development of the Barry placemaking plan. “This plan is due to be launched in late autumn following ongoing consultation and engagement and is likely to feature the Knap and the former lifeguard station as a key project opportunity to be taken forward.”