APB South Wales has completed a £2.7 million project to improve Green Park Weir on the River Afan in Port Talbot. The weir has been deteriorating since 1890 and it was necessary that the Weir was rebuilt. The location was officially reopened on the 14th September by David Rees of Aberavon AM.
The Green Park Weir improvement project has been completed following several years of collaboration between members of the River Afan Water Management Group. This collaborative group have been working together to explore different ways to offer sustainable natural resource management at the site.
The Weir is used by a number of different parties and was therefore an incredibly complex project to complete. It is a tribute to the hard work of all of those involved in the refurbishment process that the Weir project has been completed to such a high standard. The River Afan Water Management Group has joined together a number of vital stakeholders, including: Associated British Ports, Natural Resources Wales, Tata Steel, Afan Valley Angling Club and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.
The renovation work was carried out by on time and on budget by Andrew Scott, a local construction company, between June 2016 and September 2017. The project will offer huge benefits to the River Afan as it will improve the water management, increased water security for local businesses and safeguarding of the wellbeing of future generations in the area.
The function of the weir is to impound water in the Afan, which works as a feeder channel to Port Talbot dock. The weir also supplies the water for dock operations as well as Tata Steel for cooling and other essential processes in the Steelworks of Port Talbot. The upgrade of the river has also given a new lease of life to the Afan Valley Angling Club.
