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Innovative wellbeing hub in North Wales
An ambitious community hub and holistic centre for wellbeing is coming to the small North Wales village of Penygroes.
Canolfan Lleu is the first of its kind in Wales, providing integrated health services, independent living flats, residential care home, children’s nursery and performance theatre. Situated around a central public courtyard, the five buildings aim for BREEAM Excellent certification, employing Passivhaus principles and a net zero energy strategy.
Housing group Grŵp Cynefin is the lead partner on the scheme and will retain responsibility for the residential and care provision. Grŵp Cynefin is working closely with Gig Cymru, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board; Cyngor Gwynedd; Theatr Bara Caws and the Welsh Art Council, and the local community.
Pagabo appointment
AtkinsRéalis was appointed by Grŵp Cynefin to provide multi-disciplinary lead design services, including project management and cost management. The appointment has been made as a direct award through the Pagabo Professional Services framework, with construction work expected to run from March 2025 to April 2028.
Multiple-stakeholder complexity
The center aims to influence every aspect of the Nantlle Valley communities through the lens of wellbeing. It follows many years of close consultation with local people and with the many stakeholders involved. Initially Faithful+Gould provided input into many months of grant funding applications, to support the strategic outline business case and full business case. There are multiple funding streams, each with its own complexities and reporting requirements. Our challenge has been to manage the diverse stakeholder groups, aligning their individual needs with the overall vision for the new facility, alongside maintaining program and budget.
Nearing the end of design phase
This is an unusual project for Grŵp Cynefin, and our focus is on guiding them through each stage of detailed design, planning, tender and construction. Client communication is a key aspect of the role, ensuring they are fully briefed on all aspects, and that the interfaces with the scheme’s other partners are fully understood and are underpinned by clear processes and actions. Via the Pagabo framework, we have brought an excellent supply chain on board, and our combined experience is enabling the scheme to progress successfully. We are currently nearing the end of the detailed design stage and moving towards the procurement exercise.
Social value support
Our specialist social value team is exploring initiatives that maximize the development’s community benefits. These will align with Canolfan Lleu’s vision for strengthening communities across the Dyffryn Nantlle valley, supporting health and wellbeing through a range of traditional and preventative services. The scheme also aims to strengthen the local economy and act as a catalyst for community resilience.
Championing Welsh language
Canolfan Lleu will benefit the celebration and protection of the Welsh language. The center will provide primary healthcare training in Welsh, and it will become the permanent home and performance space for Bara Caws, the Welsh language community theatre company. This aligns with our own encouragement for the Welsh language at Faithful+Gould, where most of the senior leadership team in our Welsh business are Welsh speakers. We are also pleased to support any of our staff to learn Welsh as beginners or improvers.
Canolfan Lleu facilities:
- 36-bed residential home.
- 17 flats for independent living.
- Core general medical services with shared facilities, community pharmacy and dental service.
- Traditional and preventative community health services.
- Multi-purpose spaces for young people, support services and third sector outreach provision.
- New home for Theatr Bara Caws including offices, rehearsal space and theatre.
- Spaces to promote intergenerational activity.
- 60-space children’s nursery
- New Grŵp Cynefin offices.
With its ambitious remit and wide network of governmental, national and local stakeholders, Canolfan Lleu is set to become a highly visible project that may well be emulated elsewhere.
Photo copyrights: Arcadis
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Please note that you are now leaving the AtkinsRéalis website (legal name: AtkinsRéalis Group inc.) and entering a website maintained by a third party (the "External Website") and that you do so at your own risk.
AtkinsRéalis has no control over the External Website, any data or other content contained therein or any additional linked websites. The link to the External Website is provided for convenience purposes only. By clicking "Accept" you acknowledge and agree that AtkinsRéalis is not responsible, and does not accept or assume any responsibility or liability whatsoever for the data protection policy, the content, the data or the technical operation of the External Website and/or any linked websites and that AtkinsRéalis is not liable for the terms and conditions (or terms of use) of the External Website. Further, you acknowledge and agree that you assume all risks resulting from entering and/or using the External Website and/or any linked websites.
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The consensus estimate provided by Virtua Research is based on estimates, forecasts and predictions made by third party financial analysts, as described above. It is not prepared based on information provided by AtkinsRéalis and can only be seen as a consensus view on AtkinsRéalis' possible future results from an outside perspective. AtkinsRéalis has not provided input on these forecasts, except by referring to past publicly disclosed information. AtkinsRéalis does not accept any responsibility for the quality or accuracy of any individual or average of forecasts or estimates. This web page contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by third parties. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between AtkinsRéalis' actual future results, financial situation, development or performance, and the estimates given here.
This is such an innovative and exciting scheme. Canolfan Lleu is named after Lleu Llaw Gyffes, a figure from Welsh mythology who possessed great skill, agility and resourcefulness. At AtkinsRéalis we aim to embody these qualities in providing Grwp Cynefin with a wealth of experience and expertise to guide their project journey. The center will provide a vibrant and dynamic hub for the local community to come together and celebrate their language and culture.
Matthew Harries
Associate Director, AtkinsRéalis
The AtkinsRéalis team has been excellent in supporting us to date on Canolfan Lleu. Providing clear direction in project management of the scheme and the wider team, responding quickly to any matters that have arisen and providing clear guidance and advice to us as a client.
Gwyndaf Williams
Development Manager, Grwp Cynefin