Plans unveiled for new community project in Pembrokeshire village

Plans for a new community project in Pembrokeshire which will see a disused chapel converted into community owned flats, a heritage centre and café, will go on display for the first time next weekend (2 September).

Brynmyrnach chapel in Hermon near Crymych closed in 2022 due to the deterioration of the roof.

Subsequently the local community created a Heritage & Housing trust to take on the building which will be remodelled to offer affordable housing on the first floor with a heritage centre and pop-up cafe on the ground floor.

The new project is the latest in a series of community initiatives in the village, which has leveraged funding of over £2.5m in community shares and loan finance dating back almost 20 years.

The gallery of designs will be displayed in the eco building across the road from the chapel which is also a community cooperative development known as Y Stiwdio, between 10am and 1pm.

Development

Chair of the Heritage and Housing cooperative, Cris Tomos said: “The coffee morning on the 2nd of September will be a chance to see the plans and layout for the new development.

“It will be an opportunity to involve new interested individuals and also explain about the cooperative trust model for renovating the old chapel building in the village”.

“it’s great to see another cooperative in the village and as a small rural community we have embraced the creation of new cooperatives as a solution to retain services and amenities in the area.

“It started with a gathering in 2003 to look at a Community Land Trust in the village and by 2006 the old primary school building was forced to close in Hermon where we then set up as a cooperative society to issue a community share offer in 2007, the building was bought in 2008 and turned into a community centre called Canolfan Hermon.

“This allowed many new groups to form and use the community centre to hold Action Plan meetings coordinated by PLANED rural development charity, the locals went on to establish the Cwm Arian Renewable Energy  cooperative with many environmental pilot projects and putting up a 700kw wind turbine.

“Then in 2021 Y Stiwdio cooperative project began to be built as an eco timber frame building with hempcrete walls.

“This year we are now purchasing the old chapel to become a Heritage & Housing Trust being the newest cooperative registered in 2023.  We are truly a cooperatively minded group of people in the village of Hermon”

Additional details about the community project can be viewed on www.cartrefun.cymru

At the event people can learn about the community housing project and then sign up to be a member and be part of the renovation project.