Sandfields (Welsh: ''Traethmelyn'') is a mainly residential district of Port Talbot,

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. The area is located in

South Wales South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...

on a narrow coastal plain between Mynydd Dinas and the sea. The

M4 motorway The M4, originally the London-South Wales Motorway, is a motorway in the United Kingdom running from west London to southwest Wales. The English section to the Severn Bridge was constructed between 1961 and 1971; the Welsh element was largely ...

, A48 trunk road and South Wales Main Line run nearby. The area includes a council estate, industrial areas and a seaside resort at Aberavon Beach.

Background

The Sandfields estate, consisting mainly of semi-detached houses, was built between 1947 and 1955 to initially house workers for Port Talbot steelworks. In 2017, 1,800 of the 3,000 homes were owned by a social housing provider.

Government

The area encompasses the

electoral ward A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...

s of Sandfields West and Sandfields East, part of the Neath Port Talbot

unitary authority A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...

. Prior to 1974 Sandfields was a ward to

Glamorgan County Council Glamorgan County Council was established in 1889 together with the administrative county of Glamorganshire under the Local Government Act 1888. The first elections to the council were held in January 1889. The council was abolished under the Local ...

, represented by a Labour Party councillor.

Social conditions

The two electoral wards covering Sandfields were ranked in top 50 most deprived wards in Wales in the 2000 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation. In the 2005 index, Sandfields West was one of the 10% most deprived wards in Wales. It is the most densely populated ward in Neath Port Talbot.

Afan Lido

The Afan Lido

leisure centre A leisure centre in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia (also called aquatic centres), Singapore and Canada is a purpose-built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people ...

was opened by the

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

in 1965. The facility formerly included a 50m competition swimming pool, which was later converted into a 25m leisure pool called the "Aquadome" with water slides when the complex was re-fitted during the mid-1990s. The Lido also has a spa, gym, and concert hall where famous bands have played, including in recent years McFly, All Saints (group), All Saints, Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers and Lostprophets. The Lido was the site of a major fire on 16 December 2009 which broke out in the Aquadome part of the complex. Residents in surrounding streets were evacuated due to fears of the safety of chemicals in the fire that broke through the centre's roof. The centre has since been closed and demolished.

Education

Sandfields Comprehensive School was the first purpose-built comprehensive school in Wales when it opened in 1958. In 2000, it was recognised by the Welsh Secondary Schools Association (WSSA) as the most improved school in Wales. The school has produced a number of sportsmen and women who have represented Wales at international level, including rugby players Allan Martin (rugby union), Allan Martin and Les Keen (ex-Aberavon RFC); footballers Brian Flynn (footballer), Brian Flynn and Laura May Walkely of Arsenal L.F.C., Arsenal Ladies Football Team. The school closed in 2016 due to it being replaced by Ysgol Bae Baglan and was demolished in 2017. Ysgol Bae Baglan an all-through school in Neath Port Talbot and opened in 2016 following the closure of Sandfields Comprehensive school, Glan Afan Comprehensive School and Cwrt Sart Comprehensive School in 2016. Several primary schools are located within the Sandfields Estate including Tywyn and Awel Y Mor.

Community Archives Wales

The Port Talbot Historical Society and Community archives wales, Community Archives Wales meet at Sandfields' Library.

Nearest Places

*Baglan Bay *Baglan, Neath Port Talbot, Baglan *Aberavon * Aberavon Beach

References

External links

Sandfields Comprehensive School

Port Talbot Historical Society
*
Sandfields Primary School
{{coord, 51, 35, 37.00, N, 3, 48, 11.00, W, type:city, display=title Districts of Neath Port Talbot Glamorgan electoral wards Swansea Bay Port Talbot