Abergavenny’s eighth Seedy Sunday will be at the Park Street Community Centre on 11 March (11am – 3pm).  Swap seeds and plants or donate for new seeds, buy new trees and shrubs, or tools to help Aficans, learn about batteries for renewable energy, bees, plastic waste, and volunteering at the Community Orchard or Incredible Edibles.  Refreshments and family fun.

Proposed Active Travel Integrated Network Maps and associated schedules, have been considered by the County Council today, at https://democracy.monmouthshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=143&MId=2721.  If approved they will be submitted to the Welsh Government and, if agreed by them, guide improvements until reviewed in three years time.

Following on from recent legislative changes in Wales, the Welsh Government has extensively reworked Planning Policy Wales to put place-making at the heart of planning policy. This is to ensure that the planning system can make its maximum contribution to the 7 Well-being Goals whilst embracing the 5 ways of working. Planning policy is being revised in a number of key areas including housing, energy, the environment and transport.

Please visit https://consultations.gov.wales/consultations/planning-policy-wales-edition-10 to access the consultation version of Edition 10 of PPW, along with a consultation paper with questions to guide you through the document.  Public consultation on this new version of PPW will run until 18 May.

The M4 relief road issue will be debated on BBC One Wales tonight at 10.30pm.  CALM contributing.

Boats could be brought back to a disused part of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal as part of an estimated £65m restoration project over 10 years. The Canal and River Trust in partnership with local authorities wants to reopen the waterway between Five Locks in Cwmbran, to Barrack Hill in Newport, as well as the Cwmcarn branch. It could also be extended to meet the River Usk at Crindau, Newport, where a marina could be built.  Such plans are not new – GreenWeb recalls similar proposals over 25 years ago.

The Trust wants to employ consultants who will need to consider how 16 major crossings, such as bridges, and 22 minor crossings and obstructions would affect the reopening of the canal to boats. Andrew Stumpf, head of the Canal and River Trust in Wales, said the project would revitalise the canal network, act as a catalyst for attracting investment and boost wildlife on the water.

Brecon Beacons National Park Authority are currently recruiting volunteers to work within the Park.  The Upland Conservation Volunteers undertake conservation and ecology work to help restore internationally important habitats and also carry out basic maintenance of upland Scheduled Ancient Monuments within the Black Mountains. The volunteers are currently undertaking an Upland Peat restoration project in the Black Mountains, working closely with the £1m Sustainable Management Scheme Project recently granted to the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority.  Upland Path Volunteers work within the Black Mountains and Eastern Central Beacons undertaking essential maintenance and repairs of the upland paths using traditional skills to ensure our paths are in good order for everyone to use.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact Jason Rees Project Co-ordinator – Jason.Rees@beacons-npa.gov.uk.

One of the main objectors to the building of the M4 relief road, Associate British Ports, is set to formally withdraw its opposition to the plans following the government’s decision to fund improvements at Newport Docks, owned by the company.