Draft Proposal for the Regeneration and community integration of Dyfi Furnace

1. Draft Proposal for the Regeneration and community integration of Dyfi Furnace Submitted by the Ysgubor Y Coed Community Group

2. Introduction • Built around 1755, Dyfi Furnace may be the best-preserved example of an 18th century charcoal-burning blast furnace in Britain - and is one of rural Wales's hidden industrial gems. • Situated on the A487 road between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth - visitors might be deceived by its barn like external appearance until they glimpse the large water wheel at one side. • The furnace was built by Vernon, Kendall & Co. The Kendall's, who were in sole ownership by 1774, were a family of ironmasters from the West Midlands who had extensive interests in the Lake District and Scotland as well as furnaces and forges in Cheshire and Staffordshire - signifying that the furnace was part of an industrial empire on a British scale. • The monument consists of two main buildings, the main furnace building and overlooking it from further uphill, a large building, known as the Charcoal Store in which the raw materials would have been stored until required. • A feature of the monument is the water wheel - whilst the existing wheel is a later one, it is in the same position as the original blast furnace wheel. • Dyfi Furnace seems to have only been in use for 50 years and by 1810 it was abandoned. It was later converted into a sawmill, and it is this period that the present water wheel belongs.

3. A comprehensive programme of conservation began in 1977 and in 1987 the scheme received a 'Rural Wales Award' from the Council for the protection of Rural Wales. • For the latest round of conservation - the monument was closed to the public from 7 January 2008 until the end June 2008 and the historic site was once again opened to the public. • The closure was necessary to enable craftsmen to consolidate and conserve the fabric of this ancient monument, which included the re-pointing of the lower two thirds of the outside of the charcoal store's west wall. Work was also undertaken to examine the upper level of the stack and the glazed panel to improve drainage. • The water wheel itself was also examined with the replacement of timber buckets and spokes as necessary. Detailed structural investigations also identified a need to rebuild the top of the furnace flue. These are the “structural facts” and the furnace sits waiting for some heart and soul, we the community of Ysgubor Y Coed in conjunction with CADW hope to be given the opportunity to breathe new into this fantastic and fascinating facility!

4. Dyfi Furnace has been the sleeping beauty of Ysgubor Y Coed and indeed of CADW for many years. Attempts have been made in the past to engage the community and CADW in taking the furnace forward to a community led resource, however these attempts have petered out and the furnace has sat patiently waiting, until now! Background

5. The Clerk of Ysgubor Y Coed community council was urged by the council to approach CADW and propose that the monument and the community would be well advised to intrinsically link, therefore the community would feel that “ownership” and therefore responsibility was theirs as well as CADW’s. This he did and a meeting was arranged to be held at the Furnace on Tuesday 24th Feb 2009 at 11 am. Present at the meeting were representative from CADW, PLWM, Ysgubor Y Coed community council, local historical societies and some local residents.

6. The outcome of this meeting was very encouraging, to our surprise CADW were very willing to listen to the communities aspirations for the furnace i.e. the adaptation of the Furnace and the charcoal store from merely an interesting “shell”, albeit with historical and architectural significance, into a useable and vibrant community resource and were very approachable and helpful in pointing the best way forward. As a consequence of this meeting it was decided to get together with interested local residents and brainstorm possible uses of this extraordinary complex of buildings, while maintaining its unique fabric and enhancing and highlighting its distinctive industrial heritage.

7. Several meetings were held, and a number of innovative ideas and proposals were formulated, at this time a public meeting was arranged for the 1st of April 2009, the meeting was well advertised in the local community, in addition community stakeholders, identified by the CADW commissioned report; Community Profile for Dyfi Blast Furnace, prepared by Dr Sharon Collins of Evidence Base Ltd, were also invited. The meeting was a great success, filling the meeting hall with very enthused local residents and interested parties. The proposals already fleshed out were put to this meeting, discussed, added to and enhanced and a consensus that a steering committee be set up to carry the proposals forward to the next stage was reached.

8. The initial meeting of the steering group, made up from volunteers from the public meeting was well attended, at this meeting the Ysgubor Y Coed Community Group was set up, and asked to steer the preliminary proposals forward to a draft proposal. Subsequent meetings hammered out the initial proposals and agreed on a set of suggestions, outlining the wishes and needs of the community, and forwarding these draft proposals to you at CADW. These proposals follow in this presentation.

9. Ysgubor Y Coed Community Group • It was agreed that this was a fantastic opportunity for our community and for CADW to transform the Furnace complex into something very special, something approaching a jewel in the crown of premier Welsh monuments. However if we and CADW were going to take this project onboard then we would adhere strongly to the ethos that permeates the Dyfi valley; all improvement and additions would be sustainable, renewable, carbon neutral, fully accessible to all; old, young, disabled and able bodied, and to the best of our abilities, all materials and labour would be sourced locally. • In addition it was recognised very early on that any makeover for the Furnace complex must include the entire site if it were to be a successful and viable venture. • Paramount to all was the agreed need to retain the unique fabric of this exceptional complex, i.e. any work carried out must be done so with a weather eye on the buildings heritage status and agreed architectural uniqueness.

10. The Furnace complex is set apart form other sites in Wales in that we have an already established car park, big enough to take coaches and many cars, this is where the regeneration begins! The car park edges onto the river Einion, opposite to this are some recycling amenities, it is proposed that where these are presently situated would be a new build Information centre, toilet facilities and a small newsagent/shop, this new build would fulfil many needs; primarily it would ease the need for large toilet facilities on the site proper, point any passing visitors in the direction of the newly re-instated Furnace and provide the community with a shop and focal point, something that is very much missing since the closure of the communities only amenity; Artists Valley Garage, some months ago. The toilets would be the latest design composting toilets, harvesting rainwater and utilising the latest solar technology for power, lighting and heating. The shop/newsagents would use the same technologies, constructed where possible using local/recycled materials. We would work very closely with The Centre For Alternative Technology; and Dulas engineering; two world leading alternative energy and technology companies, whom we are fortunate enough to share the Dyfi valley with.

11. I draw your attention to the picture opposite, showing new build in Dartmoor National Park. The building has been designed incorporating sustainability options, for example making use of natural or recycled materials, such as sheep wool insulation and blocks with high recycled content, and ensuring the use of locally sourced materials, wherever possible. For example, all of the timber used for both the timber frames and roof structure has been supplied by a local sawmill from sources in Devon and Cornwall, and Delabole slate from Cornwall is being used for the roof. While the design may differ somewhat for our new build, the ethos behind it would be similar

12. Following on from the car park we come to the wooded area between the car park and the main road (A487). It is already in the planning stages and monies have already been identified and awarded from local grants, and this area will become a community recreation area and children's playground, complete with paths, tables and benches, negotiations are already underway with RSPB and we hope to have this amenity in place by the end of the year. The proposed paths will lead the public up to and encourage visitor to venture to the Furnace on the other side of the road. A crossing point may be needed here, however the speed of cars at this point is not excessive and clear sightlines of approaching traffic from both directions is possible from this point.