First Community Gardens project utilises synthetic concrete product

A Swansea manufacturing company has completed its first Community Gardens project with outbuildings made from recycled waste plastic and minerals.

The new Coastal Housing Group housing project at Cwmfelinin Swansea which has been developed by W H Hale is a very distinctive site with attractive 21^st century designs mixed with green open spaces. It is also very unique in so much that the site includes a sustainable community garden facility for 12 of the local residents.

In their drive to make the gardens as sustainable as possible Coastal engaged Swansea based Affresol to provide an allotment store on each of the 12 plots.

The Affresol units are made from their innovative TPR synthetic concrete product.

Each outbuilding is made from approximately a quarter of a tonne of recycled plastic and mineral waste that was destined for landfill.

Affresol have delivered their outbuilding to a number of Housing Associations but this is the first totally sustainable community project that Affresol have undertaken.

Craig Sugar (Affresol Technical Director) said: “this has been a really interesting project that is providing allotment facilities for the community and residents of Cwmfelin. We are pleased that Coastal Housing Group chose Affresol to deliver truly sustainable storage units to blend into the environment and to reinforce the sustainability aspects of the project”.

The synthetic concrete product (TPR) manufactured by Affresol is also used to make sectional garages and house frames. Outlining the benefits, Craig Sugar said: "TPR is lighter and as strong/durable as concrete, it is also waterproof, fire retardant, does not rot, has excellent thermal insulation properties and is 100% recyclable at end of life.”

The TPR panels are bolted together to form a very strong and durable load bearing structure.

The company has spent the last three years working with Swansea University, Cardiff University and the Carbon Trust to develop the synthetic concrete product.

The Welsh Assembly Government has provided support through the Single Investment Fund and Finance Wales has also provided some debt investment in the business.

Steve Griffiths, project Manager with Coastal Housing Group stated that this Community Garden element of the Cwmfelin development is an unusual aspect for this type of project. There has been a lot of interest from the residents and Coastal will be allocating one plot to the local school and 2 plots to disabled residents.

“We selected Affresol because they are a Welsh company that has developed a completely new sustainable process and product that diverts waste from landfill, and we feel that this product has exciting potential for the construction industry.

"This is just the kind of business we aim to partner with as part of our Sustainable Housing Development Programme – which is designed to ensure that our tenants have the opportunity to live in a good quality, sustainable homes within a safe and secure community."