Welcome to Y rîff/The Reef: Coastal exploration centre

The coastal community of The Knap and the wider Barry area are teaming up to breathe new life into the dilapidated ‘Old Lifeguards Building’ left in ruin on the shores of Watch House Bay at Cold Knap Point. The historic building itself was built as a cloakroom for the busy and successful Knap Pool Lido back in the 1920s. For the past sixty years, the dedicated volunteers of the  The Rhondda (Cold Knap) Lifeguard Club  have been stationed here, saving lives at sea whilst their host building crumbles around them. 


November 2024 -  Disappointed but Determined: Our Response to the Council's Decision on the Knap Lifeguards Building
We are deeply saddened and disappointed to share that the Vale of Glamorgan Council has decided not to progress our Expression of Interest (EOI) for the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) of the Knap Old Lifeguards Building. This historic building has remained unused and deteriorating for years, yet our proposal to preserve and repurpose it as a community hub for education and coastal exploration has been rejected.

Our Journey So Far 

 In late May 2024, The Reef submitted a detailed EOI application for the CAT of the Knap Lifeguards Building. Our proposal outlined a clear and community-driven vision to transform this neglected site into a destination of learning and exploration, reflecting both local heritage and modern day needs, such as coastal protection and climate education.

The Council's Community Asset Transfer group met to consider our application in July 2024. However, we did not receive an official response until mid-September. The initial reply, from Karen Bowen, explained that the Council deemed the building a "significant asset" and therefore unsuitable for transfer. The group expressed its intention to explore alternative opportunities for the site as part of its broader placemaking plans.

We immediately appealed this decision, asking for clarification of the criteria used to reject our application, and highlighting the building's lack of use and maintenance over the years. Unfortunately, the Council reaffirmed its decision in a follow-up response from Phil Chappell, Operational Manager for Regeneration, on October 7, 2024.

The Council's Position
In their response, the Council explained that:

  • The decision to retain the building was influenced by its perceived strategic value and its potential alignment with future placemaking plans for Barry.  
  • They believe transferring the building at this stage would be "premature" and intend to conduct further feasibility studies as part of their broader strategy for the area.
  • There is no defined timeframe for these plans, although an initial draft of the Barry placemaking plan is expected in early 2025.
    While the Council acknowledged the value of community involvement and expressed interest in engaging with local groups as part of the placemaking process, their decision leaves the Knap Lifeguards Building in limbo, with no immediate plans for its preservation or use.

Our Response
While we respect the need for strategic planning, we believe this decision is short-sighted and inconsistent with the Council's handling of other community assets. We have noted that:

  •   Several community assets in Barry, such as Jenner Park and the Colcot Community Centre, are being sold, transferred, or otherwise repurposed as community assets. This stands in stark contrast to the decision to retain the Knap Lifeguards Building in the West of Barry.
  • The building's continued deterioration will only increase future renovation costs, making it harder to restore and utilise effectively.


We are determined to pursue this matter further. Our reply to the Council highlights:

  • The inconsistency in their approach to asset management across Barry
  • The urgent need to act before the building's condition worsens.
  • Our willingness to collaborate with the Council to align our proposal with their broader placemaking goals while addressing immediate community needs.

What's Next?
We are committed to ensuring the Knap Lifeguards Building becomes a valuable resource for the community. Moving forward, we will continue to engage with the Council, seeking further clarification and opportunities for collaboration and make verbal representations at the next Full Council meeting to highlight the importance of this building and the community support behind our proposal.

We want to thank everyone who has supported us so far. Your voices strengthen our resolve to advocate for this project and the preservation of Barry's heritage.
If you share our vision for the Knap Lifeguards Building, please reach out to your local councillors and let them know why this matters to you. Together, we can ensure this historic site is not lost to neglect but transformed into a vibrant community space for generations to come.
________________________________
The Reef Team 

Our Mission

 We believe it’s time to bring the building back to its former glory and strive to provide excellence in serving our local population..

Our Purpose and vision

To transform the Old Lifeguards Building into a dynamic community asset. Offering all visitors and coastal residents varied opportunities for wellbeing, fun and exploration. Our activities are rooted in environmental education and the unique and beautiful qualities of our coastline and community.

Our People

The entire local community and the wider coastal community (those who enjoy and wish to protect the coast). We want to inspire a sense of inter-generational belonging and accessibility to all. Whilst currently spearheaded by a broad interest steering committee of local residents, we’re here to listen to the needs and wants of other local people, coastal organisations and businesses who may be interested in a collaborative space. Whether now, or in the future, you can follow our journey from idea to action and join in along the way to help make it your own.

The Space - Transforming the building into ‘The Reef – Coastal Community Centre’ is no small task.  As a steering group, we are committed to do all we can to see the neglected building transferred as a community asset and truly restored for the good of the community. We know this will be a multi-year process, but we think the gains are worth it. We’re personally prepared to do the leg work to engage with funders and charitable foundations to see this project take flight. With environmental education and protection at the core of the coastal community collaboration, sustainable construction is key. We’d plan to have a carbon neutral building and already have interest from local university researchers at the forefront of renewable building technologies to come on board as advisors.


A Haven - To restore the building to its former glory, an integral part of our proposition is to provide a fit-

for-purpose space for the tireless work of the Rhondda Lifeguards Club. There for us and our visitors throughout the summer months, we cannot emphasise how vital they are to our coastal community. This provision will also allow for shared facilities such as changing rooms and a first aid training centre for local water user groups as well as the only accessible toilets in the area.


Champions for our blue environment - Another important aspect of our project would be the inclusion of an environmental monitoring station; housing the Wales Coastal Monitoring Centre (WCMC) and serving as a technically advanced educational hub designed to foster hands-on experiments and fieldwork exercises. The WCMC will house a state-of-the-art data centre dedicated to monitoring and delivering real-time insights into the changing Welsh coastline. In the face of climate change, this critical information will empower communities and policy makers alike, whilst putting our collaborative space in Barry at the fore.


An inspiring and essential educational space - The education hub aspect of the WCMC proposition will be adaptable and versatile to suit the needs of community groups and educators as well as the scientists at work; it’s an integral plan in its own right. We want a space that will house a full class of children, but also be a desirable space for university students and other educational groups. It will give local educators an indoors facility to greatly enhance their field trips. Arts and culture will be at the fore of the proposition as an important way of engaging with all of our interests.


Diverse and collaborative - The Reef will be a place where people connect to celebrate all aspects of the diverse life on our shoreline. From the Romans who set up a port here, to the wildlife that currently resides in our intertidal zone, and from the ancient geology that shapes our distinctive coastline to the very people using it today, nothing should be excluded from the vision for the space.

  • an events hub
  • an accessible bathroom facility
  • an indoors base with facilities to compliment outdoor activities
  • an adaptable classroom available to all ages
  • a welcoming space for community groups
  • a refuge for appropriate private hire that promotes environment, health and wellbeing
  • a secure base for voluntary lifeguards
  • a multi-use kitchen facility
  • a vector to promote beneficial collaborations for local businesses
  • hosting cultural experiences accessible to all members of our town
  • Facilities enabling educators, makers, naturalists, environmentalists, artists, therapists to come together and enable people to thrive.

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