Members of Grwp Hirael Bay say they will ensure that the community's views are properly argued as the blueprints for the Hirael Bay project are drawn up.
The organisation, based in Bangor's Ty Gwydr/Greenhouse, includes community groups such as th
e Bangor Civic Society, COBTRA and Datblygu Bangor Development.
One member of the Grwp Hirael Bay, Chris Walker, said: "We want the community here in Hirael to be strongly represented."
Fellow member and co-ordinator at Datblygu Bangor Development, Franklin Scrase, added: "There are a lot of talented and knowledgable people in the area who care about it and have a valid input to make to this project, which is where Grwp Hirael Bay comes in. Others are long time residents who know Hirael well, and, when producing a masterplan for a project such as this, you don't want to turn that knowledge away."
The Hirael Bay project is described on Gwynedd Council's website as having "the potential to become one of Wales' most exciting waterfront destinations".
Seen as a platform to provide a big boost to the area's economy, proposals for the project's masterplan include a new marina, coastal and enterprise parks and university buildings.
A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: "Following the first stage of the public consultation with residents and businesses in January 2008, Building Design Partnership (BDP) – the company commissioned by a partnership comprising of Gwynedd Council, the Welsh Assembly Government, Bangor City Council, Bangor University, Watkin Jones and Penrhyn Estate – has been considering various alternative approaches to the original draft proposals in order to produce a development masterplan capable of delivering a successful and sustainable long term vision for Bae Hirael.
"We are confident that this process will result in the creation of a masterplan that is both deliverable and capable of enhancing the existing valuable assets within Bae Hirael, that will help to realise the full potential of the area, and which will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of Bangor as a thriving regional centre."
The full article contains 354 words and appears in North Wales Chron Bangor newspaper.
