Caerphilly council estate: £15m transformation of 'concrete jungle'

The underpass joining Lansbury to neighbouring Porset Park has been painted with a colourful mural

Once dingy, the underpass which joins Lansbury to neighbouring estates now offers a bright and colourful welcome.

It is a small sign of the major changes since part of the estate, once known as the "concrete jungle", was labelled the most deprived in Wales in 2014.

Since then over £15m has been spent improving housing standards and there are more improvements planned.

But some residents say £4m spent on a council pay row could have been invested on the estate instead.

The council is part of the Coalition for Change Board, including the police and health services, which has a five-year plan to improve Lansbury.

The council says it has more plans for the estate and has invested a significant amount in the community

The underpass from the estate to the school was transformed this year after mothers campaigned for it to be changed

Since the results of the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation in 2014, all the council properties have been re-clad, with new bathrooms and kitchens, in a £15m council scheme to improve the homes as required by the Welsh Housing Quality Standards.

And a new team has been put into the heart of the estate to bring council services to the community, to help get people into work, help with challenges facing young people, benefits, and maintenance of homes.

But some on the estate believe, until the ranking, they had been abandoned by the authorities, and fear the money could stop as the council tries to make cuts.

'My house is now warm'

Julie Forster has lived on the estate for years and says that it is in walking distance of everything she needs

Julie Forster said before the improvements her living room was a no go area - cold and with "black mould" on one of the walls - but it is now the warmest room in the house.

But some are not as impressed.

"I was told I was going to get new windows - the heat is going straight out of them, the heating is always on," one woman said, while another said she was putting cling film over windows to trap the heat.

'A child could get hurt'

Sian, 50, grew up on the estate and now lives just up the road from her mother Maude, 79, who has lived here all her life

In 2017, a report described the estate as a "sterile urban landscape" and suggested the council take small measures to improve things.

These included creating "pocket parks", planting trees and bringing in traffic calming measures.

But two years on parents on the estate say a child could be hurt before something is done to reduce the speed of drivers.

Sian, 50, described how her house "shook" when a car crashed into it.

"It felt like the wall was falling down in the bedroom, they just race down there," she said.

As part of a wider council cost-cutting measure street lights have been turned off on the estate from midnight until 05:30.

But one woman said she had fallen in the dark and no-one could find her, while others were concerned it made people vulnerable to crime.

Local police said it had not increased crime, but had led to issues identifying people on CCTV.

Life on the estate

• 'We're not scum because we're from a council estate'

• Ex-Wales striker: 'Council street sparked dream'

• Fighting poverty with flowers, food and fun

• Beat police spark '50% increase' in crime reports

'There's nothing for the kids'

Clare Powers has made her own swing outside her house

While the estate is within walking distance to the town, there is no meeting place on the estate, with the pub and community centre closed.

Clare Masters was part of a group who set up campaign group Lansbury Matters, in the aftermath of the 2014 deprivation index, to try to make positive changes to the estate.

The group's goal was to get a new community centre after the old one was pulled down due to falling into disrepair - but years on she says there is no sign of any action.

Van Community Centre on the outskirts of the estate holds community events and has a food bank, but many people say this is too far away.

"There's no heart to the community any more. There was discos, jazz bands. What have we got now - nothing," she said.

'The children need play areas'

The only play area on the estate is currently being revamped

Despite there being large grassy areas there is only one play area.

The park is currently being rebuilt and expanded in a £90,000 council plan, but parents say it is not enough for the hundreds of children who live on the estate.

"It's sad, they want to be outside, but there is nothing," said Kelly, who takes her son Mason to Roath Park in Cardiff to play.

What does the council say?

There is major work on the estate to remove asbestos from council properties

More improvements for the estate are planned with changes to fencing and green areas.

The council said there were currently no plans for a new community facility in the centre of the estate, but local ward councillor Elaine Forehead said she was working hard to get one and was hopeful it would happen soon.

Speaking about the pay row, a Caerphilly council spokesman said the council had "fully abided by its statutory requirements" during the investigation.

"We were bound by this statutory process and had no option but to cover the associated costs."

The council said it had to deal with a large amount of fly-tipping and rubbish on the estate

This story is part of a special series from Lansbury Park. BBC News is exploring the challenges and the opportunities for those living and growing up on the estate.