The largest scheme is outside St Helen’s Primary School, where trees and shrubs are being planted in a purpose‑built garden to help soak up surface water after heavy rain. Improved paving and dropped kerbs have also been added to make it easier for pupils, parents and other residents to get around on foot, by bike or scooter.
The council said the work is part of a wider programme to enhance active travel routes across Swansea, backed by Welsh Government’s Active Travel fund and other public and charitable grants. Around £160,000 has been invested in several Sandfields locations, focusing on closing gaps in pedestrian and cycle connections where streets end in cul‑de‑sacs.
Andrew Stevens, Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, said: “The funding we have secured for walking and cycling, in the main, is used to create new routes that connect communities, enabling people to travel in a more sustainable way.
“Some of this year’s settlement has also been directed towards the introduction of sustainable and innovative measures that not only make it easier for people to walk and cycle but also introduce green infrastructure within local communities. This is a great way of enhancing local communities, encouraging civic pride in where they live, as well as developing better sustainable transport links for those living there.”
A further rain garden has been created at the end of Burrows Road, next to Oystermouth Road. Rain gardens capture run‑off from roads and pavements, reducing the risk of flooding, filtering out pollutants before they reach waterways, and providing habitat for pollinators year‑round.
Cllr Stevens added: “Rain gardens are a great way of tackling minor flooding issues that can occur in streets. They help to capture excess surface water and boost biodiversity in urban areas when shrubs and plants are included in the design.”
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